Optometrist of the Year Nominees & Recipients

Annually, societies may select one of their own to receive their society's Optometrist of the Year award, and submit the name to POA for the annual state Optometrist of the Year award. The state recipient is then nominated for the annual AOA Optometrist of the Year award.

 

Recipients of the Optometrist of the Year Award

Year Nominees
* Denotes State Recipient
Local Society
2024

*Lori Gray, O.D.
Erin Heinly, O.D.
Jean Astorino, O.D.
Joseph Rebman, O.D.
Joseph Ozbold, O.D.
Noah Eger, O.D.

BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
LCOS
SWOS
WPOS
2023

Amanda Legge, O.D.
Kelly Malloy, O.D.
Christopher Kuc, O.D.
*Colleen Rae-Jenkins, O.D.
Jesse Jones, O.D.
Richard Centar, O.D.
Richard Phillips, O.D.

BCOS
BMOS
CDOS
CPOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
2022 Brett Neal, O.D.
Kevin Wolford, O.D.
Jesse Jones, O.D.
*Rebecca Wincek-Bateson, O.D.
Michelle Wertelet, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
2021 Luanne Chubb, O.D.
Molly Ann Clymer, O.D.
Robert Lloyd, O.D.
Jesse Jones, O.D.
*Robert Bittel, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
NEPOS
PCOS
WPOS 
2020 Erin Draper, O.D. 
John Lieto, O.D. 
Leslie O'Dell, O.D.
 Marc Myers, O.D. 
Christine Zlupko, O.D. 
Robert Albertson, O.D. 
*Greg Caldwell, O.D.
Jan Frederickson, O.D. 
BMOS
CDOS
CPOS
LCOS
MCOS
NEPOS
SWOS
WPOS
2019 Karen Rule, O.D.
Lori Gray, O.D.
*Christine Weld, O.D.
Michael Hutton, O.D.
Chris Carver, O.D.
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
MCOS
WPOS
2018 Andrew Gurwood, O.D.
Daniel Petley, O.D.
David Evans, O.D.
* Robert Owens, O.D.
Sherry Winn, O.D.
Greg Caldwell, O.D.
Joseph Terravecchia
BMOS
CPOS
Keyperson Cmt.
Legislative Affairs Cmt.
NEPOS
SWOS
WPOS
2017 Stuart Cohen, O.D.
Steven Eiss, O.D.
*Andrew Leitzel, O.D.
Robert Wheatall, O.D.
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
WPOS
2016 David Rule, O.D.
Kevin Rehak, O.D.
*William Boshinski, O.D.
David Evans, O.D.
Jesse Jones, O.D.
Joseph Ieni, O.D.
Edward Brajdic
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
NEPOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
2015 *Glenn Corbin, O.D.
Denise Wilcox, O.D.
Matthew Link, O.D.
Michael Hutton, O.D.
Kenneth Savitski, O.D.
Rebecca Wincek-Bateson, O.D.
Danielle Staresinic, O.D.
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
MCOS
NEPOS
SWOS
WPOS
2014 Dawn E. Hornberger, O.D.
Stephen E. Hess, O.D.
Lora J. Smith, O.D.
*Tracy C. Sepich, O.D.
Sherry L. Winn, O.D.
Gregory L. Bittner, O.D.
Timothy J. Corcoran, O.D.
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
MCOS
NEPOS
SWOS
WPOS
2013 Richard P. Christoph, O.D.
Curt A. Gottlieb, O.D.
Kimberly Frantz Boyer, O.D.
Michelle H. Barnes, O.D.
David A. Evans, O.D.
Dat Duong, O.D.
Vincent Cascino, O.D.
*Melvin E. Lilly, O.D., F.A.A.O.
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
MCOS
NEPOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
