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Women who hold the positions of president, CEO, CFO, CMO, CIO or COO or who are industry influencers who set the tone. They guide their companies forward, inspire leadership among their teams and peers and achieve high performance.

Giancarla Agnoli
Senior Vice President, Design and Managing Director,
Marchon Italy
Marchon Eyewear, Inc.
Puos d’Alpago, Italy

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“She oversees a great operation in design and research, managing some 220 people plus 50 sales reps...her dedication and commitment are critical to the company.” 

Agnoli was working in the export group at Marcolin, working closely with the “new” Marchon Eyewear company from the outset 25 years ago as the frame company developed products from the Italian factory. She became so involved with Marchon that she came on board after proposing the company needed a full-time design and production facility in Italy.

Today, she oversees several major functions--distribution, via Marchon’s distribution center and its growing sales force in Italy, the company’s production facility and its research and design group, working with licensors like Fendi, Pucci and others to bring to market the company’s brands and developing new materials, applications and coloring technologies, interacting, too, with the company’s U.S. based design team.

Agnoli noted, “Because our industry has become so much a fashion-influenced business, it is attracting more women today, women feel at ease in this business.”

SHE SAYS...“My motto has always been ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ Determination and passion are important, get involved and bring your ideas across. Have no fear in expressing your viewpoint but have the intelligence and humility to accept a ’no,’ evaluate, and always learn from whatever comes your way.”



Cary Carlson
Senior Buyer, U.S. Optical
Costco Optical
Issaquah, Wash.

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“Cary implemented an extremely successful private-label eyewear program, and her ‘turns’ in eyewear are by far the best in the industry...ask any supplier who’s the best buyer in optical, and her name will be one of the first you hear.”

Cary Carlson is coming up on her third anniversary (Aug. 1) as Costco Optical’s senior buyer. In that role, she oversees purchasing for all product categories carried in the wholesale club’s more than 360 U.S. vision centers, with primary responsibility for ophthalmic frame and sunwear buying. Before this position, Carlson had been Costco’s frame and sunwear buyer since 1997, having moved over then from the lens category.

Carlson got her start in the optical business in 1985 as a dispenser with Lee Optical in Arizona. After working for independent optometrists for a few years, she moved to a Costco Optical location in Tucson in 1989, training under Art Salas, Costco’s current vice president of optical. Carlson transferred to San Diego as an optical-department manager a year later, then became operations coordinator and continued to climb the ladder at Costco Optical from there.

Said Carlson, “It’s exciting to me how the frame and sunwear industry has evolved from function to totally fashion, including the designer representation. I’m very enthusiastic and passionate about eyewear, and I love my job.”

SHE SAYS...“I’ve seen no sign that women are held back in the optical industry, as long as they prove themselves. In fact, it’s even easier for women to succeed today, because we see more focus on recognizing women and their abilities in this business.”

Michelle Clark
Chief Financial Officer
The Kenmark Group
Louisville, Ky.
 
CHOSEN BECAUSE...“Michelle made a large impact on Kenmark’s financial planning and systems in her very first year at Kenmark. She was very important in implementing our ESOP plan. She continues to have a huge impact on Kenmark and we are very lucky to have her.”

With 15 years of accounting experience, including a stint as the manager of financial reporting for a publicly traded company and five years as a CPA, Michelle Clark has brought a wealth of financial experience to the Kenmark Group in her six years with the company.

Clark’s most notable accomplishment as CFO was her role helping to implement Kenmark’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), of which she is the administrator. As a 100 percent employee-owned company, Kenmark is the only employee-owned eyewear company in the optical industry.

She credits much of her success to a managing partner of the CPA firm she worked for right after college who mentored her and showed her how important it is to lead by example. With his guidance, Clark not only sharpened her accounting skills, but developed a high level of professionalism and effective leadership skills--all tools she was able to use when Kenmark became a client of the firm.

After spending several weeks at Kenmark performing fieldwork and several years auditing the company, she developed a real interest for the optical industry and the rest, as they say, is history.

SHE SAYS...“Working for someone who is truly passionate about what they are doing made me realize at an early age that in order to excel I needed to be passionate about life, work, values and others. My advice to anyone beginning their career is to choose a career they are passionate about.”

Dawn Friedkin
Chief Operating Officer
Classic Optical Laboratories, Inc.
Youngstown, Ohio

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“Dawn Friedkin is not afraid to venture into uncharted waters and will take whatever direction is needed to accomplish the Classic Optical dream, with her employees at the core of her inspiration and her dreams at the core of ours. All recognize her sincerity, dedication, integrity and ambition. She is a role model, mentor and inspiration for the Classic Optical family.”

