PINELLAS PARK, Fla.—Transitions Optical has named company veteran Dave Cole chief operating officer, effective immediately. In this role, Cole will provide regional and global leadership, and business strategy development and execution, reporting to CEO and president, Rick Elias.

Cole, who started with Transitions Optical when the company launched in 1990, most recently served as general manager for the North American and Australia and New Zealand markets. He will continue to fulfill these responsibilities in an interim role, according to Transitions.

“Dave is exceptionally well suited for this leadership position,” said Elias. “His in-depth knowledge of the optical industry and our business, vision for long-term success and industry growth, and passion for building strong partnerships across all levels are just a few of the reasons he inspires such trust and respect from colleagues and the industry alike.”

After moving through a variety of sales and marketing roles in PPG Industries over a nine-year period, Cole joined Transitions Optical in 1990 as manager of sales and business development. Since then, Cole has assumed positions of increasing responsibility as the company continued to experience strong growth, serving as business manager and then general manager of the Americas for Transitions. In 2004, Cole added Australia and New Zealand to his North American responsibilities and, in 2008, added global strategic initiatives. Cole’s leadership has led to significant growth for the company and motivated strong loyalty from industry partners in these markets, Transitions said.