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printThe Vision Council > Members > Divisions > Low Vision Division > Newsletter > March 2010
Low Vision Low Down - March 2010
International Vision Expo Updates
International Vision Expo Lounges
International Vision Expo Meetings Schedule
Low Vision Marketing and Communications Update
Public Affairs and Advocacy Update
International Vision Expo Updates
A Show Committee meeting took place January 28, during the Executive Summit that reviewed several issues regarding International Vision Expo. Topics included International Vision Expo East 2010, International Vision Expo West future dates, OLA effect and Javits construction information.
• International Vision Expo East 2010 will exceed budget in net square footage and will likely hit its budget for sponsorship revenue. Pre-registration to date is also on par with 2009. The Vision Council's budget is based on the show's budget so exceeding expectations in these revenue streams is great news for the organization.
• Many new programs will be unveiled at International Vision Expo East 2010, including hosted buyer and international VIP program, website redesign built around areas of interest, expanded show specials program focusing on what's new, Map Your Show locator and appointment setting system and a series of video projects. Plus, we will bring back popular keynotes and launch Shamrock Fest with a special young OD networking element.
• A large part of the OLA merger talks focus on the ability to co-locate their annual meeting at International Vision Expo West, possibly beginning in 2010. Jamie Shyer, Deb Castor, Steve Sutherlin and Bob Dziuban are the task force members assigned to address the co-location and have been working towards a successful co-location at this year's International Vision Expo West show.
• International Vision Expo show management announced that they will change the dates for International Vision Expo West 2011 to September 22-24, 2011. The original dates were September 8-10, 2011. This change was made as attendee and exhibitor research indicates that the middle to end of September is the optimal time to hold the trade show and conference.
• The Javits Convention Center will undergo a renovation and expansion this year after International Vision Expo. The roof, windows, HVAC and building systems will be replaced. This construction will affect the Crystal Palace and different areas of the show floor depending on which construction phase the center is in during each show, beginning in 2011 and ending in 2014. The Show Committee will continue to review the situation and make recommendations to ensure the best satisfaction levels for both attendees and exhibitors each year.
Please contact Angela Pendergrass, The Vision Council director of shows, at apendergrass@thevisioncouncil.org with any questions.
Low Vision Education
In an effort to constantly evolve and keep its program fresh, the Low Vision Division continuing education courses at International Vision Expo in 2010 will have new content and presenters. The new speakers are Dr. Rebecca Kammer and Dr. Lou Lipshultz who co-present in a vibrant and dynamic style.
This year's sessions include:
• The Economics of Primary Low Vision Care
• Demystifying Low Vision: A Guide for Examination and Prescribing
• 10 Tools and Tips to Growing Your Low Vision Practice
• Low Vision Case Management: Overcoming Patient Objections
Preliminary numbers indicate the courses are tracking to be the best attended sessions on the topic of low vision.
-International Vision Expo Lounges
International Vision Expo East will be held March 19-21, 2010, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. This year the Executive Lounge will be in booth #3954 and the Sales Pro Lounge will be in booth #3945.
Based on guidance from the board of directors and suggestions from many of you, there will be several new changes to the Executive and the Sales Pro Lounges this year. The lounges will operate on a "pay for purchase" system, which will include breakfast, lunch, coffee and snacks throughout the day. Food purchases will be available through lounge cashiers by cash or credit card.
The lounges will remain exclusive for The Vision Council members and will provide a convenient environment to meet with peers. For more information on the lounges, please reference our Frequently Asked Questions. Lounge passes will be required for the Executive Lounge and are being mailed out three weeks before the show.
Please contact Elaine Kennedy, The Vision Council senior manager of membership, at (703) 740-1099 or ekennedy@thevisioncouncil.org with any questions.
The Vision Council Meeting Schedule for International Vision Expo East
The Vision Council will host a series of meetings at International Vision Expo East. The meetings schedule is below. All meetings will be held in the Westin NY hotel with the exception of the AR Steering Committee Dinner and Sunglass and Reader Division Dinners which will be held at restaurant Lattanzi Ristorante, located at 361 W. 46th St. between 8th and 9th.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Meeting Time Room
DCS/DSTF Meeting 9:00am-4:00pm Broadway 1&2 - 3rd Floor
Lens Bevel Task Force 8:00am-12:00pm Palace - 9th Floor
Remote Order Entry Task Force 1:00pm-5:00pm Broadway 3 - 3rd Floor
LDS/Lens Marking Task Force 1:00pm-5:00pm Palace - 9th Floor
AR Steering Committee Dinner 7:00pm-10:00pm Lattanzi Ristorante
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Meeting Time Room
Lens Technical Committee 8:00am-12:00pm Ambassador 2 - 2nd Floor
E&A/SRD Trends Presentation 8:00am-10:00am Gershwin Ballroom - 4th Floor
OWA Board Meeting 9:00am-12:00pm Minetta - 8th Floor
Statistics Committee 11:00am-12:30pm Gershwin Ballroom - 4th Floor
SRD Steering Committee 12:00pm-3:30pm Ambassador 1 - 2nd Floor
Country of Origin for Lenses 1:00pm-5:00pm Ambassador 2 - 2nd Floor
Optical Industry Forum 1:00pm-5:00pm Minetta - 8th Floor
SRD Reception/Dinner 5:30pm-10pm Lattanzi Ristorante
MLM Dinner 6:00pm-10:00pm Shula's
Low Vision Marketing and Communications Update
In December, The Vision Council issued an audio news release on low vision and various solutions available. Ed Greene, CEO of The Vision Council served as a spokesperson. The audio new release was a success, with over 2,300 radio stations running the release reaching over 8.5 million listeners. To view a listing of stations, please click here.