2012 Sean D. Hyman, O.D.
*Scott Goldberg, O.D., M.A., F.A.A.O.
Robert A. McClenathan, O.D.
Gregory A. Caldwell, O.D., F.A.A.O.
Donna M. Buraczewski, O.D.
John Aubrey, O.D.
Gregory J. Bittner, O.D.
BCOS
BMOS
LCOS
MCOS
NEPOS
SWOS
WPOS
2011 Susan R. Miller, O.D.
William H. Drusedum, O.D.
Dennis E. Dombrowski, O.D.
*Charles J. Falsone, O.D.
Richard H. Sterling, O.D.
Daniel F. Russell, O.D.
John A. Guzzetti, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
LCOS
MCOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
2010 * Steven P. Eiss, O.D.
Robert L. Owens, II, O.D., F.A.A.O.
Tammy Warmouth, O.D.
Michael P. Mucker, O.D.
Robert P. Bittel, Jr., O.D., F.A.A.O.
BMOS
LCOS
NEPOS
SWOS
WPOS
2009 Denise T. Wilcox, O.D.
Lora J. Smith, O.D.
Mark M. Margolies, O.D.
Archibald R. Morris, O.D.
Mark W. Eger, O.D.
* Perry C. Umlauf
BMOS
CPOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
CPOS nominee from 2008
2008 Kim B. Even, O.D.
Perry C. Umlauf, O.D.
*Scott A. Edmonds, O.D.
Barbara M. Yanak, O.D.
Michael P. Mucker, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
NEPOS
SWOS
2007 *Marianne E. Boltz, O.D.
Donna M. Buraczewski, O.D.
Mark M. Margolies, O.D.
Richard Centar, O.D.
CPOS
NEPOS
PCOS
SWOS
2006 *Andrew S. Gurwood, O.D.
Steven M. Berger, O.D.
Robert McClenathan, O.D.
John Biernacki, O.D.
Mark Margolies, O.D.
Antoinette Botti, O.D.
Janet E. Summers, O.D.
BMOS
CDOS
LCOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
2005 Andrew S. Gurwood, O.D.
*John F. Andren, O.D.
Neil P. Schwartz, O.D.
Joseph P. Rebman, O.D.
Lisa Toole DeMichele, O.D.
Richard Sterling, O.D.
Richard N. Gross, O.D.
Susan N. Csonka, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
LCOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
2004 John Godfrey, O.D.
Stephen D. Baer, O.D.
Richard Sterling, O.D.
Gregory L. Bittner, O.D.
Edward B. Savarno, O.D.
*Jerry P. Davidoff, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
(CDOS nominee from 2003)
2003 Curt Gottlieb, O.D.
Richard Hope, O.D.
Jerry Davidoff, O.D.
Dennis Dombrowski, O.D.
Donna McLaughlin, O.D.
Gina Dyda, O.D.
*Hans Lessmann, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
LCOS
NEOS
SWOS
WPOS
2002 Michele Shade-Hinchliffe, O.D.
Mark Boas, O.D.
*James Spangler, O.D.
Thomas Lewis, O.D.
Maureen Weldon Kamons, O.D.
BMOS
CDOS
NWOS
PCOS
WPOS
2001 Gary Litman, O.D.
John Andren, O.D.
Barry Kanofsky, O.D.
*Carl J. Urbanski, O.D.
Norman Kushner, O.D.
Kimberly Riggs, O.D.
Robert Bittel, Jr., O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
2000 Mark Boas, O.D.
*Marla Moon, O.D.
Joseph Shovlin, O.D.
Rita Verma Orren, O.D.
Doug Villella, O.D.
Michael Mucker, O.D.
Lonny Harrison, O.D.
CDOS
MCOS
NEOS
NOS
NWOS
SWOS
WPOS
1999 *Michael Mohn, O.D.
Curt Gottlieb, O.D.
James Grove, O.D.
Charles Griffen, O.D.
James Dombach, O.D.
Jeffrey Empfield, O.D.
Karen Wrigley, O.D.
Laurie Labuda, O.D.
David Schmolly, O.D.
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
LCOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
1998 Maria Parisi, O.D.
Erica Voss-Meloy, O.D.
S. Candace Covey, O.D.
Barbara Yanak, O.D.
*Aaron Chasan, O.D.
Gregory L. Bittner, O.D.
Joann Strain, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
MCOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
1997 Michael Mohn, O.D.
Barry Fabriziani, O.D.
Perry Umlauf, O.D.
*Satya Verma, O.D.
Michael Hutton, O.D.
David Evans, O.D.
Aaron Chasan, O.D.
Gregory L. Bittner, O.D.
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
MCOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
1996 Michael Mohn, O.D.
J. Stephen Robinson, O.D.
Foster Kreiser, O.D.
Richard Clompus, O.D.
Debra Wolaniuk, O.D.
Jay Tanner, O.D.
David McPhillips, O.D.
Richard Centar, O.D.
Louis Phillips, O.D.
*Mark Eger, O.D.
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
LCOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
(WPOS nominee from 1994)
1995 *Jacob Rosner, O.D.
Gary Kirman, O.D.
John Clouser, O.D.
John Menzel, O.D.
Sidney Solofsky, O.D.
John Santarelli, O.D.
BMOS (posthumously)
CPOS
CDOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
1994 Kim Even, O.D.
W. Reynolds Sisson, O.D
Jerry P. Davidoff, O.D.
John W. Stagaman, O.D.
Kurt J. Moody, O.D.
*David R. McPhillips, O.D.
Anthony J. Mancuso, O.D.
Mark W. Eger, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
NOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
1993 Robert Rosenthal, O.D.
*Robert J. Morrison, O.D.
A. Michael Iatesta, O.D.
Roberts K. Karn, O.D.
Robert Albertson, Jr. , O.D.
Gregory L. Bittner, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
MCOS
NEOS
SWOS
1992 Jon L. Margerger, O.D.
John Andren, O.D.
Jacqueline DeJesse, O.D.
*Gerald J. Hildebrand, O.D.
David R. McPhillips, O.D.
Richard Centar, O.D.
Janet E. Summers, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
1991 *Eli D. Pronchick, O.D.
Joseph P. Winberry, Jr. , O.D.
Lawrence H. Coppock, Jr. , O.D.
James M. Novak, O.D.
John A. McGreal, Jr. , O.D.
Archibal R. Morris, O.D.
Robert J. McCauley, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
NEOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
1990 Walter J. Drill, O.D.
Jon E. Noll, O.D.
*Gerald A. Kempner, O.D.
John Biernacki, O.D.
Karen M. Wrigley, O.D.
Melvin E. Lilly, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
MCOS
NEOS
PCOS
WPOS
1989 Elmer S. Friedberg, O.D.
John J. O’Donnell, Jr. , O.D.
Kevin L. Corcoran, O.D.
Philip J. Schwartz, O.D.
Robert E. Leitenberger, O.D.
Martin C. Kenig, O.D.
*Freda Sattel, O.D.
Richard L. Phillips, O.D.
BCOS
CPOS
CDOS
LCOS
NWOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
1988 Glenn S. Corbin, O.D.
*Paul D. Halpern, O.D.
Herbert D. Halliday, O.D.
Albert I. Singer, O.D.
John H. Stauffer, O.D.
Leonard J. Boyek, O.D.
Adrian B. Runkle, O.D.
Paul P. Freeman, O.D.
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
CDOS
LCOS
NEOS
NWOS
WPOS
1987 Stuart S. Cohn, O.D.
Shahane T. Kirman, O.D.
