DAVIERO, Varese, Italy--Kenneth L. Frederick has been appointed general manager of Polinelli North America, according to Riccardo Polinelli, president of Gruppo Polinelli Occhiali, the sunwear company based here.

Frederick has extensive experience in the sunwear market, working for 10 years at Bausch & Lomb, eight years with Ray-Ban and two years as vice president of operations for B&L’s Outlook Eyewear division. He was with Smith Sport Optics for 10 years, concentrating on sunglasses and goggles.

Frederick has been active in the Sunglass Association of America (SAA) for the past 12 years, and has been on its executive committee for the last seven years, and is currently in his fourth year as president of the group. He has also served on the ANSI Z80 committees for optical products and currently serves as chair of the Z80.3 Sunglass Committee.

Frederick sits on the ISO Sunglass, Spectacle Lens, and Reader committees as a member of the US delegation. He is involved with the sports eyewear program with ASTM.

Polinelli said, “I’m very pleased to welcome Ken to our company team, he brings with him 20 years experience in the eyewear world. He will help us continue to build our group’s presence in North America by representing the capabilities that the Group brings to the optical market.”

Based in Italy, Gruppo Polinelli Occhiali produces and markets sunglasses and reading glasses, goggles and sport sunglasses and reports that its total volume for 2004 was 20 million Euros. The group employs over 150 people, plus 30 sales representatives.