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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—Spanos Barber Jesse & Co. (SBJ), a San Francisco-based investment firm, announced that it has completed a partnership with five Florida vision practices and a group of nine retail stores to form Clear Sight Partners, LLC (CSP). The move marks the firm’s entry into the optical industry. Collectively, CSP is one of the largest vertically integrated vision care providers in the West and Central Florida area. Five of the practices—Pasadena Eye Center, Pasadena Surgery Center, Eye Associates of Pinellas, Gulf Coast Retinal Specialists and Ryczek Eye Associates—were physician owned. The retail stores, which operate under the Opti-mart banner, were owned by Skip Payne and Scott Payne. All CSP practice shareholders retained significant ownership stakes and will continue with the company post-closing, CSP told VMAIL.

CSP and its medical professional partners provide integrated vision care services, including ophthalmology, optometry, optical services, and related surgeries out of 14 clinic locations. For over 35 years, CSP practices have provided a broad range of industry-leading vision care services and today care for more than 100,000 patients annually.

“We are honored that the CSP practice founders selected us as their partners. We look forward to working with them and our new executive team to grow CSP organically and through other acquisitions,” said Ben Landis, managing director at SBJ.

“All of the founders believe in the compelling opportunity that exists to create the leading integrated group of vision care practices in the region, and we could not be happier to have chosen SBJ as our partners,” commented David Hall, MD, founder of Pasadena Eye and Surgery Center, one of the CSP partner practices. “Their efforts to bring all of our practices together through their patient-first, best-in class vision care philosophies align seamlessly with our own.”

CSP will also benefit from a seasoned executive leadership team that will oversee the current business and propel its growth and development, led by Brian Hauser, chief executive officer and vision industry veteran.

“I look forward to accelerating the growth of CSP and believe our integrated care model differentiates us in the market, providing a superior patient experience, regardless of where a patient first visits CSP,” stated Hauser.

Richard Sanchez, managing partner of Visibility Management, acted as an advisor on the transaction.

Spanos Barber Jesse & Co. manages over $300 million of committed capital from offices in the San Francisco Bay Area. SBJ invests in lower middle-market consumer, business services, and health care services companies. Founded by a team of professionals with over 75 years of experience growing companies as investors, executives, and advisors, SBJ draws on extensive operating experience and domain expertise to support the strategic goals of founder and family-owned companies.