"Opticianry Summit" Any news or first-hand accounts?

**Steve Machol** · 06-03-2012, 02:17 PM

I am not pleased with the tone of many posts in this thread. Please be respectful. Thank you.

**THE MEB** · 06-03-2012, 07:53 PM

I apologize. I will try to be more civil, got caught up when it's insinuated I am just the opposite of what I try to be by someone who doesn't even know me. But that said, I could see where the other person got fired up when I said I smelled a rat. Incendiary for sure.

**Wes** · 06-04-2012, 06:50 AM

An e-blast will be going out to summit participants soon, and a press release is due out within a week or so to discuss our progress. I'm not at liberty to divulge details, but the one thing I will tell you is that we dicsussed (and all believe in) the need for transparency and regular feedback to the opticianry community to keep everyone positively engaged.
As an fyi, these are the opticians I am working with on the steward team, and a great many others who are too numerous to mention are supporting us on the individual initiatives:
Steward Team

Tom Barracato
1st Vice President, OpticiansAssociation of America
Ed DeGennaro MEd, ABOM, LDO
In Focus Optical Consulting
Dianna Finisecy, ABOC, FNAO
Wagner Opticians
Robert Flippin
Owner, Thorp & Flippin Optical
John Girdler, LDO, ABOC, NCLEC
Vice President, Professional Opticians of Florida
Tom Hicks, ABOC, LDO, HFOAA
Oxford Opticians
Sam Morgenstern, F.N.A.O.
Vice President, Opticians Association of New Jersey
Optical Manager, The Optical Shoppe
Doug Pelkey, ABO-AC, NCLEC, LDO
Luxottica Retail

These are all very high quality individuals and they deserve your support.

On a very personal note, I am tired. I couldn't find a flight out of Columbia Metro that worked with my schedule, so I ended up driving 7 hours to our meeting in Alexandria, Va. this Saturday eve. I got in around 3 A.M. and had to be at the meeting by 8 A.M. We had a productive, all-day meeting, and then I drove the 7 hours home afterward. I have had to take vacation time off from my primary employer and will have to take a few more vacation days off this year that I would just as soon use for a real vacation. In addition, I have lost income from my part time gig as well. I am doing this while finishing the last courses of my MBA. It has not been a picnic, and I appreciate your support.

**gmc** · 06-04-2012, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by Wes

An e-blast will be going out to summit participants soon, and a press release is due out within a week or so to discuss our progress. I'm not at liberty to divulge details, but the one thing I will tell you is that we dicsussed (and all believe in) the need for transparency and regular feedback to the opticianry community to keep everyone positively engaged.
As an fyi, these are the opticians I am working with on the steward team, and a great many others who are too numerous to mention are supporting us on the individual initiatives:
Steward Team

Tom Barracato
1st Vice President, OpticiansAssociation of America
Ed DeGennaro MEd, ABOM, LDO
In Focus Optical Consulting
Dianna Finisecy, ABOC, FNAO
Wagner Opticians
Robert Flippin
Owner, Thorp & Flippin Optical
John Girdler, LDO, ABOC, NCLEC
Vice President, Professional Opticians of Florida
Tom Hicks, ABOC, LDO, HFOAA
Oxford Opticians
Sam Morgenstern, F.N.A.O.
Vice President, Opticians Association of New Jersey
Optical Manager, The Optical Shoppe
Doug Pelkey, ABO-AC, NCLEC, LDO
Luxottica Retail

These are all very high quality individuals and they deserve your support.

On a very personal note, I am tired. I couldn't find a flight out of Columbia Metro that worked with my schedule, so I ended up driving 7 hours to our meeting in Alexandria, Va. this Saturday eve. I got in around 3 A.M. and had to be at the meeting by 8 A.M. We had a productive, all-day meeting, and then I drove the 7 hours home afterward. I have had to take vacation time off from my primary employer and will have to take a few more vacation days off this year that I would just as soon use for a real vacation. In addition, I have lost income from my part time gig as well. I am doing this while finishing the last courses of my MBA. It has not been a picnic, and I appreciate your support.

Thanks Wes for your commitment to bettering our profession.

