21ST CENTURY OPTICS, ROONEY OPTICAL AND TOLEDO OPTICAL NAMED FINALISTS FOR TRANSITIONS’ 2002 LAB OF THE YEAR

Winner Will Be Announced at Transitions Academy in February
PINELLAS PARK, Fla., Jan. 6, 2003 – Transitions Optical, Inc. has narrowed the field of contenders for its 2002 Lab of the Year from a record number of submissions to three finalists: 21st Century Optics, Long Island City, N.Y.; Rooney Optical, Cleveland; and Toledo Optical, Toledo, Ohio. The 2002 Lab of the Year will be named during a special recognition event Feb. 4 during Transitions Academy ’03 at Walt Disney World in Florida.

The Lab of the Year title has been awarded annually since 1991. It is presented to a Transitions STAR lab at the Platinum Elite level that has made a significant commitment to growing its business with Transitions in the past year. Criteria include implementing creative marketing strategies; achieving solid growth in volume and Transitions market share mix; dedication to educating its staff and customers; and showing an overall commitment to Transitions products and programs.

For the first time, a Canadian Lab of the Year also will be named.

“The Lab of the Year honor was created to recognize laboratories that are fully-committed partners with Transitions,” said P.J. Downes, sales director labs/ECPs for Transitions. “We understand that a thriving industry is dependent upon strong partnerships. This was especially true in 2002 with the launch of next generation Transitions® Lenses.

“We were thrilled to see how many laboratory partners got behind the launch and had a great year with their Transitions lens sales outpacing the industry’s relatively flat growth in lens sales overall,” added Downes. “All of the labs that submitted entries are to be commended. Our panel of judges had some tough choices to make with so many labs displaying such a strong commitment to Transitions.”

Past Lab of the Year winners include: Soderberg, Inc. (2001), Midland Optical (2000), McLeod Optical (1999), Balester Optical (1998), Walman Optical (1997), Three Rivers Optical (1996), Duffens Optical (1995), Benedict Optical (1994), Southern Optical (1993), Optical Supply, Inc. (1992), and W.O.S. (1991).