SEATTLE—At the annual Optometry's Meeting here last week, the American Optometric Association honored several people with awards for their accomplishments in eyecare, and elected new officers for the coming year.

The meeting represented the 111th annual AOA Congress and the 38th annual American Optometric Student Association conference.

During the event's opening general session, Arol Augsburger, OD, president of the Illinois College of Optometry, received the AOA Distinguished Service Award, which honors unusually significant contributions to the profession of optometry.
Linda Johnson, OD, division head of optometry services and women, infant and children program services for the Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center in Jackson, Miss., was named the association's Optometrist of the Year.

The Young Optometrist of the Year award, given to an eyecare professional in practice for 10 years or less, went to Elizabeth Muckley, OD, contact lens director of Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons, in Kent and Stow[sic], Ohio.

James Kesteloot, president and chief executive officer of the Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, received the AOA's Apollo Award, the organization's highest award presented to the general public.

Beverly Robert was named Paraoptometric of the Year; she works at the Family Vision Clinic in Magee, Miss.

Elected as AOA president for the coming year was Peter Kehoe, OD. Kehoe succeeds Kevin Alexander, OD, who became the organization's immediate past president.

Kicking off the meeting as keynote speaker, sponsored by Essilor, was Christopher Gardner, author of the book The Pursuit of Happyness, which was made into a movie starring Will Smith.

Next year's AOA meeting is scheduled for June 24 through June 28, 2009, at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in Washington, D.C.