Brian Ziegler.

  
Friends and colleagues are mourning the loss of Brian Ziegler, who passed away on December 23, 2022. He was 66. Ziegler was an industry veteran, having worked in optics for more than 30 years. He began his optical career in 1990 as the owner of Tri-Lite Optics in West Paterson, New Jersey. His talent and expertise was “legendary” according to family. Focusing on the lab side of the business, Ziegler made his mark as an integral part of the teams as general manager, vice president of Laboratories, Nova Optical Lab in Orangeburg, N.Y., general manager at MH Optical Supplies in Hackensack, N.J., and for the past seven years as director of Laboratories for Warby Parker in Sloatsburg, N.Y.
 
Ziegler joined Warby Parker in January 2016 as the first member of the Warby Parker manufacturing team, helping to lead the opening of the first optical lab in Sloatsburg.
 
"Brian's passion for the optical industry and his commitment to helping people see were truly unmatched. His decades of experience in the industry, paired with his desire for constant innovation, made him a natural leader to help us open and scale our two optical labs,” Dave Gilboa, co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker told VMAIL.
 
Gilboa said, as director of labs Ziegler was instrumental in the recent opening of Warby Parker’s second optical lab in Las Vegas.
 
“Brian was not only a key team member but was also a personal friend—to me and to so many across Warby Parker and the optical industry,” he said. “We'll miss his boundless energy, his passion for teaching others, his kindness and his infectious smile. He leaves a tremendous legacy behind."
 
Ziegler’s passions extended beyond the optical industry with a love for the outdoors. He was an avid fly fisherman and could often be found trying to catch “the big one” during his time off in Upstate New York and British Columbia, Canada. He was noted for being a skilled fisherman and enjoyed tying his own flies and exploring remote locations in search of the perfect fishing spot with friends.

 
 
Longtime friend and colleague Stephen Ferri, general manager of CV Optics USA Inc., spent more than 30 years sharing Ziegler's love of optics and the outdoors. He told VMAIL Ziegler’s knowledge of Rx manufacturing, engineering, computers, finance, lenses, coatings and equipment were extensive and unsurpassed.

“Brian was always willing to share his knowledge, passion and experiences with colleagues and coworkers. His warm, infectious smile and easygoing manner will be missed by many,” he said. “On a personal note, it should come as no surprise to those who knew him that Brian was an accomplished sportsman on many fronts.”

He said the pair shared many fly-fishing adventures in the wild rivers of British Columbia, Newfoundland, Quebec, and Lake Ontario fishing for steelhead and salmon.

“We have a lifetime of great memories and stories. Brian was an amazing person, and I was lucky to be part of his life,” he said.
 
He was also a skilled skeet shooter, winning a National Skeet Shooting Association Certificate of World Record Achievement with a dear friend when they tied a World Record by shooting 200 X 200 in the 20 Gauge Two-Man Team Event at a New Jersey State Shoot. At another competition, he shot a 399 out of 400, missing “that damn 362nd target.”
 
He accomplished a “Robin Hood” while practicing archery, splitting an arrow down the middle with another arrow.
 
He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Beth Ziegler; his children, Karen Ziegler-Perry, Keith Ziegler, Kevin Ziegler, and Rachel Ziegler and his granddaughter Violet Elizabeth.
 
His family are welcoming visitors at the M. John Scanlan Funeral Home, 781 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, N.J., on Friday, January 13. Donations can be made to the Cancer Response Team in Ziegler’s memory.