ALEXANDRIA, Va.— Registration for the 2012 Optical Lab Division (formerly the Optical Laboratories Association) meeting, to be held Sept. 5 to 8 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, is now open. The annual event will once again be held in conjunction with the education and exhibits at International Vision Expo West.

“There are no other comparable events available to labs,” said Mike Francesconi, chair of the Optical Lab Division. “The meeting offers lab professionals the best combination of hands-on education, relevant programming, and face-to-face networking. It’s the one place where labs are guaranteed to get business done.”

New for 2012, the education program will begin a day earlier on Wednesday, Sept. 5, and will feature sessions covering timely industry topics, including:

• Private Label Branding – Not just for Manufacturers Anymore! (Panel Discussion)
• Warranties & Redos: Costs, Concerns and Impact on an Industry
• What do ECPs Want from Labs? Part II, the Optician Perspective (Panel Discussion)
• Putting it all Together – Integrated Electronic Marketing for Labs
• Digital Surfacing Workshop – Tips, Techniques and Troubleshooting (In-Booth Demos)

There is no cost to attend the meeting for members of The Vision Council’s Optical Lab Division. Members who register receive complimentary access to all breakfasts, luncheons and educational programming. Non-members can register for lab education at $50 per session (per person).

Plans for the 13th annual Optical Pioneers Hall of Fame banquet, to be held Wednesday, Sept. 5 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas, are also underway. Tickets are $90 and can be purchased online at thevisioncouncil.org/labmeeting.

To register for the Optical Lab Division meeting, visit thevisioncouncil.org/labmeeting.