Dawn Friedkin has come a long way from her summer job as a teenager “traying up frames” for the first state of Ohio Medicaid eyeglass contract. Now with more than 15 years experience in law, business, government, public policy, strategic planning, and organizational management, Friedkin is the chief operating officer of her family’s wholesale ophthalmic laboratory business, Classic Optical where she oversees all operations and provides the strategic vision for the company’s future.

“I believe that it is important to give your team enough room to work and think on their own while keeping yourself informed enough to set realistic goals that challenge your team to be the best,” said Friedkin.

Friedkin wears several hats and ultimately does whatever is needed to get the job done including taking the lead on major sales presentations, participating in the assessment of new products, equipment, and the related developing technologies. She is also active in mentoring and training new and experienced associates.

SHE SAYS...The optical industry provides a wonderful place for women to excel in the workplace at all levels. I am thrilled to join this year’s group of Influential Women honorees because I believe they represent the best and brightest our industry has to offer.”

Lisa Gear
Director of Optical Frame Sourcing
Luxottica Retail
Mason, Ohio

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“She has an extremely consultative approach and an oustanding taste level that she is able to translate to multiple business models.”



Gear had been working as director of a local modeling agency in Cincinnati when she was drawn by the opportunity to grow and learn with a relatively new company at the time, LensCrafters, that was clearly on a major growth track. For the past 22 years, Gear has worked in a range of roles for the retail organization, from customer service to the company’s high-end boutique projects to buyer of men’s and contemporary eyewear and sunwear.

Earlier this year, Gear was promoted to the newly-created position of director, optical product for Luxottica Retail, where she will directly influence the frame assortments for all Luxottica Retail optical brands, including LensCrafters, Pearle, Sears Optical and Target Optical. Said Gear, “I think I am someone who has strong relationships with a broad range of vendors and I’d been doing a lot of trend forecasting and have had much interaction with our factories. The new organization allows our buying teams to be more plugged into their brands and focus on their business. I focus outward to the vendor community and if the teams need to know things, my team goes out and researches for them, presenting new lines in clear, concise manner and developing the tools they need to be successful with their brands.”


Gear said she’s had many mentors, and credits Luxottica Retail’s Joel Sodano, who just recently retired, to helping her with straightforward feedback and constantly challenging growth.

SHE SAYS...“It’s all about passion. Stay connected to it. But keep a balance in your life, that’s important. In terms of business, females are the gatekeepers to where families spend their money--the female perspective is becoming more important and more considered.”

Lisa Howard, OD
President
Kentucky Optometric Association
Middlesboro, Ky.
 
CHOSEN BECAUSE...“Dr. Howard is the current president of the Kentucky Optometric Association and is only the third woman to hold that position. She has also served on the Board of Health and many other civic organizations. Lisa is recognized by her peers as an outstanding leader in the ophthalmic field and serves as a great role model to all women in optometry.”

Lisa Howard, OD, has been in private practice for more than 22 years and during that time, she has always managed to give back to her community on both the local and state levels. As president of the Kentucky Optometric Association, she oversees the entire organization consisting of 350 members and travels extensively throughout the state and across the country representing optometry in Kentucky. For the past eight years, she has served on the Kentucky Board of Examiners, the only woman appointed by the Governor to help represent and regulate the practice of optometry.

“By stepping ‘outside the usual box’ for jobs usually held by men, I believe I have made these things seem possible for other women. Women are choosing optometry as their career in record numbers and as their numbers grow, certainly their influence will grow as well.”

Howard describes her business as a family practice, treating everyone from infants to seniors and featuring an in-house lab for finishing lenses as well as a dispensary with a dedicated optician. “My personal business philosophy is to provide the utmost in customer service--and remember, the patient is always right.”

SHE SAYS...“Sometimes, the harder things are, the more rewarding they are. It definitely takes a certain amount of sacrifice, discipline, and a lot of hard work, but balancing your own practice, a happy family, good income, and control of your time is something very attainable.”

Cindy Keil
Senior Buyer
Eye Care Associates
Raleigh, N.C.

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“Cindy began her career in eyecare as an optical consultant selling eyewear in the Eye Care Associates small flagship office. As the company grew, she transitioned into a greater management role, where she is now an integral part of strategic planning initiatives overseeing inventory, sales promotions and budgets.”

Over 20 years ago Cindy Keil interviewed for an accounting position at the small Raleigh, N.C.-based optometric practice, Eye Care Associates. Though that position had already been filled, she was asked to join the optical sales department.

