NEW YORK, December 1, 2018 – The Optometric Center of New York (OCNY), the affiliated foundation of the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry, will host its 15th Annual Eyes on New York Gala at The Plaza in New York City on Friday, March 16, 2018.
The signature event will celebrate Our Vision for Children, SUNY Optometry’s capital campaign for a new Center for Pediatric Eye Care. Industry leaders Kenneth Lombart and Richard Lombart, co-founders of Lombart Instrument, will be honored during the festivities and Haag-Streit USA’s Steve Juenger will serve as the gala’s corporate chair.
SUNY Optometry received a $1.5M grant from the State of New York to expand 3,000 sq. ft. of its clinical care facilities in November 2016. Funds raised through Our Vision for Children will be used to purchase new equipment, cutting edge diagnostic technology and modern furnishings to create a welcoming environment for young patients and their families. The new facility will also provide a state-of-the-art educational environment that incorporates clinical research and evidence-based practice to train future eye care professionals.
“Proceeds from this gala will directly support our pediatric-focused and family-centered eye care services for children in the New York City metropolitan area,” said Barbara Saltzman, OCNY president. “And we are quite pleased to honor the Lombart brothers for their decades of leadership in the ophthalmic industry.”
Kenneth Lombart and Richard Lombart entered the ophthalmic industry with their father, Adolph, who founded Lombart Lenses in 1954. The company became the nation’s largest manufacturer of hard contact lenses and established relationships with leading manufacturers, including Reliance, Bausch & Lomb, American Optical, Marco and Tokyo Optical, now Topcon.
Lombart bought American Sterilizer’s instrument division in 1979 to create Lombart Instrument, which was the nation’s largest distributor of ophthalmic equipment by 1987. The Lombarts sold the business to Atlantic Street Capital in 2016.
“Rick and Ken built their business on personal relationships, trust, and integrity,” says Scott Lombart, Richard’s son, who continues as a member of the Lombart Instrument team. “They surrounded themselves with an incredible team and really made it a family. We are deeply proud to call them ‘Dad’ and ‘Uncle’ and we are honored as a family to be a part of SUNY Optometry’s pediatric expansion and the incredible work that the College does.”
More than 300 attendees supported last year’s gala, which grossed more than $335,000. For additional information about the event, visit www.sunyopt.edu/gala
Media Contact: Amber E. Hopkins-Jenkins, 212.938.5607, aehopkinsjenkins@sunyopt.edu
