Members of the profession honored at Optometry's Meeting®

Optometry’s Meeting^® bade farewell to ‘sweet home, Chicago,’ on Saturday with a celebration of the profession, marking the conclusion of a momentous 2022 conference.

“I am blown away that nearly 4,000 of us have taken over Chicago during the past few days, doing what we do best—connecting and advancing this great profession of ours,” AOA President James P. DeVleming, O.D., told attendees during the closing Celebration of Optometry. And “take over Chicago” Optometry’s Meeting did.

As of Saturday’s close, the city’s convention and visitors’ bureau, Choose Chicago, estimated that Optometry’s Meeting had an $8.8 million economic impact over the course of the four-day event at McCormick Place Convention Center. But Chicago wasn’t the only winner from Optometry’s Meeting. In addition to the contemporary education and unparalleled networking opportunities afforded by the profession’s premiere event, Optometry’s Meeting honored the truly outstanding accomplishments of colleagues.

National Optometry Hall of Fame inductees

Since 1998, the National Optometry Hall of Fame, administered by Optometry Cares^®—The AOA Foundation, has recognized and honored doctors of optometry who are luminaries of the profession and imparted long-lasting contributions to optometry. On Thursday, attendees gathered during the AOA Awards and National Optometry Hall of Fame ceremony to recognize inductees of the Class of 2022, including:

• Joseph Barr, O.D., M.S.
• Edward Bennett, O.D.
• Charles Brownlow, O.D.
• Don Williamson, O.D. (posthumous)

Read more about the 2022 Hall of Fame inductees.

AOA Advocacy Awards

• Laura Suppa, O.D., of West Virginia, received the AOA Federal Advocacy Award.
• Amber Dunn, O.D., of Oregon, received the AOA Media Advocacy Award.
• Steve Eiss, O.D., of Pennsylvania, received the AOA Payer Advocacy Award.
• The Colorado Optometric Association and Virginia Optometric Association both received AOA State Advocacy Awards.

AOA President’s Awards

• Rick Gadd
• François Couillard
• Dinah Bevington, J.D.
• Bryan Markowitz
• Charlotte Nekota
• Morris Berman, O.D.
• Nhung Brandenburg, O.D.
• Bryan Wolynski, O.D.
• Lewis Reich, O.D., Ph.D.
• John Heltsley, O.D.
• Lori Roberts Hauser, O.D.
• Ryan Funai
• Eric Botts, O.D.
• Mamie Chan, O.D.
• Donna Ellinger, O.D.
• Hilary Hawthorne, O.D.
• Keith Kerns, Esq.
• Heather Anderson, O.D., Ph.D.
• Edward “Larry” Jones, O.D.
• Jason Compton, O.D.
• Devin Sasser, O.D.
• Breanne McGhee, O.D.
• Dale Lervick, O.D.
• Samuel Pierce, O.D.
• Joe Ellis, O.D.
• James Wachter, O.D.
• David Cockrell, O.D.
• Artis Beatty, O.D.
• Andrew Cook, O.D.
• Jeffrey Strand, O.D.
• Bo Keeney, Jr.
• Bruce Keeney, Sr.
• Viola Kanevsky, O.D.
• Bob Charles
• Amanda Dellinger, O.D.
• Emily Eisenhower, O.D.
• David Ciccone, O.D.
• Marina Su, O.D.
• Thomas Cote, M.B.A.
• Lisa Gontarek, O.D.
• Amanda Umlandt, O.D.
• Howard Braverman, O.D.
• Kurt Steele, O.D.

AOSA Optometry Student Bowl™ XXXI crowns a champion

Ashley Olson of the Midwestern University, Arizona College of Optometry, lifted the crystal trophy high above a raucous Radius Chicago after another AOSA Optometry Student Bowl™ powered by EssilorLuxottica. Gabby Crocket of Southern College of Optometry placed second, while Emmy Tian of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Optometry, and Sakshi Vasiu of the State University of New York College of Optometry, tied for third place, in the high-stakes, high-speed test of optometric knowledge. The Ohio State University College of Optometry was awarded with the competition’s Spirit Award.

Chicago’s 5K, 1-mile Run/Walk winners

Chicago’s downtown skyline and Lake Michigan’s deep-blue waters served as the backdrop to the Optometry Cares—The AOA Foundation 5K Run & Walk, generously supported by Allergan, Neurolens and Volk. This year’s top 5K female finishers included: Kaitlyn Duran, Rachel Crawford, and Vera Lindhorst. This year’s top 5K male finishers included: Jacob Saxon, Trevor Phillips and Joshua Queener.

View the full Optometry Cares 5K race results.

Follow Optometry’s Meeting on social media

Relive the excitement and see what you missed from the profession’s premier meeting in Chicago—read daily news updates at aoa.org/news or join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #OM2022 and see the buzz on our social wall.