CALL FOR AWARD SUBMISSIONS
INDEPENDENT BOUTIQUE OPTICAL RETAILERS INVITED TO SUBMIT THEIR STORIES FOR VISION EXPO’S 5TH ANNUAL OPTImum RETAIL AWARD
~Submissions will be accepted for consideration from Jan. 31 to Feb. 8~
Alexandria, VA – January 31, 2023 – The Vision Council and RX, organizers of Vision Expo, have announced that submissions are now being accepted for the 5th Annual OPTImum Retail Award scheduled to be presented at Vision Expo East on Friday, March 17th in New York City.
Businesses in the independent optical retail market are encouraged to submit their stories for consideration by February 8, 2023.
Launched in 2018, the OPTImum Retail Award was designed to celebrate the importance of independent boutique retailers in the optical industry. “This award shines a spotlight on those enterprising and dynamic privately held retailers who strive to bring consumers nationwide the very best in eyewear,” says Fran Pennella, Vice President, Vision Expo at RX.
Since its inception, the OPTImum Retail Award has been awarded to Todd Rogers of Todd Rogers Eyewear (2018); Edward Beiner of Edward Beiner Eyes Forward (2019); Julia Gogosha of Gogosha Optique (2021); and Gary Black of Black Optical (2022).
Applicants for the 2023 award will be judged based on the categories detailed below. Applicants must address all categories in their submission. Categories include:
- Uniqueness: What is the secret to making your optical store unique?
- Community: Describe how you engage with your local community to create meaningful relationships
- Industry: What is a problem you’ve noticed in the industry and how are you solving it?
- Aesthetics: Submit photos of your retail environment
To determine the top three finalists, a committee of industry leaders will deliberate and vote based on the categories listed. This year’s committee members include James Spina, Editor-in-Chief and Senior Vice President at 20/20 Magazine; Dr. Adam Ramsey of Socialite Vision; and Dr. Jennifer Tsai, Founder of LINE OF SIGHT, Creator of @drjenandjuice.
The three finalists will be revealed on February 22, and then reviewed via popular vote on Vision Expo social media channels until March 3. Social media votes will then be factored into the judges’ final scores.
The OPTImum Retail Award winner will be announced at Vision Expo East 2023 during an award ceremony hosted by Suzanne Kraus of Vision Expo and James Spina of 20/20 Magazine on Friday, March 17 at 3:45pm on The Bridge. Additionally, the winner will be featured in an article in 20/20 Magazine. The three finalists will receive a stipend of $500 (domestic) and $750 (international) to attend Vision Expo East 2023 and the announcement celebration.
Interested in Applying for the 5th Annual OPTImum Award? To apply, click here.
Vision Expo East 2023 will take place March 16–19 at the Javits Center in New York City. The show’s educational program together with OptiCon®@Vision Expo will open Thursday, March 16, and the Exhibit Hall will open Friday, March 17, 2023.
Retailers interested in applying for the OPTImum Retail Award, Apply Here.
If you are interested in attending, Register Here.
If you are interested in exhibiting, contact Cedric Fellows, Sales, Vision Expo East.
For more information on Vision Expo, visit visionexpo.com and follow Vision Expo’s social media channels, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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About Vision Expo
Vision Expo East and West are trade-only conferences and exhibitions for eyecare and eyewear presented by co-owners RX and The Vision Council. Vision Expo is the complete event for ophthalmic professionals, where eyecare meets eyewear, and education, fashion and innovation mingle. In the Vision Expo Exhibit Hall, eyecare providers can discover trends, interact with new technologies and access innovative products and services. The Vision Expo education program is driven by the profession, offering content of the highest quality and relevance to enhance overall patient care. For more information, visit visionexpo.com and follow Vision Expo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About The Vision Council
As the vision care leader in enabling better vision for better lives, The Vision Council positions its members for success by promoting growth in the vision care industry through education, advocacy, research, consumer outreach, strategic relationship building and industry forums. Learn more at thevisioncouncil.org.
About RX
RX is in the business of building businesses for individuals, communities and organisations. We elevate the power of face-to-face events by combining data and digital products to help customers learn about markets, source products and complete transactions at over 400 events in 22 countries across 43 industry sectors. RX is passionate about making a positive impact on society and is fully committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.rxglobal.com