PEOPLE

The Center for Ocular Research and Education appointed Rosa Yang, O.D., FAAO, as a clinical research associate. Dr. Yang also serves as a clinical instructor at the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science and is a practicing optometrist in the Greater Toronto area.

◄ EssilorLuxottica named Sherianne James as chief marketing officer/senior vice president of wholesale marketing for North America. With more than 25 years of marketing experience, James will lead EssilorLuxottica’s combined commercial marketing efforts, including both its eyewear and lens brands.

Lois Schoenbrun, CAE (Ret.), FAAO, has been appointed interim executive director for Optometry Giving Sight. Schoenbrun formerly served as executive director for the American Academy of Optometry and the American Academy of Optometry Foundation from 1996 to 2019.

◄ Francesco Rinaldi Ceroni has been appointed as the president and chief commercial officer of Safilo Group for the North American market following the retirement of Steve Wright. Ceroni joined Safilo in June 2020 as global general manager of Smith Optics after serving as vice president of international strategy and business development at Costa Del Mar.

◄ Shamir Insight Inc. announced director of business and strategic development Pierson Ball, who joined the company in 2007, has been appointed as the new vice president of sales. Vice president of operations and strategic partnerships Mark Becker, who joined Shamir in 2014, will have an expanded role focusing on building stronger relationships with Shamir’s laboratory partners and key customers. Director of marketing Phillip R. Pasit, who joined the company in 2020, has been promoted to vice president of marketing. 

Omar Elkhatib has been appointed as The Vision Council’s new government relations manager. Most recently, Elkhatib was the senior manager of democracy initiatives at the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution.

VSP Vision has promoted Greg Hare to president of Visionworks, making him responsible for Visionworks’ more than 700 eyecare locations. Most recently, Hare served as interim president of Visionworks and previously was the company’s chief customer officer.

BUSINESS UPDATES

ABB Optical Group announced it will open a national logistics center in Hebron, KY, this fall. The center, a 103,000-square-foot facility, is an effort to double ABB’s distribution footprint.

Coopervision and the World Council of Optometry (WCO) have committed to a second year of partnership in advancing myopia management as standard of care worldwide. CooperVision and WCO are planning a new series of clinical education resources and initiatives.

The SUNY College of Optometry celebrated 50 years of optometric education, advancement of vision research, and patient care by raising a record $300,000 for scholarships and grant support at its annual gala.

AWARDS

For its Acuvue Theravision with Ketoifen, Johnson & Johnson Vision was recognized as the winner of Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards in the wellness category. The product also earned an honorable mention in the health and enduring impact categories.

Prevent Blindness announced the recipient of the 2022 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health as VOSH/International, a volunteer-based organization selected for its commitment to providing access to quality eye care in underserved communities. Additionally, Prevent Blindness announced the co-recipients of its third annual Rising Visionary award: Marissa K. Shoji, M.D., of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, and Hursuong Vongsachang, MPH, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

MISCELLANEOUS

The SUNY College of Optometry has dedicated its newly expanded center for pediatric eye care to Barbara Saltzman, former president of the Optometric Center of New York Board of Trustees. The Barbara Saltzman Center for Pediatric Eye Care is a $3 million clinical care facility with the capacity to see up to 10,000 visits annually.