Jim McGrann joins VSP from Marchon Eyewear, Inc., where he most recently served as senior vice president and chief information officer, a position he held since 1999. Marchon is one of the world's largest manufacturers, designers and distributors of quality fashion and technologically-advanced eyewear and sunwear. Jim was also responsible for Marchon's Global Information Technology Organization and Global Customer Service Organization. He led key initiatives in the areas of Web-based sales force automation, the global implementation of SAP, the development of a centralized European Distribution Center that allowed for the consolidation of seven decentralized operating units, the installation of a worldwide IP-based Virtual Private Network, and the implementation of best practices in the areas of program management and IT governance.

Jim also served as CEO of Marchon's OfficeMate Software Solutions (OSS) division. OSS is the most widely used eyecare practice management, optical retail point-of-sale, and electronic medical record software in North America. The product line includes an electronic medical record package (ExamWRITER), a practice management system (OfficeMate) and an optical retail point-of-sale offering (OfficeMate Enterprise).

Jim is a board member of the Long Island Science and Technology Network (LISTnet) and an active participant in the LISTnet CIO and LI Software CEO councils.

Jim received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering with distinction from the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science in 1984. He is married with two children, a seventeen-year-old daughter and a twelve-year-old son. In his free time he enjoys travelling with his family and golfing.

Steve Baker will continue in his role of president of Eyefinity and assume the role of chief technology officer of the practice solutions division, after having spent more than seven years in information technology and business development positions within Eyefinity.

Prior to joining Eyefinity, Steve spent more than 20 years in information technology leadership jobs in the defense and gaming industries. Steve is determined to challenge private practitioners to look beyond the medical operations of their practices to expand the level of service and support they provide to their customers. He is in the process of delivering a set of 'Best Practice' guides, along with sales and marketing programs designed to help customers stay current with technology.

Steve enjoys most anything outdoors and is an avid cycling fan. He has unbridled energy and as such stays away from caffeine. "I would be pretty tough to live with if I did the caffeine route," he jokingly says of himself. Steve's vision is to ensure Eyefinity is the preferred business management partner of private practices and operates on a global scale with the very best of solutions that advance the competitiveness of independent eyecare and the companies that serve them.

Ed Buffington joins VSP from OfficeMate Software Solutions where he was president and chief operating officer. Ed is a 25-year veteran of the eyecare software industry having founded OfficeMate in 1984. OfficeMate was the first eyecare software system to run on an IBM PC and today is the leading eyecare practice management and electronic medical records system.

Ed's career in the eyecare industry started as a senior sales representative in the contact lens industry for American Hydron where he achieved the Sales Representative of the Year award for several consecutive years. During Ed's tenure with Hydron, the industry's need for practice management software became evident, leading to the first installation of OfficeMate in 1984.

Ed has attended over 500 eyecare industry trade events and is a familiar face on every show floor. In 1994, Ed sold OfficeMate to Marchon Eyewear and, along with Jim McGrann, has built OfficeMate into the leading eyecare software solution with over 10,000 clients.

Ed will continue in his role of president of OfficeMate and assume the role of chief operating officer of the practice solutions division.