The 2013-2014 ASCO Board of Directors, top row from left: Dr. Andres Pagan, Dr. Rod Nowakowski, Dr. David S. Loshin, Dr. Elizabeth Hoppe, Dr. Donald Jarnagin, Dr. Larry J. Davis, Dr. Earl L. Smith, III, Dr. Arol R. Augsburger, Dr. Douglas K. Penisten, Dr. Shilpa Register, Dr. Joseph A. Bonanno and Dr. David Damari. Bottom row from left: Dr. Melvin D. Shipp, Dr. Andrew Buzzelli, Dr. Clifford Scott, Dr. Linda Casser, Dr. Jennifer Smythe, Dr. David A. Heath, Dr. Richard Phillips, Dr. Kevin Alexander (stepped down from the board this year) and Marty Wall, CAE, ASCO Executive Director. Dr. Stanley Woo and Dr. Dennis M. Levi are not pictured.
ASCO Installs New Officers, Establishes Partnership Endowment
The Board of Directors of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) held its annual meeting June 25-26 in San Diego. Highlights from the two-day meeting include:
- Outgoing President Dr. David Heath looked back on his term, noting the progress the organization made, particularly in the areas of external and internal communications and developing a robust, diverse and highly qualified national applicant pool.
- As a result of the dissolution of the Partnership Foundation for Optometric Education, ASCO established the Partnership Endowment, which will provide grants to the schools and colleges of optometry. (See “ASCO Establishes Partnership Endowment” on page 2)
- Presentations were given on alumni communications; the applicant development project; new marketing materials, including ASCO’s redesigned Web site (See “Marketing Optometry with Fresh Concepts” on page 3); and the latest news from corporate contributors EyeMed Vision Care and LasikPlus.
- The Board congratulated Dr. John F. Amos, a former two-term ASCO President, on his induction into the National Optometry Hall of Fame. (See “Drs. Alexander, Amos Honored by ASCO” on page 5) The Board also acknowledged three schools of optometry for graduating their first classes: University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry, Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry, and Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry. (For details, see “School and College News”)
Dr. David Heath “passes the gavel” to ASCO’s new President, Dr. Jennifer Smythe.
Day two of the meeting began with Dr. Heath “passing the gavel” to ASCO’s new President, Dr. Jennifer Smythe, Dean of the Pacific University College of Optometry, and the installation of the Association’s new officers. Dr. Smythe, ASCO’s first female president, has set her President’s Priority to be initiating, enhancing and developing interprofessional education collaborations. The other new officers for the program year that began July 1 are: President-Elect Dr. Linda Casser, Dean, Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University; Secretary-Treasurer Dr. Clifford Scott, President, New England College of Optometry; and Immediate Past-President Dr. David Heath, President, State University of New York, State College of Optometry.
The Board of Directors meets three times per year. Members will meet next in Seattle in late October.