(L to R) PECAA’s president Jonathan Worrall, Lance Anderson, OD, and Justin Manning, OD, MPH, FAOO, welcomed members to the 2024 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.
  
BOCA RATON, Fla.—Nearly 900 eyecare professionals, strategic vendor partners and industry leaders attended the Professional Eye Care Associates of America (PECAA) 2024 Annual Meeting held April 29 to May 1 in Las Vegas. The event marked the organization’s 15th annual meeting and included three days of networking, education and peer collaboration, all designed to help practices thrive amid a rapidly changing eyecare environment. PECAA’s signature event of the year was a robust combination of keynote speakers and learning opportunities for all practice staff, empowering attendees with insights and ideas they can immediately apply in their practices, PECAA told VMAIL.

More than 65 product and service vendors were on hand to engage with PECAA members about their latest innovations and share member-exclusive savings.

“We understand the invaluable role of community in a world where connection is more important than ever,” said PECAA president Jonathan Worrall, who noted the event has become a community-building cornerstone of PECAA’s commitment to private practice. “It’s more than the individual journey; it’s about the collective power of coming together to learn from and support one another. It’s also important that we share our gratitude for the central role of our strategic vendor partners, who make this one-of-a-kind event possible.”

 
 Famed Major League Baseball Pitcher Jim Abbott shared his incredible story of overcoming perceived limitations to close out the meeting at the PECAA 2024 Annual Meeting.
  
The company said this year’s annual meeting was expanded to include three keynote speakers starting with entrepreneur, two-time TEDx speaker and author of Permission to Screw Up Kristen Hadeed. She shared how she learned about leadership the hard way, and in the process, built a successful company by supporting her team with growth opportunities, care and connection to the company’s purpose.

Other speakers included decorated 30-year U.S. Air Force veteran, nationally recognized ophthalmic technician and COPE-approved speaker, Lynn E. Lawrence CMSgt, USAF, MSOL, CPOT, ABOC, COA, OSC, who shared the essential elements for a thriving practice compiled from his years of service. Closing out the annual meeting, former Major League Baseball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist Jim Abbott inspired attendees with his personal story of success grounded in creativity, accountability and trust.

The annual meeting included an on-stage discussion about the evolution of PECAA and its annual meeting, featuring PECAA co-founder and chief strategy officer Lance Anderson, OD, and chief member experience Officer Justin Manning, OD, MPH, FAAO.

The Member Choice Awards featured performances by PECAA’s premier vendor partners which, PECAA stated, provided a dynamic forum for members to learn about exclusive product and service offerings, new technology and more.

The event also included the opportunity to donate to this year’s PECAA Gives beneficiary, Goodie Two Shoes, which was founded by retired NFL San Diego Charger Tony Berti and his wife Nikki to provide shoes to children in need in the greater Las Vegas community.

“Our goal is to provide a space for meaningful relationship building, the best in education and access to the newest industry products and services to help members connect, build and prosper,” said PECAA chief operating officer Jamie Hughes. “And year after year, we witness the members of the PECAA community lean in to level up their skills as entrepreneurs, grow their practices and share knowledge.”

The 2025 PECAA Annual Meeting will be held in Orlando, Florida.