**chip anderson** · 06-04-2012, 07:45 AM

Wes: If I remember my history well enough, it didn't work out for Hannibal in the long run.

Chip

**Wes** · 06-04-2012, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

Wes: If I remember my history well enough, it didn't work out for Hannibal in the long run.

Chip

His enemies, who were much more powerful in numbers and resources, were forced to adopt his strategies and tactics to defeat him. Also, he was both let down and betrayed by those he supported, and those who were supposed to support him. He is still considered one of the greatest military strategists of all time , and with support and loyalty, his story may have been told a little differently.

**sharpstick777** · 06-04-2012, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

Wes: If I remember my history well enough, it didn't work out for Hannibal in the long run.

Chip

We still remember him today don't we? "I'll take Carthaginian Military geniuses for $500, Alex"

**sharpstick777** · 06-04-2012, 01:23 PM

Thank you, Wes. for your hard work!

Originally Posted by Wes

An e-blast will be going out to summit participants soon, and a press release is due out within a week or so to discuss our progress. I'm not at liberty to divulge details, but the one thing I will tell you is that we dicsussed (and all believe in) the need for transparency and regular feedback to the opticianry community to keep everyone positively engaged.
As an fyi, these are the opticians I am working with on the steward team, and a great many others who are too numerous to mention are supporting us on the individual initiatives:
Steward Team

Tom Barracato
1st Vice President, OpticiansAssociation of America
Ed DeGennaro MEd, ABOM, LDO
In Focus Optical Consulting
Dianna Finisecy, ABOC, FNAO
Wagner Opticians
Robert Flippin
Owner, Thorp & Flippin Optical
John Girdler, LDO, ABOC, NCLEC
Vice President, Professional Opticians of Florida
Tom Hicks, ABOC, LDO, HFOAA
Oxford Opticians
Sam Morgenstern, F.N.A.O.
Vice President, Opticians Association of New Jersey
Optical Manager, The Optical Shoppe
Doug Pelkey, ABO-AC, NCLEC, LDO
Luxottica Retail

These are all very high quality individuals and they deserve your support.

On a very personal note, I am tired. I couldn't find a flight out of Columbia Metro that worked with my schedule, so I ended up driving 7 hours to our meeting in Alexandria, Va. this Saturday eve. I got in around 3 A.M. and had to be at the meeting by 8 A.M. We had a productive, all-day meeting, and then I drove the 7 hours home afterward. I have had to take vacation time off from my primary employer and will have to take a few more vacation days off this year that I would just as soon use for a real vacation. In addition, I have lost income from my part time gig as well. I am doing this while finishing the last courses of my MBA. It has not been a picnic, and I appreciate your support.

**EyeCare Rich** · 06-04-2012, 01:27 PM

Thanks Wes, for your dedication, and for keeping us informed as well. I certanly hope your hard work becomes fruitfull to you as well as the rest of us.

**Arsenal** · 06-05-2012, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Machol

I am not pleased with the tone of many posts in this thread. Please be respectful. Thank you.

Originally Posted by THE MEB

I apologize. I will try to be more civil, got caught up when it's insinuated I am just the opposite of what I try to be by someone who doesn't even know me. But that said, I could see where the other person got fired up when I said I smelled a rat. Incendiary for sure.

Apologies as well

**Uilleann** · 06-05-2012, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by Arsenal

You must be Chief Rabble Rouser around here. If you won't support or trust anyone else to do the job, will you do it? Are you just crying foul while doing nothing?

Hardly, but honored you think so highly of someone you know nothing about. I'll let your assumptions carry you wherever you like. I'm actively doing much on my own - though it doesn't need to be discussed here in any detail. Those who need to know, already do.

How about you?

**Wes** · 06-05-2012, 06:20 PM

One of these days these ideas of yours are going to have to come out. As Jacqui has pointed out, the Summit has been largely East Coast. While I find that somewhat regrettable, there's nothing to be done about the past. If you have a viable goal, and an idea of how to get there, I am in a now-unique position to assist. While you and I can never seem to get along, we do seem to both favor improving the field. I await your pm.