Through the years, she’s received support from Eye Care Associates founder and CEO, Dr. Stephen Bolick, who she credits with teaching her just about everything she knows about the optical industry, and Bob Brodney, president of the company, who she said has shown her many different ways to look at the business. Today, her position allows her to explore her interest in unique eyewear and drives her to be the exclusive or first provider of high-end eyewear in the area.

In addition to her optical responsibilities, Keil manages and oversees new office design and construction for the high volume practice, something that allows her to marry her personal interest in interior design with her love of eyecare. She has personally overseen four cold start openings and five significant remodel efforts in a four-year time span.

SHE SAYS...“I help people get what they need to do their jobs better, supporting people to help them do their jobs more effectively. You shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions, to get involved. Sometimes we can feel intimidated but showing you’re smart and motivated is the best thing you can do for your career.”

Benitha Mintz
Chief Financial Officer
Zyloware, Inc.
Long Island City, N.Y.

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“She brought new ideas and innovation to the entire company, singlehandedly streamlining systems to improve the bottom line of this 85-year-old family business. She has global business views, keeps her staff focused and is customer-oriented.”

Mintz, with a B.S. degree in accounting from New York’s Hunter College, worked in public accounting and moved to a women’s apparel and sleepwear apparel company as controller for 14 years. She was looking to make a change and joined the Shyers nearly three years ago at Zyloware in a transition from their long-time controller who was retiring.

“This was a good size company, but a family business and needed someone to bring them to the next level. I saw a real opportunity to make a difference, that’s a goal for me. I work in tandem with our operations manager and saw many parallels with the apparel business, and have helped switch to new systems and processes.” Mintz was promoted two months ago to the CFO position.

Mintz, 43, oversees a team of five. She noted, “Work is about learning and trying to create the opportunities you have. One of my former bosses in public accounting always told me, ‘Be passionate about what you do, never stop learning.’”

SHE SAYS...“Don’t be afraid. With mistakes, you learn. Women can be assertive, but not aggressive. Never forget where you came from and don’t be intimidated. Mistakes can be good, you have to show your capabilities.”

Dame Mary Perkins,
DBE FBOA
Co-Founder, Board Member
Specsavers Optical Group
Guernsey, U.K.

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“She is passionate about eyecare but also about people; she is down to earth, humble and remains at the heart of the business, with a strong focus on public relations and corporate social responsibility.”

Perkins recalls that when she qualified in 1965/1966, “there were very few women doing optics in college and therefore, once working, very few women optometrists, or ophthalmic opticians, as we were then called, in practice. I started my own business as soon as I was fully qualified and this led to many surprised comments.”

She and her husband, Douglas Perkins, founded Bebbington and Perkins Opticians in Bristol in 1967, selling the 23 stores in 1980. They opened the first Specsavers store in 1980. Rapid expansion via their unique “joint venture” business model in the U.K. was followed by openings in Holland, Scandanavia, Spain and other European markets; last year the company established operations in Australia. Specsavers opened its 1,000th store this year, celebrating record turnover of 1,050 billion.

The recipient of numerous honors, including the first Spirit of Everywoman Award, Outstanding Businesswoman Award, Rotary International Community and Vocational Service Award and honorary fellow at Cardiff University, Perkins was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2007.

She is a member of the Group’s board of directors, responsible for relationships with the optical partners and the company’s charity strategy, still working on the “shop floor” several days each month. Perkins noted, “I believe passionately in providing affordable eyecare for everyone.”

SHE SAYS...“You never stop learning. I have encouraged women in our group to have a career path and personal development plan. It’s a matter of using good appraisal systems and making sure they have a good career progression plan mapped out.”

Andrea Saia
Chief Executive Officer
CIBA Vision
Duluth, Ga.

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“With her results-oriented and spirited leadership style, she challenges and motivates her colleagues to strive for excellence. While her drive and energy level are unmatched, she is always ‘cool’ under pressure and is always open to new ideas.”

With a solid track record in brand marketing in a range of fields, Saia, the first female CEO of the company, joined CIBA Vision in April 2002 as global head of marketing. She has held numerous positions in the U.S. and Switzerland including the role of COO for CIBA Vision, overseeing all operating activities. She was also global lens franchise head and head of the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

A Chicago native, Saia has built businesses, people and organizations across multiple companies, industries, geographies, channels, and cultures. Prior to joining CIBA, Saia worked in a variety of senior level positions at Revlon and Unilever/Helene Curtis and started her career in brand management with Procter & Gamble. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Miami University and MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

“It’s a great time to be in business for all women. Most consumer-oriented categories are driven by women’s purchase decisions. It’s great to have a female perspective in the boardroom.

