LARGEST-EVER TRANSITIONS ACADEMY OFFERS PARTNERS THE FUTURE IN INDUSTRY-GROWING INITIATIVES
Event a Showcase of Partner Support – Including New Eye Health Education-Focused Outreach To Eyecare Professionals, Consumers

PINELLAS PARK, Fla., Feb. 21, 2003 – Nearly 900 optical industry professionals from 30 countries convened for the 7th annual Transitions Academy Feb. 2-5 in Walt Disney World, Orlando, Fla. The record-breaking crowd surpassed last year’s attendance by nearly 50 percent.

Transitions Academy ’03 focused on supporting optical laboratory, retailers and industry partners with industry-leading eyecare professional and consumer education programs and tools, enabling them to harness Transitions’ support campaign at a local level.

“This year’s Transitions Academy was a celebration of partnerships,” said Dave Cole, general manager of the Americas, Transitions Optical. “We celebrated the successes of our valued partners over the past year and celebrated the successes to come in 2003 and beyond with an unprecedented level of support from Transitions. We were thrilled to welcome more than 500 first-time attendees. Word keeps spreading within the industry that Transitions Academy offers programming of critical value in today’s competitive business climate.”

Attendees saw a sneak preview of Transitions’ new national consumer television and print advertising, along with a consistent campaign comprised of educational and practice building support.
A highlight of the event was the debut of Transitions’ new education initiatives that focus on eye health, including the new Partners in Education program which features a series of four education modules for eyecare professionals and an introductory module to the series for business owners. Among the exciting support tools introduced was the Transitions Online Marketing Tool. A new resource for the optical industry, the tool enables eyecare professionals to quickly and easily customize advertising and marketing tools for their practice.

The company also used the opportunity during this pre-eminent industry education event to introduce the new Transitions Education Faculty. This group of esteemed eyecare professionals will provide thought leadership, counsel and guidance on the company’s expanding and vital education initiatives.
New in 2003 was an educational track specifically for customer service providers in the optical industry. All of the courses were conducted by leading global training companies and were customized to meet the needs of the optical industry.

First Timers and Veterans Have Much to Gain
Among the first-time attendees was a group of representatives from the primary U.S. military lab in Yorktown, Va. “They recognized that Transitions Academy was a leading industry event and attracts successful labs and seized the opportunity to learn and network with colleagues from the private sector,” Cole said. “As the reputation of this event grows, it increasingly attracts a diversity of industry perspectives. This enriches the experience for all involved.”

Transitions Academy veterans keep coming back, and with more of their colleagues. “I go alone to other manufacturer events, but I now bring six of my people to Transitions Academy,” said Steve Seibert, Three Rivers Optical. “My team is still talking about all of the new things they learned – and the fun they had after the programs with all of Disney World to explore.”

Lab of the Year
During Academy, Transitions announced the 2003 U.S. Lab of the Year, 21st Century Optics, Long Island City, New York; and a first-ever Canadian Lab of the Year, TECH-CITE Laboratories Co., Ltd., Calgary, Alberta.

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For more information about the company and Transitions lenses, visit transitions.com or contact Transitions Optical Customer Service at (800) 848-1506 (United States) or (877) 254-2590 (Canada).