Jerry P. Davidoff, O.D.
*Harvey P. Hanlen, O.D.
Arnold N. Witkin, O.D.
Israel Teitelbaum, O.D.
James A. Ritter, O.D.
BCOS
CPOS
CDOS
MCOS
PCOS
SWOS
WPOS
1986 James A. Tribbett, O.D.
W. Reynolds Sisson, O.D.
*Satya B. Verma, O.D.
Arnold M. Mazer, O.D.
BCOS
CPOS
CDOS
PCOS
1985 David W. Rule, O.D.
Charles J. Stuckey, Jr., O.D., MPA
*Joseph G. Gackenbach, O.D.
Scott A. Edmonds, O.D.
Cecil D. Furer, O.D.
BCOS
CPOS
LVOS
PCOS
WPOS
1984 Paul D. Halpern, O.D.
Richard L. Gulden, O.D.
Harvey P. Hanlen, O.D.
Albert M. Kane, O.D.
*David A. Rosenbloom, O.D.
BMOS
CPOS
MCOS
PCOS
WPOS
1983 Gary L. Scheib, O.D.
Stuart S. Cohn, O.D.
*Robert A. Ginsburg, O.D.
George D. Weaver, O.D.
Albert Dichter, O.D.
Richard S. Feldstein, O.D
AOS
BCOS
BMOS
CPOS
PCOS
WPOS
1982 Alfred T. Roshoe, O.D.
James A. Tribbett, O.D.
*Alvin Levin, O.D.
Joseph G. Gackenbach, O.D.
Louis J. Phillips, O.D.
AOS
BCOS
CPOS
LVOS
WPOS
1981 *Guy D. Wengert, O.D.
Joseph G. Gackenbach, O.D.
E. David Pollock, O.D.
Steven M. Siegel, O.D.
CPOS
LVOS
PCOS
WPOS
1980 Peter W. Loeper, O.D.
Shirls J. Clunk, O.D.
John R. Ferrari, O.D.
*Sidney H. Solofsky, O.D.
James R. Buser, O.D.
AOS
BCOS
CDOS
PCOS
WPOS
1979 *Melvin D. Wolfberg, O.D.
John W. Laney, O.D.
H. Ward Ewalt, Jr. , O.D.
CPOS
PCOS
WPOS
1978 *Herbert A. Miller, O.D.
Barry R. Kanofsky, O.D.
Marvin L. Fiegelman, O.D.
Sheldon M. Greene, O.D.
Henry G. Maier, O.D.
CPOS
CDOS
NEOS
PCOS
WPOS
1977 Bruce M. May, O.D.
*Morey S. Powell, O.D.
G. David Orr, O.D.
Ben Sillman, O.D.
Leonard J. Schmidt, O.D.
BCOS
CPOS
CDOS
PCOS
WPOS
1976 John J. Mikatavage, O.D.
Clifford C. Wagner, O.D.
William W. Policoff, O.D.
*Richard N. Gross, O.D.
Joseph A. Perka, O.D.
AOS
BCOS
NEOS
SWOS
WPOS
1975 John J. Mikatavage, O.D.
*John F. Schwartz, O.D.
Leonard Kanofsky, O.D.
Gerald B.M. Stein, O.D.
Arthur J. Jordan, O.D.
Elmer Friedman, O.D.
Milan Milkovich, O.D.
AOS
CPOS
CDOS
MCOS
NEOS
PCOS
WPOS
1974 L. David Cruse, O.D.
John S. Biernacki
Jerome K. Young, O.D.
*Harry Kaplan, O.D.
Anna M. Miller, O.D.
CPOS
NEOS
NOS
PCOS
WPOS
1973 *Elmer S. Friedberg, O.D.
William R. Sisson, O.D.
Leonard J. Schmidt, O.D.
BCOS
CPOS
WPOS
1972 *Irving Bennett, O.D. WPOS
1971 Ray L. Kinch, O.D.
John Holmes, O.D.
*Martin Krauss, O.D.
CPOS
NOS
WPOS
1970 *Vincent M. Mikatavage, O.D.
John F. Schwartz, O.D.
Carl R. Urbanski, O.D.
Milton J. Eger, O.D.
AOS
CPOS
NEOS
WPOS
1969 *Henry S. Kane, Jr., O.D.
Leroy Hurwitz, O.D.
Louis Markovitz, O.D.
CPOS
NEOS
SWOS
1968 *Donald H. Evans, O.D.
Aaron S. Lisses, O.D.
T. Lewis Soles, O.D.
CPOS
NEOS
WPOS
1967 *William W. Policoff, O.D. NEOS
1966 none
1965 none
1964 *William R. Sisson, O.D. CPOS
1963 *Arthur G. Wright, Jr. , O.D. CPOS

Central "Man of the Year" Awards

Central "Woman of the Year" Auxiliary

1960 Frank Tamarkin, O.D.
1961 Ray Kinch, O.D.
1962 Alvin Levin, O.D.
1964 Melvin D. Wolfberg, O.D.
1962 Elinor Long

View this profile on Instagram

POA (@poaeyes) • Instagram photos and videos

Platinum Partners

Gold Partners

Silver Partners