TRANSITIONS SUPPORTS TOP INDEPENDENT LAB PARTNERS THROUGH HERITAGE LAB AMBASSADOR’S CLUB
Program for Transitions Lab of the Year Winners Provides Resources and Education to Drive Business Growth
PINELLAS PARK, Fla., Dec. 17, 2008 – Honoring those independent labs demonstrating the highest dedication to Transitions® lenses and providing them with an exceptional level of planning and marketing support, Transitions Optical, Inc. has introduced the Heritage Lab Ambassador’s Club.

The new program – created exclusively for former Transitions Lab of the Year winners – builds upon the perks that are already available through the Transitions STAR Lab Program, and includes providing each of the Heritage labs with an extensive and customized strategic business plan for the year, along with marketing and event access for them and their customers. In addition, future winners of Transitions Lab of the Year award will be automatically inducted into this select Club.

“The Transitions brand is stronger than ever, and much of our success is driven by our lab partners,” said Brian Hauser, director, lens manufacturer and trade channel sales, Transitions. “We created the Heritage Lab Ambassador’s Club as a way to reward our key independent labs and thank them for their continued commitment to Transitions. Once a lab is inducted into the program, they will have preferential access to Transitions Optical’s resources – giving their eyecare professional customers an automatic edge in growing their own businesses with Transitions lenses.”

Through the program, Heritage labs will be invited to participate in an extensive marketing and business analysis, led by a professional business-to-business consultant to help identify strengths and opportunities specific to their business. The program will include an in-depth evaluation and personalized program for each of the labs, plus short- and long-term budget and communication planning to help members further meet the educational and marketing demands of their eyecare professional customers.
Tying in with Transitions Optical’s four-year sponsorship of the PGA TOUR, Heritage labs will have opportunities to leverage the partnership with their customers – including unique access to custom golf packages and tickets to the Transitions Championship for Healthy Sight event at Innisbrook in March. Heritage labs will also have access to the resources available from Transitions and its industry partners to support their own high-profile initiatives. To promote their Heritage lab status, labs will be given use of the club logo for various customer communications and at trade shows, plus will have continued visibility in trade publications through targeted advertising and public relations outreach.

Inaugural members of the Heritage Lab Ambassador’s Club include: Balester Optical Co.; Diversified Ophthalmics, Inc.; McLeod Optical Company, Inc.; Soderberg Ophthalmic Services; Three Rivers Optical; Toledo Optical and Walman Optical. The 2008 Transitions Lab of the Year, to be announced during Transitions Academy in January 2009, will also be inducted into the Heritage Lab Ambassador’s Club.