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Ronald Blum, O.D., Chairman / President / Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Ronald Blum has over 30 years in the eye care industry as a practicing O.D., founder and president of various vision related businesses, and inventor. Dr. Blum is past founder, President and CEO of Innotech, a NASDAQ company acquired by Johnson & Johnson. He was also general manager of advanced technology at J&J Spectacle Lens Group, and led the team that invented Johnson & Johnson’s Definity progressive lens. Dr. Blum practiced optometry in Roanoke, VA for approximately 20 years. He is co-inventor of the electro-active lens technology platform and is named on over 250 patents and patent applications.
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William Spies, Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Bill Spies is a past Vice President of Essilor and directed sales and operations for one of the largest laboratory regions in the country with over 17 wholesale labs. Mr. Spies was past President of Hoya Lens of America, and is a former Executive Vice President and General Manager of Seiko Optical Products for North and South America. In that role, he led Seiko’s pioneer launch of the high index category and the introduction of Seiko frames. In addition, Mr. Spies is a former Manager of Corning Optical’s export business as well as its PhotoGray and SunSensor Lens consumer advertising campaigns. Mr. Spies has worked in the optical industry for over 20 years.
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Bill Kokonaski, Chief Technology Officer
Mr. Bill Kokonaski is the past Director of Engineering for the Johnson & Johnson Spectacle Lens Group, including significant involvement in the design of the Johnson & Johnson Definity progressive lens. Mr. Kokonaski was also a Past Director of Engineering at Innotech, a NASDAQ company acquired by Johnson & Johnson. Holding degrees in physics, electrical engineering and mathematics, Mr. Kokonaski has previously worked with multiple Fortune 500 companies, and was co-inventor of the electro-active lens technology platform. Mr. Kokonaski has over 20 years of engineering, science and technology experience, and more than 10 years experience in the optical industry.
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Steve Holt, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Steve Holt most recently was Chief Financial Officer for Interstate Distributor, a $600 million transportation services company. He is also the previous Chief Financial Officer for Boxlight & Activelight Corporations and Birdstep Technology North America. Prior to that, Mr. Holt held financial management positions with Centura Software Corp., Johnson & Johnson’s Spectacle Lens Group, and Innotech, Inc. Mr. Holt has 20 years of financial management and accounting experience, and holds an MBA from Santa Clara University.
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Larry Rodriguez, Senior Vice President Global Marketing
and Sales
Mr. Larry Rodriguez is a leader with a proven record of building best in class sales, marketing, operation and analytic teams that have produced break-through results across multiple industries. Working for both start-up and Fortune 50 companies, he takes a deeply analytical, pragmatic, and determined approach to building organizations and developing teams. Larry has an intense focus on continuous improvement always searching for more efficient and effective ways to drive revenue, share and profitability of an organization. Larry spent 16 years in the ophthalmic lens industry working as Vice President of Sales for Southern Optical leading a team that established the company as one of the largest wholesale laboratories in the U.S. Launching Varilux Progressive Addition Lenses, A/R Coatings, Transitions and Polycarbonate and placing Southern Optical as a leader in each category. Larry left the ophthalmic industry for 7 years to join Capital One as Managing Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Over those 7 years revenues under his leadership grew 26X from $500 million to $12.4 billion moving Capital One from 12th in market share to 1st over 3 years. Larry serves on the Board of Directors for several companies in N.C. and is an equity member in Benvegna Inc. as well as IPLS Consulting.
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Rod Passarelli, Vice President, Retail Sales
Mr. Rod Passarelli is a former National Accounts Representative for Essilor of America, and past Vice President of Ophthalmic Lenses for Bausch and Lomb. He was instrumental in building and sustaining a synergistic relationship with two of the largest optical companies in the world. Mr. Passarelli played a significant role in bringing Invisibles™ anti-reflective coating to market, and the Duralens™ and Scotchgard™ brands to Lenscrafters. He helped establish Essilor’s first state-of- the-art laboratory in North America to handle business between Essilor and Lenscrafters. Mr. Passarelli has 25 years of optical experience with Essilor and 30 years of total optical experience.
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Clay Musslewhite, Director of Marketing
Mr. Clay Musslewhite has worked in the eye care industry for over 15 years, most recently as Marketing Director for HOYA Vision Care, North America, and prior to that, as Product Manager for Essilor of America. Mr. Musslewhite has extensive experience in new product introductions in the spectacle lens category, as well as channel marketing and sales. He was instrumental in orchestrating the launch of HoyaLux ID and HoyaLux ID Lifestyle free-form progressive lenses as well as Nulux ep bi-aspheric single vision lenses from HOYA and Crizal Alizé anti-reflective coating from Essilor.
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Evelyn Blake, Corporate Secretary, Director of Legal Affairs, Administrator
With over 15 years of experience in the optical industry, Ms. Evelyn Blake is the former Corporate Administrator for Innotech, a NASDAQ company acquired by Johnson & Johnson. Ms. Blake has 15 years of intellectual property and corporate management experience, and has played a significant role in managing the legal partnerships and patent and trademark activities for PixelOptics.
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Peter Zieman, Director of European Sales
Mr. Zieman held senior positions with Essilor of America from 1997 to 2008, first as Vice President of Laboratory Technologies, and then as Director of Retail Operations and Laboratory Services since 2004. Mr. Zieman started his optical career in 1980 as a board member of Henley Optical Group, a 120-store optical retail chain based in the northwest of England. In 1989 he became the UK Services Director for Dollond & Atchison Opticians PLC in Birmingham, England, providing service-related support to the 850-store optical chain including buying, manufacturing, logistics, warehousing and forecasting. Mr. Zieman is a past chairman of the Comprehensive Manufacturer and RF Council, both associations of the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians, UK. |
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Robert S. Hall, Director of Operations
Robert S. Hall, L.O. ABO/NCLE is the former Manager of New Product Development for R&D at ITT Night Vision, and prior Business Unit Manager of Operations for Johnson & Johnson Vision Care. At J&J Vision Care Mr. Hall was responsible for logistics, customer service, finish fabrication, product testing, management of the process capability program, and budget planning for his respective cost center. Mr. Hall holds a B.A. degree in Business Administration and Organizational Management, and A.S. degrees in Ophthalmic Lens Design and Dispensing, and Structural Engineering. |
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