LAS VEGAS--The inaugural meeting of the Young President’s Organization Optical Industry Roundtable was held here on Oct. 3, before the start of Vision Expo West.

The YPO is a worldwide club made up of more than 11,000 chief executive officers and presidents of companies in over 90 countries. Its primary purpose is to help to create “Better Leaders through Education and Idea Exchange.”

YPO encourages various types of networking among its members; one platform for this is the industry roundtable, where YPO members from a particular industry come together regularly to meet and learn from one another.

Attending the first optical YPO meeting were Reade Fahs of National Vision, Erich Sternberg of Always Care Benefits/Starmount Life Insurance, Mitch Barkley of Viva International, Barry Ballen of Gilbert Displays, Marty Bassett of Walman Optical, Patrick Devlyn of Devlyn Optical, Hermann Menrad of Menrad, Jeffrey Payne of ICare Industries and Chris Shyer of Zyloware.

Organizers of the optical industry roundtable have identified more than 20 YPO members heading companies in the eyecare/eyewear industry, and intend to have similar events at Silmo, Vision Expo East and MIDO.