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