The Vision Council's marketing and communications department will continue to educate consumers about low vision. Media outreach planned for 2010 will utilize the press kit created last year to show the personal side of low vision. In particular, a strong emphasis will be placed on pitching the various AARP publications as well as Reader's Digest large print edition.
The Low Vision Division is also considering proposals from Golden Age Entertainment, a leading provider of information and entertainment programming to active seniors. Golden Age Entertainment has a presence in 7,000 venues for active seniors nationwide. Possible opportunities include participation in health fairs, displaying posters and brochures in their In-Center Media Networks, newsletter sponsorship and radio advertisements, among others.
Public Affairs and Advocacy Updates
Health Care Reform and Jobs Legislation
With the special election of Scott Brown to replace former Senator Edward Kennedy, the Massachusetts Senate seat changed hands to the Republican party, and the debate on health care reform seems to be rapidly fading into the sunset. Now the Administration will continue to entertain a health care bill that will likely be an expansion of Medicare and Medicaid. The other focus with the 2010 midterms rapidly approaching will be national security and jobs. The Vision Council will be exploring avenues to promote our members' business interests in any sort of economic or jobs legislation that comes to Capitol Hill.
Vision Care for Kids
With a diminished health care reform agenda on the Hill, The Vision Council will redouble its efforts on the passage of the Vision Care for Kids Act. This crucial legislation saw many of its provisions included in the drafts of health care reform and now The Vision Council will continue its push for passage. The bill has already gotten through the House of Representatives and is collecting support in the Senate. As legislative action occurs we will keep members informed of its status.
Regulatory Roundup
The Vision Council is following a wide variety of regulatory fronts at the current time being. From the FDA drop ball testing protocol to CPSIA lead and phthalate regulations to DHS import/export statutes, we are actively monitoring regulatory concerns both in the United States and abroad. The most recent regulatory move has been the phasing in of tougher standards for children's products for lead and phthalates. Members must know there are fines being handed out to those companies found in violation. None have gone to The Vision Council members and we want to keep it that way. For more information on CPSIA regulations, please click here.
The Vision Council Continues Free "On the Road Sales Coach" Training
New Format; Topics Introduced in 2010
The Vision Council is pleased to announce that it will continue to offer its free sales training sessions for members in 2010. The quarterly "On the Road Sales Coach" sessions are conducted as distance learning courses and provide tools and resources for sales professionals to stay on top of their game.
"In 2009, over 650 participants took advantage of the ‘On the Road Sales Coach' program," said Rene Soltis, The Vision Council director of training and education. "We are excited to bring back this program in 2010 to share this invaluable training opportunity with our members."
Based on attendee feedback and the high demand for the program, all sessions will be a half-hour long. In 2010 attendees will also be able to download the audio recording of the call and the transcript and additional supporting information.
The 2010 "On the Road Sales Coach" sessions include:
• Wednesday, March 3: "Prospecting and Qualifying"
• Wednesday, June 2: "Expanding Current Customer Business"
• Wednesday, September 1: "Chameleon Sales Techniques"
• Wednesday, December 1: "Eliminating and Overcoming Objections"
The sessions will be held at 8:00 a.m. EST and 11:00 a.m. EST to allow sales professionals on both the east and west coasts to participate before they begin their day of sales calls.
The sales training is led by industry experts and serves as an open forum for sales professionals to brainstorm and share best practices. Participants are able to submit questions prior to each training session.
To register for the free sales training courses, please contact Amber Robinson, member services coordinator, at (703) 740-1094 or arobinson@thevisioncouncil.org. An agenda and dial-in/web information will be provided upon registration.
Sustainability Survey Winners
Congratulations to the following members who participated in a survey about environmental sustainability hosted by The Vision Council and won a $100 gift card:
Rob Maser - Wiley X Eyewear
Shadetra Johnson - Vision-Ease Lens
John Anderson - Walman Optical
John Steinberg - Zyloware
Stephen Cohen - CC Systems
Survey results were discussed during division meetings at International Vision Expo West.
CEO's Corner
It was nice to see many of you at The Vision Council's 2010 Executive Summit in Florida. For those of you that were there - thanks for attending. For those who couldn't make it - you missed a great meeting. We had the largest attendance ever and by all standards it was a huge success.
The post-meeting materials/resources can be found on our Web site. I hope to see at the 2011 Executive Summit where Mike Hundert and the Program Committee will have another exciting mix of speakers, panels and networking in store for you.