(Clockwise from top left) Jim McGrann, Stephanie Lucas, Shani Leonard and Lorie Lippiatt, OD.
BOCA RATON, Fla.—Healthy Eyes Advantage, Inc. (HEA) has enhanced its leadership team. Effective June 1, Jim McGrann was named executive chairman. An experienced leader with a background spanning health care, insurance, technology, supply chain and consulting industries, McGrann will bring multi-faceted skills to the role, the company said, including business strategy development, profitable growth delivery, integration expertise, customer experience management and information technology strategy development. During his 20-year career in the eyecare industry, McGrann has served as president and CEO of VSP Global, president of VSP Vision Care, chief technology officer of VSP Global, president of Eyefinity and CIO of Marchon Eyewear.

In addition to chairing the Healthy Eyes Advantage board of directors, McGrann will work closely with Jeff Rinkus, HEA’s president and CEO, to oversee the company’s strategic direction and to execute its business plan, the announcement said.

“I am delighted to join the Healthy Eyes Advantage leadership team,” stated McGrann. “Each of the entities that comprise HEA has a rich and important history in the vision space. We are building on this foundation to create something new and unique that empowers independent eyecare professionals to succeed in a rapidly evolving optical industry. I look forward to guiding the company’s growth under the new Healthy Eyes Advantage brand.”

Healthy Eyes Advantage was formed by Nautic Partners in November 2017 upon acquiring four of the U.S.’ largest eyecare buying groups: HMI/Red Tray/ClubZero, Vision West, C&E and Block Business Group, as VMAIL reported. 

“Since the formation of Healthy Eyes Advantage late last year, our team has been working to enhance the value we deliver to independent eyecare professionals through our strategic business and practice solutions partners,” said Rinkus.

HEA also announced three additional new members to its executive team. “Building out an executive team with experience across the eyecare industry is an important part of our strategy for long-term success. In an environment where rapid changes are happening within the independent eyecare professional (IECP) and vendor partner communities, it is imperative that we increase our service and speed to market with options that improve the value for IECPs and for our strategic vendor partners. These executive team additions are an important step forward in that direction,” said Rinkus.

Among the new appointments:
• Lorie Lippiatt, OD, has assumed the position of senior vice president of professional strategies. For the last 15 years, Dr. Lippiatt has been focused on technology integration, electronic health records and practice management. She lectures nationally on the topics of EHR and technology integration and has authored numerous journal articles on these topics. Dr. Lippiatt is the founder and owner of Salem Eye Care Center, a successful optometric practice in Salem, Ohio, where she continues to practice. She has been recognized as one of Vision Monday’s 50 Most Influential Women in Optical.

• Stephanie Lucas has joined the team as senior vice president of sales and marketing. Lucas brings more than 30 years’ experience in the vision and health benefits industries, with an emphasis on business development and relationship management. Prior to joining Healthy Eyes Advantage, Lucas was vice president of health plan services for Superior Vision, where she was responsible for developing and managing relationships with national and regional health plans across the country. In her new role, Lucas is responsible for integrating the brands that comprise Healthy Eyes Advantage, as well as executing strategic marketing and sales initiatives to fuel HEA’s growth and create successful business collaborations.

• Shani Lenard has joined the company as vice president of HEA Services. Lenard brings more than 20 years of business management experience that includes practice management, national provider conferences and human resources. Prior to joining Healthy Eyes Advantage, she was the leader of talent development for a multibillion-dollar physician practice group. There, she implemented new physician-centered programs to drive engagement, retention and education. She is responsible for ensuring that the company’s members receive world-class service, overseeing education strategies, and facilitating HEA’s participation in conferences and other industry events.

The four executives join the established HEA leadership team that includes, in addition to Rinkus, the following:
• Andrew Alcorn, executive vice president
• Diane John, vice president of marketing
• Shirleen Prescott, vice president of operations
• Josh Mesirow, vice president of vendor relations

“With these additions to our leadership team, Healthy Eyes Advantage is ready to execute on providing simplified solutions to the everyday challenges faced by IECPs and to delivering value to our strategic vendor partners,” said McGrann. “We look forward to announcing details regarding new program offerings over the next few weeks.”

Healthy Eyes Advantage provides business and practice solutions and group purchasing services to more than 10,000 independent eyecare professionals. Based in Boca Raton, Fla., with offices in San Clemente, Calif.; San Diego, Caif.; and Vicksburg, Miss., the company provides full customer support through these regional offices.