Jim Grootegoed.

SURPRISE, Ariz.—Longtime optical industry veteran Jim Grootegoed died here on January 8, 2025, after a brief illness. He was 85 years-old. According to colleagues, Grootegoed was well-known and well-respected during his four decades in the optical industry. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Los Angeles where he earned a bachelor of arts degree from California State University Los Angeles. Grootegoed’s early career began in pharmaceutical hospital sales and sales management for Geigy Pharmaceuticals.

In 1977, he moved into optical as the manager of customer service/distribution for Titmus Optical, and then became director of sales and marketing for Bausch + Lomb’s optical lab division, where he was involved in divesting the business. From 1981 to 2001, he served as general manager/executive vice president for Walman Optical, the industry’s largest independent wholesale lab.

Grootegoed’s numerous accomplishments included developing and marketing the first fashion safety frames for wholesale labs while he was at Bausch + Lomb; licensing and managing an internal manufacturing process at Walman to coat the front of PPG’s CR-39 lenses with a hard coat, Tuff-Lens; and developing a program to ECPs promoting the product that increased the use of coated CR-39 lenses from less than 2 percent to over 45 percent within six months.

He was also instrumental in the growth of polycarbonate lenses, including the development of a proprietary injection molding process, tooling and a joint venture with Vision Ease Company. He also managed the successful launch of Ultra Optics Company, a division of Walman.

Grootegoed was a founding member of both the Polycarbonate Council and the AR Council. After retiring from Walman Optical in 2001, he worked as a consultant for the industry and served as technical editor of Optical Lab Products News for 10 years, providing labs with information useful in running their business.

He was inducted into The Vision Council’s Optical Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2015.

Among friends and former colleagues who offered tributes to Grootegoed was Randy McDonald of The Magnum Group, Inc. “Jim described himself as 'a blue-collar worker in a white-collar job,’” said McDonald. “He was always a champion of the people. He was known for wanting to truly get to know the person, and not what they did. He drove meaningful changes in so many people’s lives.”

Dick Bullwinkle, former CEO of DAC Vision and board member of The Vision Council, added, “There are some guys who are exceptional, in our industry and outside of it. Jim was certainly one of those. Smart, caring, a loyal friend and a great companion.”

“Jim was a great resource and friend who always wanted to know, ‘How can I help?’ These four words really speak to his character and professionalism,” said NASA consultant and former vision care executive Bob Main.

Grootegoed enjoyed golf, bike riding, tasting and collecting wines and restoring and driving his Austin Healy. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ann, who many knew as his constant travel companion at industry conferences. He is survived by his son, Eric Grootegoed. Funeral services were private. Donations can be made in Jim’s name to his favorite charity, the Animal Protection Society, by clicking here.