Pictured at the opening night reception are, left to right, Hilaire van der Veen, CEO of Shamir Insight, George Lee, RSO founder and CEO, Andrea Bergquist, RSO Southeast regional director and Lee’s daughter, and Mike Sutton, RSO vice president of sales and marketing. Shamir Insight and Signet Armorlite were major sponsors of RSO’s anniversary celebration.

OMAHA--Customers, suppliers and well-wishers from across the country traveled to Omaha in late June to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of Rite-Style Optical (RSO), one of the nation’s leading independent wholesale optical laboratories. Nearly 350 guests, including about 50 doctors, participated in seminars, toured the RSO lab and attended parties during three days of festivities from June 25 to 27.

Ben Tworek, right, the only surviving RSO employee from 1948, talking to retired OD Richard Macaluso.

The event was also a tribute to Rite-Style CEO and co-founder George Lee. The 85-year-old entrepreneur, who is still actively involved in the business, welcomed visitors, swapped stories with current and former customers and received numerous accolades from friends, family and colleagues for his six decades of strong leadership. At a banquet capping the celebration, he thanked them and shared credit for his success with his partner, the late Harold Thompson, with whom he founded Rite-Style in 1948. Lee also cited the contributions of the 100-member RSO team, 37 of whom have worked at the lab for over 20 years, and 10 of whom have been with RSO for over 30 years.

Andrew Karp, lenses and technology editor for the Jobson Optical Group, delivered a keynote speech at the banquet. He called Lee “an innovator who keeps the spirit of the independent lab alive in an age of corporate mergers and acquisitions.” Karp also led a panel discussion during which Lee reminisced with Ray Stavneak, RSO’s general manager, Mike Sutton, RSO’s vice president of sales and marketing, Jim Coburn, president of Optical Works, Jim Tooke, Zyloware sales rep and Mike Portz, OD, a longtime RSO customer.

RSO surfacing manager, Jonas Silva, center, shows visitors the lab’s new digital surfacing equipment and the conveyor system.

Several other speakers also shared stories about Lee and RSO, including his daughter, Andrea Bergquist, who is RSO Southeast regional director; his son, Larry Lee, who is RSO’s president and Mike Sutton, who served as master of ceremonies.

Lee, who was clearly moved by the tributes, said the event was “far beyond anything I ever imagined. It was gratifying to see so many retired friends and customers.”

Joining in the celebration are, left to right, Tom Malone, OD; Greg Burrows, OD; Jim Stansberry, retired OD; Dick Petersen (59-year RSO employee); Ardith Macaluso and Richard Macaluso, retired OD.

Among the other highlights of RSO’s anniversary were educational seminars from Samantha Toth, president of Inneractive Media, Todd Hasselius, director of education for Shamir Insight and Jeff LaPlante, training and development manager for Signet Armorlite. Manufacturers also showcased their latest products at the RSO exhibit hall at the Ameristar casino and hotel in nearby Council Bluff, Iowa, where the seminars and banquet also took place.
 
View Rite-Style Turns 60 Slide Show. ■

RSO veteran Ray Stavneak shares an anecdote about his early days at the lab during a roundtable discussion at the anniversary banquet.

Rite-Style president Larry Lee, center, and George Lee, right, catch up with Herb Ferney, a longtime friend from the optical industry.

George and Billie Lee pause for a moment at the end of three hectic days of celebrating Rite-Style Optical’s 60th Anniversary.