SPRING 2019
CLASS NOTES: SPRING 2019
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1973
Bruce Portnoy was published in The Times of Israel online newspaper. His article was entitled “A positive legacy in the making, with the help of US legislators.”
1976
Justin Gordon published a book entitled “Postal History of the Holocaust.”
1980s
1980
Dwight Akerman announced his retirement after a distinguished 29-year career with Alcon, CIBA Vision, Wesley Jessen, and Novartis Pharma. Since 2013, he has served as Global Head, Professional Affairs and Business Development, and contributed to Alcon’s renewed focus on eyecare professional education by strengthening partnerships with key opinion leaders. He serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at ICO and is also a Trustee of the World Optometric Foundation.
Timothy McMahon was elected President-Elect of the American Academy of Optometry.
1981
Sandra Block was named Co-Chair of the Prevent Blindness Advisory Committee for the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health.
1983
Susan Cotter was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the American Academy of Optometry.
1988
Jeffrey Krall is a co-inventor of the new Neurolens technology that uses spectacle lenses with contoured prisms to help alleviate headaches and neck tension.
1990s
1996
Stacy Hinkemeyer and Nicholas Colatrella have been named Best in Eye Care in Central Minnesota for the 4th year in a row at their practice, PineCone Vision Center, in Sartell, Minn.
Timothy McMahon was elected President-Elect of the American Academy of Optometry.
1998
Jennifer Scarlato Tekiele has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer at the Michigan Eye Institute and Michigan Eye Surgery Center in Flint, Michigan.
2000s
2002
Linda Bityou had her first book published, titled “Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World: 29 Timeless Proverbs for Everyday Life.” The book is currently available on Amazon.
2004
Kathryn Mulder DeJonge and her husband welcomed their baby, Pierce Jordan, on Dec. 12, 2018.
2005
Linda Bityou had her first book published, titled “Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World: 29 Timeless Proverbs for Everyday Life.” The book is currently available on Amazon.
Trudy Metcalfe was elected President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Optometrists in October 2018. She also takes part in yearly trips to Haiti with Team Broken Earth, a Canadian medical team devoted to providing care after the devastating earthquake of 2010.
2006
Sherman Tung was named British Columbia’s Optometrist of the Year 2018 for his contributions to the profession, service to the community and visual welfare of the public.
2010s
2012
Naghmeh Thompson and her husband welcomed their newest family member, Oliver, in Aug. 2018.
Sara Winkler joined May Vision Center in Waunakee, Wis.
2014
Katie Davis was appointed by the South Carolina Department of Education to serve as an advisor on their Learning Disorders Task Force.
Hanna (Froehlich) Fylpaa was selected as the Armed Forces Optometric Society Junior Optometrist of the Year for Public Health Service in Nov. 2018.
Sarah Shaw has taken over East Avenue Vision Center, in Lockport, N.Y., following the retirement of Paul DeLange, OD ’75.
Channing Wells is the owner of Wells Vision in Hazlehurst, Miss.
2015
Ann Tobyne joined the Smart EyeCare Center, with locations in Augusta, Bangor, and Farmingdale, Maine.
2016
Joelle (Jaros) Holland and Zac Holland, OD ’15, welcomed their baby, Aria Rai, on Feb. 2, 2019.
2017
Erica Troyer and her husband welcomed their baby, Lukas James, on Dec. 23, 2018.
2018
Delia Malone has joined Levin Eye Care Center in Whiting, Ind.
Michael Gorz has joined his parents, John Gorz, OD ’84, and Sue Gorz, OD ’84, in their practice as the third generation at Lakeshore Vision Center in Algoma, Wis. Michael’s grandfather, Arthur Gorz, OD ’46 (NICO), began the practice after serving as an optometrist in the Air Force.
2020s
Friends and Family
Patricia Salazar, OD, and family welcomed Madison Ann Quigley on Dec. 5, 2018.
Helena (Daisy) Varkalis has retired from ICO after 38 years. Daisy will be sincerely missed around the College. Many ICO Matters readers will fondly remember Daisy’s time at ICO, as her leadership in the Mail Room directly improved hundreds of student and alumni lives. Thankfully, those that have worked with Daisy can stay in touch; her former Mail Room work-study students still gather as an exclusive group on Facebook.
Mea Culpa
In the Fall 2018 issue of ICO Matters it was announced in error that Bernard C. Tekiele, OD ’98, had been promoted to Chief Executive Officer at the Michigan Eye Institute and Michigan Eye Surgery Center in Flint, Mich. It was his wife, Jennifer Tekiele, OD ’98, who was promoted.
To submit your news and announcements for Class Notes or In Memoriam, click here.
The following abbreviations denote predecessor names of the Illinois College of Optometry.
NICO: Northern Illinois College of Optometry
CCO: Chicago College of Optometry
MCO: Monroe College of Optometry
