Eyecare Business delivers the latest updates across the eyecare industry, from appointments to achievements and other notable news. This week includes updates from the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC), The Vision Council (TVC), VisionHQ, ClearVision Optical (CVO), Kasperek Optical, and Zeiss.
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The Global Myopia Awareness Coalition has announced its 2026 board of directors. GMAC also shared that Meredith Bishop, global medical education, vision at Johnson & Johnson, has been appointed GMAC board chair for the 2026-2027 term, and Roni Kennison, vice president, product strategy & development, UnitedHealthcare Vision, will serve as co-chair. The full 2026 board of directors are Elizabeth Lumb, director, global professional affairs, myopia management, CooperVision; Gregory Lee, global head of commercial strategy, Santen; Kevin Chan, OD, vice-chair, myopia special interest group, American Academy of Optometry; Luke Arundel, chief clinical officer, Optometry Australia; Olga Prenat, global head of medical and professional affairs, EssilorLuxottica; Sandra Block, OD, immediate past president, World Council of Optometry; and Tom Lamond, president, Jobson Optical Group.
The Vision Council has appointed Brandon Butler to its board of directors as a director at large. Butler is the founder and CEO of Artisan Lab Network, a multilab platform supporting independent optical manufacturing and private-practice eyecare professionals across the United States, and has held roles at Younger Optics, Schneider Optical Machines, Hoya, and Essilor-affiliated Opticraft. He founded Pacific Artisan Labs in 2018 and later expanded the platform with Peak Artisan Labs in 2023 and Pike Artisan Labs in 2025 as part of the Artisan Lab Network.
The Vision Council announced that Vikas Parakh is stepping down as chair of its Environmental Sustainability and Social Awareness Committee. He is succeeded by Justyna Grzegorczyk and Marc Van Camp, who will serve as co-chairs. Grzegorczyk leads sustainability and climate compliance at VSP Vision, focusing on ESG strategy, climate disclosure, and regulatory readiness, while Van Camp directs prescription eyewear labs and quality assurance at Maui Jim Sunglasses.
VisionHQ has appointed Renato Cappuccitti as senior vice president of sales and marketing. Cappuccitti brings more than 30 years of optical industry experience, including leadership roles at Bajío Sunglasses, Costa, For Eyes, and Hoya Vision Care.
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ClearVision Optical has received a workforce training grant from the Workforce Development Institute to support sales and negotiation training for its team. ClearVision’s training initiative aims to strengthen professional skills, leadership capabilities, and customer relationship management across its sales organization.
Kasperek Optical has entered an exclusive partnership with Ioves Spa, becoming the sole US distributor of the Diva Eyewear collection. The full collection will be available to independent eyecare professionals ahead of its official launch later this month.
Zeiss Vision Care has formed a multiyear strategic partnership with Medical Eyeglass Center (MEC), making Zeiss the exclusive laboratory and service provider for MEC’s optical dispensary management organization. The partnership aims to combine MEC’s dispensary management expertise with Zeiss’s lens innovation and manufacturing capabilities.
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ClearVision Optical has presented the Fred Friedfeld Memorial Scholarship to Monica Van Duyne in partnership with SUNY College of Optometry. Founded in 2014 by the Friedfeld family to honor company founder Fred Friedfeld, the scholarship supports optometry students pursuing careers in patient care, research, and eyecare entrepreneurship. Since its inception, the program has awarded 10 scholarships and raised over $110,000.