Transitions Optical has named the finalists for its annual Transitions Awards program, which recognizes leading independent eyecare professionals and optical retailers in Canada for their year-long commitment to promoting eye health and Transitions^® lenses. The finalists will be honoured, and the winners will be announced, during the 18^thAnnualTransitionsAcademy event to be held January 26-29 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Orlando.

The three finalists for the fifth annual Transitions Eyecare Professional of the Year award are Sandy Koppé, O.D. from The Eye Care Group, with two locations in Edmonton, Alberta and one in St. Albert, Alberta (western region); Wael Yassein from The Eye Shoppe, based in Oshawa, Ontario (central region); and Pierre Vallée, O.D. from Clinique d’optométrie Pierre Vallée, based in Sherbrooke, Québec (eastern region).

Finalists for the second annual Transitions Retailer of the Year award include Costco Optical (a first-time finalist), which has over 60 locations across Canada; Loblaw Optical (a 2012 finalist), which has more than 130 locations in eight provinces; and Lunetterie New Look Eyewear (the 2012 winner), which has over 70 stores in Quebec and Ontario.

The Transitions Eyecare Professional of the Year and Transitions Retailer of the Year finalists were judged on their year-long commitment to photochromic growth; alignment to Transitions Optical and participation in programs and promotions, strategic marketing initiatives, education and training efforts, and community involvement.

Further pushing the boundaries of adaptive lens technology, Transitions Optical, Inc. has launched its most responsive everyday adaptive lenses ever: Transitions^® Signature^™ VII lenses with Chromea7™ technology. Available Jan. 7, 2014, Transitions Signature VII lenses will replace Transitions^® VI lenses in the Transitions family of products as the optimal lens for maximum indoor clarity and responsiveness to UV outdoors.

Through its revolutionary product development model – Life360™ – Transitions Optical developed Transitions Signature VII lenses to be more responsive in more situations, testing them in more than 200 conditions representing real-life lighting situations, including various temperatures, weather conditions and geographies. New Transitions Signature VII lenses use the patented Chromea7 technology, an exclusive dye formulation that allows the lenses to be more reactive to indirect sunlight and reflected sunlight, and become even darker on hot days. Transitions Signature VII lenses provide this outstanding outdoor performance without sacrificing indoor clarity, making them the ideal replacement for clear lenses.

“There is a real opportunity for eyecare professionals to convert clear lens wearers into Transitions lens wearers,” said Brian Hauser, general manager, U.S. and Canada, Transitions Optical. “Transitions VI lenses have been on the market for six years. This is the longest we’ve gone without a generational change, so the new technology will create a lot of excitement. Furthermore, for the first time we will be bringing attention to our new product technology by calling out both the newness of Transitions Signature lenses and the Chromea7 technology by name in our consumer campaign.”

Like Transitions VI lenses, Transitions Signature VII lenses will be offered in grey and brown. The difference is that Transitions Signature VII lenses are a more aesthetically pleasing grey and brown.

Transitions Optical has announced the expansion of its Canadian team by welcoming Jaime Lovegrove and Ronan O’Driscoll as new eyecare professional sales and training representatives for the Ontario region.

Lovegrove and O’Driscoll will be responsible for enhancing and growing relationships with Transitions Optical’s eyecare professional partners, with Lovegrove supporting Western Ontario and O’Driscoll supporting Eastern Ontario. Lovegrove and O’Driscoll will also work to strengthen and leverage relationships with other trade partners, including lens manufacturer sales representatives, buying group members and ECP associations. Both will support partners by providing training and education on the Transitions^® family of products and helping to implement new marketing programs, sales strategies and promotions.

“Lovegrove and O’Driscoll are both well suited for this role because of their extensive knowledge and experience within the optical industry,” said Christine Underhill, business manager, Transitions Optical,Canada. “We are confident they will serve as strong resources for our partners, directing them to more educational opportunities and helping them identify the marketing tools that can add value to their businesses.”

Lovegrove joins Transitions Optical from Rodenstock, where she was previously a territory sales representative for nearly two years. Prior to her time with Rodenstock, She served as an optician manager at IRIS The Visual Group, where she oversaw the daily operations of stores and clinics, trained new associates and managers and provided support during company mergers with new locations. Lovegrove graduated from the Georgian College Opticianry program with honors in 2007.

O’Driscoll joins Transitions Optical after serving at Canada Vision Works for four years as a territory sales representative. At Canada Vision Works, O’Driscoll acquired more than 30 new clients within his first twelve months of employment. For the past two years, he also served as a territory account representative for Kaenon Polarized. O’Driscoll graduated from the Cork Institute of Technology in Cork, Ireland, in 1999 with a diploma in Hospitality and Tourism.