Happy November, Members!
One of my duties as president of the Opticians Association of Ohio is to accompany our Executive Director, Shirley Earley to various events to solicit funding. This is a long process that involves meeting and speaking with presidents, owners, managers, and other decision-makers of businesses who might be possible partners of the OAO.
At a recent Vision Expo event in Las Vegas, after meeting with the president of Westgroupe, one of our loyal partners, Shirley and I were briskly walking across the vast show floor when she abruptly stopped. She turned to me and asked, “Have you noticed something about the conversations we’ve had so far this weekend? Everyone has been so kind, talking more about personal relationships with their families, employees, and other people they deal with in the industry.”
She was right. There had been very little talk about numbers, sales, nor what kind of year their businesses were having. Instead, the conversations were about how they got into the business, which of their children were carrying on their legacies, upcoming weddings, and recent births. There were more hugs than handshakes, and the event had a family reunion feel to it.
This made me reflect on how similar our OAO professional development events are. Yes, our members are there to obtain the necessary hours needed to maintain their licenses. And yes, they do get important updates on legislation and other issues that directly affect their ability to make a living. However, for many of us, the need to reconnect, catch up, and just be family is also being met.
When a pandemic hit a few years ago and the ability to spend time together was diminished, it really highlighted for me that the OAO is much more than just learning new things and keeping our license. It’s about catching up with other optical professionals who have come to be more than just colleagues; we are family. There is a saying that you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family. This is not true of the OAO, and because of that, we thank you for choosing to be members, friends, and yes... family.
Thank you!
John
