Our Team

Leadership

Licensed Doctor of Optometry for more than 20 years
Owned and operated retail optical businesses located in stores of a major national retailer
Owned and operated a commercial optical laboratory serving optical providers and government programs in the New York Metropolitan area
Education – Johns Hopkins University and State University of New York, College of Optometry

HOWARD S. FRIED, O.D.

PRESIDENT

Vice Chairman and General Counsel of NYSE company engaged in diversified businesses throughout the United States
President/Chairman of a national facilities service company for 25 years
Education – Accounting and Law Degrees

BURTON T. FRIED

CHAIRMAN

Optical professional with over 40 years of industry experience
Senior Director and Director with the largest company in the eyewear industry
Developed strategic programs from concept to implementation and sustainment
Multi-unit retail expertise
Extensive industry-wide relationships with ophthalmic vendors and professionals
Licensed Optician

THOMAS J. KREMER
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Chief Financial Officer and Controller with large optical retail providers for more than 20 years.

Certified Public Accountant

Education – Accounting, Magna Cum Laude, State University of New York

DARLENE P. CETTINA
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Optical software engineer – more than 25 years of experience.

Ophthalmic software engineer

Certified by the American Board of Opticianry, American Board of Opticianry Master and former National Contact Lens Examiners

A+ Certified CompTIA Computer Technician

Numerous awards for achievement and leadership

Education – Business management, software development, refractometry and contact lens technology

KEN VAN CLEAVE
DIRECTOR OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Senior level IT professional with expertise in evaluating, planning, coordinating and implementing infrastructure solutions globally

Over 35 years of experience in managing global It operations and service delivery to ensure maximum project efficiency with a major designer, manufacturer and distributor of eyewear and a national firm engaged in vision and eye care benefits.

Education – Electronics Engineering Technology (R.E.T.S.)

CHARLES DOWALO
CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

Over 33 years of ophthalmic field experience specializing in the assessment, design and installation of equipment serving for many years as a Technical Director

Education – Digital Electronics, Technical Institute

FRANK BALESTRA
SENIOR APPLICATION SPECIALIST

Extensive experience in organizational learning and development in support of optometric services for more than 20 years.

Director of learning and development and Director of training and development for large optical retail providers

Licensed optician

Advisory board member for a college ophthalmic technologies program.

JIM MUNIZ
NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Over 23 years in Optometric Practice Management.

ABO Certified Optician since 2008.

Graduate of Boston University School for the Arts.

ERICA GOLDBERG
NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER SERVICE

Over 18 years experience as an Ophthalmic Technician

Technical Supervisor for a multi-specialty ophthalmic practice for more than 8 years

Education- Bachelors Degree in Biology, Columbia University

MATTHEW RUSKIN
DIRECTOR OF OPHTHALMIC TECHNICIANS

Over 30 years of diversified management experience in the optical industry

Held positions in operations, purchasing, sourcing and business development

Managed all areas of the ophthalmic lens business for the largest U.S. contact lens distributor

Maintained vendor relationships, established analytics to support planning and procurement

Organized warehousing including layout, inventory setup and maintenance for a large commercial optical laboratory

Licensed Optician

ABRAHAM ZAMI
OPERATIONS MANAGER