PECAA's Jenny Wiley and Jamie
Hughes flank headline entertainer
Robert Randolph.
AUSTIN, Texas—PECAA, the Professional Eye Care Associates of America, hosted a sold-out annual meeting last month at the JW Marriott Austin. The member-only event drew a record 900-plus individuals from the PECAA community for a mix of business and medical education, camaraderie and economic opportunities, according to the group’s announcement.This was the first year the organization introduced enhanced staff track courses that featured office manager training and certification as well as optician training and certification preparation.

This year’s event included 11 elective course offerings, providing attendees the ability to customize their own meeting schedules based on their interests and practice needs.

At next year’s meeting, scheduled for April 30 to May 2, 2020, in Denver, PECAA plans to add interactive, hands-on billing and coding education to its enhanced staff track lineup.


PECAA members enjoy the
Austin City Limits Live show.
“This year’s record attendance was no accident,” PECAA senior vice president and general manager Jamie Hughes said in the announcement. “The PECAA team, our regional leaders and our members have created something unique and special. The success of the 2019 annual meeting is proof that PECAA’s community of like-minded professionals is growing and thriving.”

In addition, Hughes noted that the alliance believes it’s important to recognize the contribution of its industry partners and their support of PECAA’s ongoing efforts to help members connect, build and prosper.


PECAA members Linda Knutson, OD (l), and Jessica Lynch, OD.
The 2019 meeting featured more than 20 speakers, including keynote speaker Jason Dorsey, PECAA member business advisors Jerry Sude, OD (a founder of OD Excellence, which merged with PECAA in July 2018) and John McGreal, OD. The Friday night “Member Appreciation Party” was held at Austin City Limits Live. Guests enjoyed a spirited performance by four-time Grammy nominee headliner Robert Randolph and the Family Band.

Students from Anthropos Arts, the PECAA Gives 2019 beneficiary, kicked the night off by performing for members. The performance followed the announcement that the PECAA community had raised $20,760 for the charity during the meeting.

Cathi Zerba, PECAA’s event planner, said the meeting was a “bona-fide sell-out success,” which resulted from the desirable backdrop of Austin, Texas, combined with other events at the meeting.

PECAA is one of the nation’s leading doctor alliance groups and serves more than 3,500 independent doctors throughout the U.S.