Winners will be honored on Oct. 13.
(Press Release) Each year the American Academy of Optometry recognizes distinguished individuals who have made countless contributions to advancing the profession of optometry.
“Serving on the Awards Committee may be the most humbling yet exhilarating Academy service I have ever had the privilege to do,” said Dr. Donald O. Mutti, awards committee chair. “This year’s nominees were wonderful examples of dedication to vision research, vision care, education, and improvement of the visual welfare of all. It was a very difficult task selecting awardees from this list of accomplished people. Every nominee represents the best of what the American Academy of Optometry and the American Academy of Optometry Foundation hope to inspire in all of us. Many thanks to those who submitted nominations, and to those who served on the awards committee.”
The academy announces the 2017 award recipients:
Eli Peli, MSc, OD, FAAO
Charles F. Prentice Medal and Lecture Award
Mitchell Scheiman, OD, PhD, FAAO
Glenn A. Fry Award and Lecture
(American Academy of Optometry Foundation Award)
Ava K. Bittner, OD, PhD, FAAO
Irvin M. and Beatrice Borish Award
Luigi Bilotto, MS, OD, FAAO
AAO-Essilor Award for Outstanding International Contributions to Optometry
C. Ellis Potter, OD, FAAO
Brien Holden Humanitarian Award
Joseph Fontenot, MD, CLVT
Carel C. Koch Memorial Medal Award
Laura Goldberg, OD, MS
Celia R. Gong
Julius F. Neumueller Award in Optics
(American Academy of Optometry Foundation Award)
Richard Madonna, MA, OD, FAAO
Vincent Ellerbrock Clinician Educator Award
Harue J. Marsden, OD, MS, FAAO
(posthumously)
Eminent Service Award
Bert C. Corwin, OD, FAAO
Avrum Richler, OD, PhD, FAAO
Life Fellow Award
Jeffrey J. Walline, OD, PhD, FAAO
Katie L. Greiner, OD, MS, FAAO, Mary Elizabeth McVey, OD, MS, Lisa A. Jones-Jordan, PhD, FAAO
Garland W. Clay Award
Lorraine Lombardi, PhD
Michael G. Harris Award for Excellence in Optometric Education
(American Academy of Optometry Foundation Award)
Awards of the Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses & Refractive Technologies
Suzanne M.J. Fleiszig, OD, PhD, FAAO
Max Schapero Memorial Lecture Award
Lynette Johns, OD, FAAO, FSLS
Founders’ Award
Award winners will be recognized at the Academy 2017 Chicago Awards Ceremony on Friday, Oct. 13, from 8 to 10 a.m. in E351 & E352 of McCormick Place. Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses and Refractive Technologies award recipients will be honored at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11, in Room E351. Information on the Public Health and Environmental Vision Section Henry B. Peters Award is forthcoming.
The American Academy of Optometry’s annual meeting, Academy 2017 Chicago, will take place Oct. 11-14, 2017, at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. For more information, visit http://www.aaopt.org/regsite.