You may click on any photograph to see the full album.
The OWA's second annual Unplugged Retreat was again an overwhelming success! This event, sponsored by Bausch + Lomb and Zyloware, was held on October 18-20 in Charleston, SC, at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina.
OWA's Connection Series luncheon with Amanda Shapiro and the Friday BID$ and BEVS Networking Event were fun and engaging for all.
Attendees received a private tour of the STATE Optical Co. and AO Eyewear factory in Chicago! This OWA regional event, hosted by Europa Eyewear, offered a great opportunity to learn about frame manufacturing while meeting or catching up with OWA colleagues.
OWA members and guests gathered for a very special "welcome to spring" event — an exclusive ranch tour of Little America Miniature Horses to see newborn minis in real life.
Farewell to NYC! This year's Champagne Breakfast, the final one to be held in New York City, again broke all previous attendance records with 500 registrations. Gotham Hall was once more the beautiful backdrop for the annual event honoring the 2024 award recipients.
The OWA's first-ever retreat, OWA Unplugged, was an overwhelming success! This pilot event was held October 20-22 in San Diego, CA, at the Paradise Point Resort, and sponsored by ClearVision Optical.
Another great crowd at the OWA events during Vision Expo West made for lots of fun and excitement! See what we're talking about with this year's photos of the Thursday Connection Series luncheon and Friday's networking, auction, and raffle event.
This year's Champagne Breakfast was once again a spectacular, record-setting event! The OWA recognized three incredible and inspirational women from the optical industry, and paid special tribute to the journey of the OWA itself.
The OWA enjoyed a great turnout as they returned to live events at Vision Expo West. Check out the photos from Thursday's Connection Series luncheon and the Friday evening networking, raffle, and auction event.
The Champagne Breakfast was back in-person and better than ever! We honored four remarkable women and their impact on the optical industry. Then we gathered on April 1 to celebrate OWA's 25 years of supporting . . . .
The Optical Women's Association Hosts One Event at Vision Expo West! The annual Thursday Connection Series luncheon was back in-person with special guest, Dr. Connie Mariano, author of The White House Doctor. In spite of continuing pandemic restrictions, attendees were excited to see each other face to face once more!
The OWA hosted yet another regional in Canada, this time is Mississauga, Ontario, on March 5, 2020. The event was held at ROI Corporation and was hosted by Trudi Charest and Shelley Logan. Optical professionals across the area were treated to a fun evening . . . .
The OWA hosted its first regional in Ontario, Canada on Nov. 14, 2019. Trudi Charest, co-founder of Marketing4ECPs and member of the OWA Membership Committee, along with Shelley Logan, Westgroupe Sales Manager for Ontario and Western Canada, were the hosts for the event . . . .
IDOC hosted an OWA regional in conjunction with their 2019 National Conference on October 11. They boasted a record attendance of 117, including optical leadership from The Vision Council, manufacturers, and local businesses. Guests were treated to an evening of . . . .
OWA boasts record attendance at both Las Vegas events: the Thursday Connection Series luncheon, featuring Brave Leadership author Kimberly Davis, and the Friday evening networking, raffle, and auction event.
The OWA held its second San Diego regional event on August 8th at SportRx. Hosted by regional lead, Alana Whitaker of Luxottica, the happy hour event enabled over 55 local optical industry professionals to connect, network and learn more about the OWA . . . .
The OWA held their first-ever Canadian regional event in Calgary, Alberta, on June 6, 2019. Trudi Charest, RO, co-founder of Marketing4ECPs, and member of the OWA Membership Committee, hosted the evening, which boasted 50 attendees!
Dallas, Texas, was the site of another OWA regional event, this time on June 4, 2019. Hosted by regional lead Sunny Yarrish of Essilor of America, the evening centered around the theme of "The Power of Community". Special guest speaker Britt . . . .
The first-ever Optical Women's Association (OWA) Regional Event in Denver, held June 4, 2019, featured an exciting VIP networking event at Von Miller's Celebrity Bowling Bash, a fundraising event for Von's Vision — which provides vision screenings . . . .
The OWA held a regional networking Thursday night in New York City (at the Safilo showroom). Great attendance, great networking, and a panel discussion on retail.
OWA celebrated three remarkable women and their impact on the optical industry on March 21 at the OWA Champagne Breakfast. Then we gathered on March 22 to celebrate the OWA's "Star Birthday" . . . .
The last OWA regional event of 2018 was held in Philadelphia, PA on December 20. Hosted by Eye Designs, the attending women embrace the holiday spirit by wrapping donated gifts for a very special local family who had just lost their . . . .
The OWA hosted its first San Diego Regional Event on November 30, 2018 and featured an evening focused on leadership, a discussion of the OWA business book selection "Earning It", networking, and creating handmade ornaments . . . .
The OWA held a regional event in Rancho Cordova, California, on October 4, 2018, hosted by VSP. A strong leadership panel consisting of Robyn Crimmins (VSP Optics), Tiffanie Burkhalter (VSP Global), Heidi Pham-Murphy, O.D. (Eye Designs . . . .
