MIAMI BEACH--Essilor of America executives outlined strategic plans and new product launches for 2005 at the company's national sales meeting, held here Jan. 4-9. Over 600 attendees took part in the annual meeting, which brings together Essilor's extensive network of wholesale laboratory distributors with sales, marketing and R&D executives from its lens and laboratory businesses.

In his keynote speech, Mike Daley, president of Essilor Lenses, said Essilor will introduce its customized progressive lens, Varilux Ipseo, at Vision Expo East in March. Essilor, which already markets the lens in Europe, has been testing it with eyecare professionals in the U.S. for most of 2004. Essilor will also release a broad range of lenses made from a new 1.74 high-index plastic developed by the Essilor-Nikon joint venture in Japan, as well as the new Transitions V lens in Essilor's Airwear and Thin & Lite 1.67 materials, Daley said.

Essilor honored two wholesale optical laboratories for their sales achievements in 2004. Homer Optical of Silver Spring, Md., was named Varilux Lab of the Year; Italee Optics of Los Angeles, Calif., was named Crizal Lab of the Year. --Andrew Karp

Essilor of America president Hubert Sagnieres (l) and Philippe Alfroid, Essilor International COO, enjoying an eve	Mike Daley, president of Essilor Lenses, delivers opening remarks while being "watched" by an image of Albert Einstein.
Bob Colucci, president of Essilor's new Independent Distribution Division, left, congratulates performance artist Jean Francois on his instantaneous portrait of Lady Liberty.	Bob Pech, Pech Optical, James Schrick, Essilor IDD and Paul Massey, Pech Optical (l to r) confer during a break in the meeting.