And in our industry, the primary decisionmaker is the practitioner, who is predominantly female. Affinity and the ability to connect individually with patients and associates are important. It’s all about benefits and bringing better product to market that is exciting for both the practitioner and the patient.”

SHE SAYS...“Do your best to accept career opportunities and challenges presented to you. These may be different from the track you thought you were on but this is what gives you great perspective and moves you beyond your level of comfort.”

Linda Sauer
Chief Operating Officer
Advantica EyeCare
Ellicott City, Md.

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“Under Linda Sauer’s leadership, our service center has more than doubled in size in both space and employees. Sauer is a great leader and mentor, respected by her employees and peers. In addition, Sauer has donated time to various charities in her community, as well as nationally, such as Prevent Blindness Mid Atlantic.”

In the vision care industry for 28 years, Linda Sauer had her start with Allergan Pharmaceutical where she worked with the provider community. She became the founder of Pioneer EyeCare, a provider-owned managed care company, in 1994, before becoming the co-founder of Advantica EyeCare in 2002.

Responsible for the overall performance of the company’s business, Sauer loves being part of a company that she helped grow from “the bottom up.” Her areas of responsibility include: IT, claims, customer service, network management, network development, contract management, quality improvement and human resources. In addition, Sauer is also responsible for the development, design, operation and improvement of systems that deliver the company’s products. “My role is to provide strategic direction to the operations center that will allow the company to support current business and future growth.”

Sauer finds her biggest challenge is constantly reinventing her team as the business grows and the needs of the company change. But as a leader, she is able to empower her employees and make them accountable for the company’s well being as well as their own.


SHE SAYS...“I believe in investing in my team. I try to lead by example and encourage my team to come up with solutions. I am a firm believer in giving people the opportunity to problem solve and try new things. This is the key to building a strong team.”

Aspasia Shappet
Chief Executive Officer and President
MESVision
Costa Mesa, Calif.

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“She led MESVision forward through the use and development of technology and cultivating staff from within...while always keeping in mind the importance of regular routine vision care and how it corresponds to the individual’s overall health.”

Aspasia Shappet says she wound up in the eyecare business, running a managed vision company with two million covered lives, “by pure accident.”

An accounting major in college, she worked for an accounting firm after graduation; one of that firm’s clients was managed-vision player Superior Optical (now Superior Vision). After working with Superior’s executives via the accounting firm, Shappet joined Superior in 1991 as its chief financial officer; she aided in Superior’s turnaround, leading to a sale of the company a year later.

Again through her connection with Superior, one of whose key executives served on the board of MESVision, she joined MES (which stands for Medical Eye Services) as its CFO late in 1993, soon adding responsibilities as chief operating officer and later becoming president/CEO.

Under Shappet’s leadership, MESVision has grown from a West Coast-only operation at the time she joined the company to a national managed-vision firm operating in all but three U.S. states, with a provider panel covering every state.

SHE SAYS...“The challenge for women in any industry is to learn to communicate directly and succinctly, and to be perceived as non-emotional. Learning how to communicate is really important for women.”


Mary P. Walker
President
Superior Optical Labs, Inc.
Ocean Springs, Miss.

CHOSEN BECAUSE...“Mary Walker has been instrumental in increasing sales for each of the last 18 years, bidding on and winning several Veterans Administration contracts along with several industrial safety contracts. She possesses tremendous skills at marketing, employee control and plays an integral part in growing the business. Walker is an overachiever and it’s time that she is recognized for her achievements.”

Mary Walker started out as the bookkeeper for Superior Optical Labs and quickly found out that you can’t do bookkeeping without learning more of the lab’s day-to-day operations. With the encouragement of her husband Hal, who has been in the optical industry for over 30 years, Walker spent as much time as possible in the lab, where she discovered the finishing department tasks matched her skills. Walker found herself enjoying edging, tinting and mounting explaining, “I work well with my hands.” She tells others who are interested in the lab business, “Don’t hesitate to get in the lab and get your hands dirty. Try to work at every position.”

Walker earned her ABO certification and now promotes certification of all Superior Optical employees. Once certified, Walker could now dispense eyewear to their safety accounts and provide relief work at the Veterans’ Administration where Superior Optical has contracts. On the register of the “Woman Owned Business Council,” Walker now oversees order entry, and the frame and lens departments, spearheading new sales and opportunities.

SHE SAYS...“There are more women in the optical industry than ever before. Women have positions in sales, marketing, and the actual running of the labs. My advice is to learn all you can. Try to lead by example and never ask your employees to do anything you wouldn’t do.” ■