NEW YORK--Janet Callif, senior vice president of merchandising and lenses, at Luxottica Retail North America, will be honored by the Optical Women’s Association (OWA) with its seventh Annual Pleiades Award at the OWA’s reception on Friday, March 31, during the weekend of International Vision Expo East in New York.

Janet Callif

Callif has built her 19-year optical career with Luxottica Retail North America, starting as a buyer and merchandiser in the founding years of LensCrafters. She now oversees the entire lens buying team for all Luxottica Retail optical brands as well as all store merchandising for LensCrafters, Pearle Vision and Sunglass Hut.

Callif is a board member for Give the Gift of Sight Foundation, and recently finished a three-year term on the board of the Cincinnati Hamilton County Community Action Agency, which included projects like Headstart. She is a graduate of the Leadership Cincinnati program (Class 25) and is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where she earned her BSBA in marketing.

Callif was also honored as one of the “50 Most Influential Women in Optical” by Vision Monday in 2004.

 

The OWA’s Ple­iades Award spotlights an individual who has shown a commitment to the mission of the OWA by fostering the growth of women in the industry.

 

The Pleiades Award is named for the star cluster Pleiades in the Taurus constellation. The Pleiades is also known as the “Seven Sisters”--referring to the seven brightest stars in the cluster. Pleiades Award winners have a star named after them and receive a star map and certificate as part of their recognition. Prior recipients have included and Mimi Friedfeld, Clear-Vision Optical, Dana R. Weeks, Optical Services International (OSI), Andrea Gluck, Eyewear Designs, Inc., Carene S. Kunkler, Sight Resource Corporation, Tom Styers, Essilor, and Charles ‘Pat’ Patterson, Walman Optical.

The upcoming OWA March event will be held in the Marchon Eyewear Showroom located at 8 West 40th Street. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served at 6 p.m. The award presentation will begin at 6:45 p.m. The event is open to both OWA members and non-members. Further information is available from [email protected].

The OWA, founded in 1997, exists to enhance and promote the leadership role of women in the ophthalmic industry through networking and peer support. The association’s program includes the Star Network mentoring program, networking events and resource and presentation of the annual Pleiades award. The association also publishes an annual Networking Directory and optical calendar. Further information is available by visiting www.opticalwomen.com.