(PRESS RELEASE) RANCHO CORDOVA, CA — With a focus on continued growth and responding to marketplace needs, VSP Global announced the following organizational changes:
Michelle Skinner, chief network officer of VSP Global, will assume a new role as chief growth officer, leading a newly formed and centralized doctor-facing sales organization that includes sales teams from VSP Optics, Marchon Eyewear, Inc., Eyefinity and the enterprise’s global business development managers. She will oversee the execution of the VSP Global Premier Program strategy, lead provider relations outreach, strategic partnerships, and develop a local presence strategy designed to deepen relationships with doctors, clients and community business leaders across the country.
“By leveraging Michelle’s vast experience, we will further unify our sales divisions to serve doctors with a more cohesive, consultative and simplified customer experience,” said Michael Guyette, president and CEO of VSP Global. “This alignment accelerates our work to support private practice’s long-term success and deliver products and services that help them differentiate, compete and grow.”
Pete Bridgman, president of Visionworks, will assume an expanded role as VSP Global’s new chief network officer. He will lead the organization’s network strategy and associated business areas, including network development and management, VSP Ventures, onsite clinics, Eyeconic and Visionworks.
“It’s essential that our network continues to offer our more than 80 million members access to high-quality eye care in a variety of settings,” added Guyette. “Pete’s unique expertise, including his managed vision care experience, will help us meet those needs and deliver more network value for clients and members while unlocking opportunities to implement new best practices in patient care and service that support the success of network doctors.”
Skinner and Bridgman begin their new roles in January 2022 and will continue reporting to Guyette.
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Chris Warren has been appointed chief legal officer and general counsel of VSP Global. Reporting to Guyette, Warren is responsible for all legal affairs for the company’s lines of business, including regulatory compliance and corporate risk management.
“Chris is a tremendous addition to our leadership team,” said Guyette. “With over 25 years of legal experience and a keen understanding of the insurance industry, she will help position the enterprise to meet our strategic goals and deliver on our purpose of empowering human potential through sight.”
Warren joins VSP from USAA, where she served as vice president and division general counsel of USAA Life Insurance Company. Since 2005, she held a variety of senior leadership roles with USAA, including financial advice and solutions general counsel, regulatory and governance counsel, chief compliance officer, as well as member experience and privacy counsel. Prior to that, she served in senior leadership roles with The Baltimore Life Insurance Company and Fidelity and Guaranty Life Insurance Company and was in private practice at Venable LLP. Warren earned her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University.
Warren succeeds Thomas Fessler, who is retiring after serving as chief legal officer and general counsel since 2006.
“We thank Thomas for his many significant contributions over the past 15 years,” said Guyette. “He leaves a lasting impact through his leadership and commitment to the organization.”
Continuing in their respective roles, the organization’s leadership team also includes Tiffanie Burkhalter, president of VSP Ventures; Kristi Cappelletti-Matthews, chief human resources officer of VSP Global; Indar Chaudhuri, president of VSP Optics; Chris Enslin, president of Eyefinity; Earnie Franklin, chief operating officer of VSP Global; Wendy Hauteman, chief marketing officer of VSP Global; Alec Mahmood, chief administration officer and chief financial officer of VSP Global; Kate Renwick-Espinosa, president of VSP Vision Care, and Nicola Zotta, president of Marchon Eyewear.
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