(PRESS RELEASE) Over 1,000 industry professionals from 40 countries in North America, South America, Europe and Asia will gather this week at the J.W. Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando for the 24th annual Transitions Academy. During the two-day, invitation-only event – themed “2020 Light It Up” – attendees will take part in professional development and product technology workshops; hear from experts and educators on marketing and industry trends; and learn from their peers and partners.
Jose Alves, general manager, Americas, Transitions Optical will begin Monday morning’s opening session by welcoming attendees from around the world to Transitions Academy. Following the opening remarks, Chrystel Barranger, president Essilor photochromics and Transitions Optical, will preview news from the company and show how its partners will “Light It Up” in 2020. She’ll highlight how lenses are the future of style and that Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses are the best a lens can offer for all light situations. Elise Bioche, vice president, global marketing; Brian O’Neil, vice president, global innovation, technology & operations, and Luc Nouvelot, director, global research & development will focus on the technology behind the lenses by sharing how Transitions Optical builds product solutions around protection, vision, and style. Charlotte Hamel, director, global internal communication, PR & events will close the Monday morning session with a focus on style and color trends.
Monday’s curriculum will continue with five options for industry elective sessions:
- Light Up Your Life, Chris King, marketing manager, education, Transitions Optical; Claire Carrara, consumer insights manager, Transitions Optical; Joshua Hazle, analytical lab subject matter expert, Transitions Optical; Mayara Castillo, product development scientist, Transitions Optical; Elliott Rashad, strategic accounts manager, Transitions Optical; Jacob Mann, key account manager, Transitions Optical; and Jasmin Johnson, senior associate marketing manager, Transitions Optical.
- Light up Your Sales, Susan Keene, O.D., Envision Eye Care and Jean Sabre, owner, Uptown Vision Clinic.
- Light Up Your Style, Light Up Your Store!, Charlotte Hamel, director, global internal communication, PR & events.
- Leading with Emotional Intelligence, Margaret Cooley, director of the Leadership Development Institute, Eckerd College.
- Developing and Understanding Your Leadership Brand, Lawrence W. Hamilton, MPA, Ed.S., SPHR, executive coach, Leadership Development Institute at Eckerd College.
Monday afternoon begins with a keynote on having a Growth Mindset presented by Neil Pasricha, best-selling author and leadership development professional, during which attendees will learn how to improve their mindset and take their business and life to an elevated level. Attendees will close the afternoon with another industry elective session of their choice:
- Light Up Your Life
- Light up Your Sales
- Light Up Your Style, Light Up Your Store!
- Leading with Emotional Intelligence
- Leading with Resilience, Lawrence W. Hamilton, MPA, Ed.S., SPHR, executive coach and faculty member, Eckerd College
Transitions Academy continues on Tuesday with a presentation on how to Light Up Your Market from Transitions Optical employees including Eric Pecceu, senior vice president and general manager of global sales, Transitions Optical and John Schubach, global director, lenscaster sales, Transitions Optical. Regional highlights that can inspire global activations will also be shared from the Transitions Optical team including:
- Drew Smith, director, North America channels, Transitions Optical
- Jonathan Ormsby, key account manager, Transitions Optical
- Jacob Mann, key account manager, Transitions Optical
- Pierre Devie, commercial director, Europe Middle East & Africa, Transitions Optical
- Marielle Collombat, director, Europe marketing, Transitions Optical
- Stuart Cannon, general manager, Asia Pacific, Transitions Optical
- Vanessa Johns, director, LATAM, Transitions Optical
Patience Cook, director, North America marketing, Transitions Optical concludes the general session with upcoming plans for how North America’s marketing activations will help recruit new wearers and help create meaningful conversation with patients around light protection.
Tuesday morning closes with the following industry elective sessions:
- Light Up Your Life
- Leading with Emotional Intelligence
- Light Up Your Style, Light Up Your Store!
- 2020: 10 Online Trends to Watch, Davitha Ghiassi, executive vice president, social & integration at Red Havas US.
- Developing and Understanding Your Leadership Brand, Lawrence W. Hamilton, MPA, Ed.S., SPHR, executive coach and faculty member, Eckerd College.
Tuesday afternoon begins with Go Team: Light It Up, a team building scavenger hunt activity where teams will compete for a prize donation to the charity of their choice. After the activity, Peter Sheahan, founder and group CEO of Karrikins Group, will present the closing keynote on how to “Become the Obvious Choice” of patients/consumers. Later that night, Smith and Johns will lead the 2019 Transitions Innovation Awards ceremony, where the winners of the 2019 Transitions Innovation Awards will be announced.