Enjoy these photos from "Earning It: Hard-Won Lessons from Trailblazing Women at the Top of the Business World", our Connection Series Event featuring author and speaker Joann Lublin, and the Networking Reception and Raffle.
Philadelphia was the site of the July 26, 2018 OWA Regional Event hosted by Luxottica and held at Eye Designs. The evening featured a networking program as well as a tour of the Eye Design facility. All current and potential . . . .
Sunny Orlando was the site of the first OWA regional event in Florida, held June 12, 2018. Hosted by Angela McCoy of MyEyeDr, breakfast at the Orlando Marriott Lakeside was the center of this "Meet, Greet, & Eat" networking morning.
The OWA held its third Dallas, TX, regional networking event on June 6th, 2018, hosted by Nouveau Eyewear. All current OWA members, and potential new members from the surrounding area, were invited to meet other seasoned professionals . . . .
The OWA Champagne Breakfast Celebrating Women in Leadership and the OWA Star Award Ceremony honored the OWA's three award winners — Ashley Mills, Deb Bulken, and Janelle Pauli.
The Idea Foundry in Columbus, OH was the place to be for the state's first ever OWA event on November 30, 2017. Stacey Curcio, VSP, hosted the "Connection & Inspiration"-themed evening which featured speakers Dr. Lorie Lippiatt . . . .
The Optical Women's Association (OWA) held a regional meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota on November 28, 2017. All current OWA members and potential new members from the surrounding area were invited to meet other seasoned . . . .
The Optical Women's Association (OWA) held its second regional networking event in Dallas Texas, on November 16, 2017. All current OWA members and potential new members from the surrounding area were invited to meet other seasoned . . . .
OWA Regional Event + Accessories Council hosted an evening of connection, inspiration, and leadership at the Thale Blanc on October 5, 2017.
Throughout the OWA's 20th Anniversary year, our events have shared the common theme of celebrating the OWA's founding in 1997 and have certainly had their fair share of celebratory moments.
The first OWA New York regional was held June 22, 2017, in New York City. Hosted by Silhouette at the Silhouette Gallery, attendees were treated to a panel discussion on Social Media, moderated by Marge Axelrad . . . .
A wonderful OWA networking event was held at the Vision Council May 20, 2017, and was hosted by several OWA members who work for MyEyeDr. Many attended from The Vision Council, Marchon, Luxottica, MyEyeDr. and AOA.
The 3rd annual OWA Champagne Breakfast honoring women in leadership, coinciding with the OWA's 20th Anniversary, was held on March 30. The OWA Star Award Ceremony celebrated three amazing women . . . .
The OWA's Connection Series event "Girl Bosses: Optical Industry Entrepreneurs" featured a diverse panel of optical girl bosses. The photo booth was a popular stop during the Friday Night Networking Reception and Raffle.
The 2nd annual Champagne Breakfast was another sold out event and a huge success. At the top of One World Trade Center, the sweeping views set the stage for an unforgettable evening . . . .
During Vision Expo West in Las Vegas, the odds of the annual OWA Networking & Raffle Reception and Connection Series events being wildly successful were stacked in our favor. With more attendees . . . .
OWA members were very busy in New York City with the new Champagne Breakfast event and the annual Star Award Ceremony & Networking event. Enjoy these photo albums that capture the fun and excitement . . . .
Dice and roulette wheels were not the only things rocking and rolling in Las Vegas during International Vision Expo West! The annual OWA Networking & Raffle Reception and Connection Series events were both . . . .
The Optical Women's Association hosted their annual Pleiades Award reception and networking event honoring Sherrie Rogerson, Senior Executive of Corporate Accounts at REM Eyewear, and an OWA past president.
Keynote speaker Manjula Nadarajah of the Chopra Center for Workplace Wellbeing presented "Mindfulness in the Workplace" for the Connection Series event. There were plenty of items available for the Networking Reception . . . .
The OWA's Annual Networking event and Pleiades Award ceremony was held at the Milk Gallery. The event was a star studded celebration of the association's 15 year anniversary and honored three OWA women . . . .
Wednesday's Professional Optical Women's Workshop (POWW) featured speaker, Rebecca Johnson, focused OWA members and guests on the advantages of Eating Healthy, which the OWA followed up by hosting its . . . .
OWA members, guests and industry leaders gathered at the Top of the Standard Hotel to celebrate the awarding of the 13th annual Pleiades Award to Shirley Platzer-Stocks. The location of the event was amazing, with views . . . .
This year's OWA Professional Optical Women's Workshop (POWW) presented Pathways to Success, featuring insight and advice from a panel of four optical professionals. Friday's cocktail reception, which included . . . .
For the first time, the annual OWA Friday awards cocktail reception was held at the Diane Von Furstenberg Studio, where attendees congratulated the 2010 Pleiades and Pyxis honorees, Danne Ventura and Lorinda Fabroni.
