More Than a Frame

How The McGee Group’s 50-year legacy is built on brands that stand for something.

WHEN WAYNE MCGEE packed a suitcase full of eyeglass frames in 1976 and set out to build a business from his Metairie, La., home, he wasn’t just selling eyewear. He was learning that people connect with products that have a story. Fifty years later, that instinct has become the cornerstone of The McGee Group’s brand philosophy — and it’s never been more intentional.

As the family-owned optical design and manufacturing company marks its 50th anniversary in 2026, it does so with a portfolio of 11 unique eyewear brands. The majority of the brands The McGee Group carries — licensed or proprietary — have a give-back message woven into their identity. And that’s no accident.

“Giving back is an important piece to us corporately and for our brand partners,” says Matt McGee, who oversees the company’s product development and U.S. manufacturing operations. “We have intentionally sought out brands that already have that message.” 

Brands With Purpose

The proof is in the portfolio. For more than 20 years, The McGee Group has partnered with the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer Research, donating a portion of every Vera Bradley frame sold and ranking as one of the Foundation’s top donors year after year. Life is Good Eyewear supports Life is Good Playmakers, which brings joy and positive mentorship to children facing adversity. And since 2006, The McGee Group’s Ducks Unlimited partnership has channeled more than $2 million toward wetlands conservation—protecting more than 19 million acres across the United States.

Then there is Jenny Lynn— perhaps the most personal brand in the collection. Named for the late Jenny Lynn McGee, co-founder, matriarch and the soul of the company, the line donates 5% of net profits to the Jenny Lynn Foundation. Its mission: supporting organizations such as Wellspring Living in Atlanta, Ga., which assists women transitioning out of trafficking, addiction and crisis. It is, in many ways, an extension of Jenny Lynn’s own life work. 

Translating Heart Into Eyewear

Behind every collection is The McGee Group’s in-house product development team — eight members strong, with decades of combined experience in optical design. The team is led by Amy Moore, vice president of product development, who joined the company in 2011, and Laura Khligh, senior design director and a 20-year veteran of The McGee Group. Matt McGee, who oversees all factory operations, also lends his hand directly to the design process — creating the Ducks Unlimited line himself, including its handcrafted Factory Collection, made in Marietta, Ga. That combination of leadership longevity and hands-on craftsmanship ensures every frame authentically reflects the heart of the brand it represents.

For independent ECPs, that means every pair on the board comes with a story worth telling. When a patient asks why they should choose a McGee frame, the answer goes far beyond fashion — it starts with purpose