With another year of great education and a sold-out Exhibit Hall, SECO International 2006 concluded on a high note - A sold-out party at the Georgia Aquarium attracting over 4000 attendees. Attendance was up for the congress and attendees responded well to SECO's unique Cultural Diversity series general sessions and over 230 exhibiting companies in the Exhibit Hall. Two highly attended Exhibit Hall lunches, Destination Stations offering different prizes, and a GRAND prize giveaway of a new car added to the excitement on the Exhibit Hall floor!
The success of SECO International 2006 has already influenced SECO International 2007; the Exhibit Hall is already 75% sold! CLICK HERE to view the current 2007 floor plan and a listing of exhibiting companies. It's never too early to start planning for the next success!

SECO International elected a new slate of officers February 24, 2006, during the annual House of Delegates meeting at the recent SECO International meeting in Atlanta. The new officers are as follows: Sidney J. Stern, O.D., F.A.A.O., President, of Fisher Island, Fla.; Douglas C. Clark, O.D., President-Elect, of Pelham, Ala.; Wilburn (Bill) Lord, Jr., O.D., Vice President, of Greenville, Miss.; Jonathan L. Shrewsbury, O.D., Treasurer, of Beaver Dam, Ky.; Ron Bannister, O.D., Secretary, of Thomasville, Ga.; and Lowell H. Gilbert, O.D., Immediate Past President, of Colonial Heights, Va. The newly elected president, Dr. Sidney Stern, was first elected as an officer to the SECO International Executive Committee in 2001. With practicing optometry for more than 30 years, Dr. Stern established his own practice and grew that practice to include multiple wholly-owned Dr. Stern's Visual Health Centers located throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties. At his election to president, Dr. Stern said, "I have a tremendous respect for organized optometry, a commitment to the Southern Council of Optometrists' mission; and I am inspired by the chance to help shape optometry's place in the future of healthcare regionally, nationally and internationally."

SECO International distributed annual awards to deserving eye care professionals during SECO International 2006. SECO International issues three prestigious awards, recognizing significant contributions to the profession of optometry. Gordon Jennings, O.D. has been named Optometrist of the South, SECO's highest honor. In addition, Tammy Than, O.D. receives SECO's first Young Optometrist of the South award and Sandra Sisk, C.P.O.A., has been named Paraoptometric of the South. "Every year SECO recognizes three outstanding individuals for their enormous contributions to the optometry profession," said Lowell Gilbert, O.D., president of the Southern Council of Optometrists. "This year, we are honored to recognize Dr. Jennings, Dr. Than and Ms. Sisk not only for their numerous achievements, but for profoundly impacting the level of optometric care patients receive today. They all are truly exceptional optometry professionals."

In response to the destructive force of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on optometrists throughout the Gulf Coast region, SECO partnered with Alcon and the American Optometric Institute (AOI) to raise funds at SECO International 2006 to benefit optometrists in this time of need. SECO attendees contributed $2,261 to the AOI's Optometric Disaster Relief Fund and Alcon generously matched these donations dollar for dollar resulting in a combined contribution totaling $4,522. To facilitate soliciting SECO attendee attention to and donations for this worthy cause, Alcon created an eye-catching fountain in the form of a 13 feet tall, spraying bottle of OPTI-FREE® RepleniSH™. As SECO attendees were drawn to this exhibit hall attraction they were greeted with information on how to support the Optometric Disaster Relief Fund, which provides grants for immediate financial relief to optometrists who have experienced the loss of or damage to their practice and/or home as a result of a disaster. As of March 10, 2006, 111 optometrists in five states have each received $2,000 grants as a result of the program. The AOI is a 501(c)(3) educational and charitable entity, created by the American Optometric Association, which established the Optometric Disaster Relief Fund immediately following Hurricane Katrina.