**Steve Machol** · 06-06-2012, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Uilleann

Hardly, but honored you think so highly of someone you know nothing about. I'll let your assumptions carry you wherever you like. I'm actively doing much on my own - though it doesn't need to be discussed here in any detail. Those who need to know, already do.

How about you?

This conduct is no longer acceptable. If you cannot act like a professional then leave. There is no place for this on OptiBoard anymore.

**sharpstick777** · 06-06-2012, 04:12 PM

Thanks Steve, it doesn't do any of any good to denegrate into some negative argument. If we disagree, can we please do so respectfully? There are a lot of people who don't visit Optiboard anymore because of the bickering, and its a loss to us all.

I appreciate all the effort that went into this Summit and the time spent by those who are volunteering toward this effort. I am confident that something good will come out of it, even if its not a "home run", a bunt is more progress than we have had in many many years.

Its a group of very smart people who care a lot about our profession... so Thanks.

...please keep us posted.

Originally Posted by Steve Machol

I am not pleased with the tone of many posts in this thread. Please be respectful. Thank you.

**Steve Machol** · 06-06-2012, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by sharpstick777

There are a lot of people who don't visit Optiboard anymore because of the bickering, and its a loss to us all.

I've heard the same thing and sadly there are some people who simply cannot control themselves or think that they have a right to insult others with no consequences. One person already told me that if he does not have the right to be crude and insulting to others then I should ban him. I complied with that request.

**Flippin Retail** · 06-06-2012, 05:48 PM

I have the pleasure of working with Wes on the Steward team and can tell you that there are not many people who would have driven through the night from South Carolina to Washington, DC to attend a day long meeting to move our profession forward. I can understand the frustration of many because of what appears to be a lack of information but I would encourage everyone to have a little patience. A seed has been planted and we now have a small seedling that we are nourishing with much passion and hard work. It will take the efforts and care of all of us to help this seedling grow into a tree which will eventually begin bearing fruit for us all but for now it is just beginning to spread out roots and gather strength. Good things are coming.

Thank you Wes for doing the impossible so that others may follow without the fear of boundaries.

**EyeCare Rich** · 06-06-2012, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by Flippin Retail

I have the pleasure of working with Wes on the Steward team and can tell you that there are not many people who would have driven through the night from South Carolina to Washington, DC to attend a day long meeting to move our profession forward. I can understand the frustration of many because of what appears to be a lack of information but I would encourage everyone to have a little patience. A seed has been planted and we now have a small seedling that we are nourishing with much passion and hard work. It will take the efforts and care of all of us to help this seedling grow into a tree which will eventually begin bearing fruit for us all but for now it is just beginning to spread out roots and gather strength. Good things are coming.

Thank you Wes for doing the impossible so that others may follow without the fear of boundaries.

+1, well said, and thank you also for your participation. I look forward to hearing what kind of flower blooms from this seedling.

**Wes** · 06-08-2012, 03:16 PM

http://www.thevisioncouncil.org/opti....cfm?navID=866
Latest update.

**wmcdonald** · 06-08-2012, 09:24 PM

Thanks Wes. Looks great!

**sharpstick777** · 06-11-2012, 10:43 AM

Thanks Wes, that is very helpful...

Originally Posted by Wes

http://www.thevisioncouncil.org/opti....cfm?navID=866
Latest update.

**sharpstick777** · 06-11-2012, 10:44 AM

Welcome FlippinRetail to Optiboard!

Originally Posted by Flippin Retail

I have the pleasure of working with Wes on the Steward team and can tell you that there are not many people who would have driven through the night from South Carolina to Washington, DC to attend a day long meeting to move our profession forward. I can understand the frustration of many because of what appears to be a lack of information but I would encourage everyone to have a little patience. A seed has been planted and we now have a small seedling that we are nourishing with much passion and hard work. It will take the efforts and care of all of us to help this seedling grow into a tree which will eventually begin bearing fruit for us all but for now it is just beginning to spread out roots and gather strength. Good things are coming.

Thank you Wes for doing the impossible so that others may follow without the fear of boundaries.

**gmc** · 06-11-2012, 02:51 PM

Thanks to Wes, Johns, Flippin Retail and all the other participants in this initiative that are dedicating much time and effort to advance opticianry. I hope these efforts are fruitful.