ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The Vision Council has shared details on the themed breakout sessions planned for its 2021 Executive Summit, which will take place virtually from Jan. 26-28, 2021. On Wednesday, Jan. 27 and Thursday, Jan. 28, The Vision Council will present three breakout sessions each day focused on the topics of Senior Leadership Tactics, Marketing Strategies and Telehealth. These sessions are presented under the unifying concept of “The Pivot: Changing Your Mindset During Difficult Times,” and will highlight how optical leaders are tackling the effect of COVID-19 on their businesses, as well as what strategies they plan to employ in 2021.

The three breakout sessions will take place concurrently each day and attendees will have the option to select the breakout session that is most pertinent to their business needs.

Each day, the Senior Leadership and Marketing Strategy breakouts will feature moderated conversations led by industry experts, with a rotating group of panelists comprised of both industry leaders and experts from other fields, followed by Q&A sessions with the audience. The Telehealth breakout, offered both days, will feature a comprehensive forecast for 2021 followed by an interactive Q&A session.

Ashley Mills, CEO of The Vision Council, said, “A complement to the comprehensive industry overview we will provide during other points of the Executive Summit, like the state of the industry session, the themed breakouts will allow attendees to customize their Executive Summit experience and dig deeper into the topics that are most relevant to their interests. We have designed the sessions to be engaging and interactive, with a curated group of the industry’s most well-respected leaders and experts, as well as several exciting guests from other fields, slated to host these thought-provoking conversations.”

Interested attendees can register for the 2021 Executive Summit online here. The full schedule or breakout sessions is as follows:

Wednesday, January 27; 2:15-3:00 p.m. EST
Option 1: Senior Leadership: Leading Your Team in a Post-Pandemic World
Marc Ferrara, president, Jobson Optical Group, and Marge Axelrad, senior vice president, editorial director of Vision Monday/VMAIL, will co-moderate a panel featuring a distinct group of senior optical industry executives during which they will explore the tactics these leaders have implemented to design their approach for 2021. Boasting diverse backgrounds across different segments of the optical industry, the panelists will share insights into the consumer and patient mindsets; how priorities have changed; and how they are refocusing their teams to be nimble in a fluid business environment.
Wednesday’s featured speakers will include David Gilboa, co-CEO, Warby Parker; Kate Renwick-Espinosa, president, VSP Vision Care; and Marty Bassett, CEO, Walman Optical.

Option 2: Adapting Marketing Strategies in the Age of a Pandemic
Moderated by Erinn Morgan, editor-in-chief at Eyecare Business Magazine, this marketing-focused breakout session will feature critical insights and innovative ideas through a conversation with Jonah Berger, PH.D, a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and internationally bestselling author of Contagious, Invisible Influence, and The Catalyst, and Chase Fisher, founder and CEO at Blenders Eyewear. Designed to help marketing executives examine their own focus and define new ways of doing business during the pandemic and beyond, key discussion points will include: social listening; the power of hosting virtual events; telling authentic stories to speak to the new normal; and the critical value of social and philanthropic efforts.

Option 3: Telehealth: Overview of the Economics of Telehealth in Eyecare in 2021
Bryan Rogoff, OD, senior product manager, disease management at Zeiss Meditec, will share essential information about the economics of telehealth in eyecare, followed by a collaborative discussion with attendees about how industry partners can formulate a telehealth strategy.

Thursday, January 28; 1:30-2:15 p.m. EST
Option 1: Senior Leadership: Leading Your Team in a Post-Pandemic World
On the second day of the Senior Leadership breakout, Marc Ferrara, president, Jobson Optical Group, and Marge Axelrad, senior vice president, editorial director of Vision Monday/VMAIL, will co-moderate a conversation with a different group of senior optical industry executives exploring leadership tactics and disciplines for 2021.
Thursday’s featured speakers will include: Fabrizio Uguzzoni, president, Luxottica Wholesale N.A.; Karen Roberts, vice president Global Business Solutions/Customer Enablement, Carl Zeiss Vision International; and Michael Bender, president and CEO, Eyemart Express.

Option 2: Storytelling in 2020: How It Changed and What It Taught Us
Moderated by Dee Carroll, editor-in-chief of INVISION Magazine, this panel will explore how high-touch, experiential, and service-oriented businesses pivoted their messaging to keep their consumers informed, engaged and reassured. The speakers will share their experience of pivoting their organization’s approach in 2020 to remain sensitive to current events and continue to serve their customers. They will also discuss their lessons learned so other consumer-facing, service-focused businesses can handle any crisis that may arise going forward.
Featured speakers will feature: Michael A. “Mick” Kling, OD, founder and CEO, Invision Optometry; John Deluna, vice president of Marketing, AEG Vision; and Samar Younes, vice president, Creative Director, SHOWFIELDS.

Option 3: Telehealth: Overview of the Economics of Telehealth in Eyecare in 2021
Bryan Rogoff, OD, senior product manager, disease management at Zeiss Meditec, will again share essential information about the economics of telehealth in eyecare, followed by a collaborative discussion about how industry partners can formulate a telehealth strategy.