Only one month since announcing the appointment of a new Director of Corporate Development for its new blindness products division, Optelec USA, Inc. announced today yet another prestigious hire for the rapidly expanding division. Ms. JoAnn Becker has accepted the position of Blindness Products Manager.
JoAnn Becker brings yet another dimension to our blindness initiative, namely the strong commitment to customer training and education, stated Annette Fasnacht, President of Optelec. JoAnn is an experienced trainer who will ensure our customers are fully able to maximize the practical, functional applications of our expanding line of Braille and speech technologies. As product manager, JoAnn will play an active role in the design and development of new blindness products, in the implementation of marketing strategies and in maintaining close relationships with customers throughout North America.
JoAnn attended the Iowa School for the Blind as a child, later mainstreaming into a public high school. After studying at Wellesley College with a major in psychology, JoAnn attained extensive sales and marketing experience in the field of blindness technology, including regional marketing director of Kurzweil computer products and, most recently, as consultant for Adaptive Technology Consulting. When asked about her new role with Optelec, JoAnn replied, I regard the new division of blindness products at Optelec as a paradigm shift. We are committed to making available to blind people mainstream applications that are cost effective and user-friendly. We will not be repeating what has already been done. We will be developing new and robust cutting-edge products for blind consumers that will allow them to compete on an equal footing with their sighted peers.
The addition of Becker is the third in a series of hiring by Optelec of what can easily be considered high profile Braille and speech professionals, underscoring the companys commitment to its blindness division.
Were excited to have JoAnn on our team and anticipate her contributions to Optelecs blindness division to be invaluable, commented Larry Lewis, Vice President-Blindness Sales. Weve witnessed a number of recent resignations by qualified blind professionals in this industry. Optelec is demonstrating its commitment to hire the most qualified blind staff to represent the most innovative product line that the industry has witnessed to date. JoAnn is the third significant hire who is blind that Optelec has made in the past 5 months!
Optelec USA, the North American subsidiary of the Tieman Group (The Netherlands), has an established reputation for high quality video magnifiers and daily living aids for people with low vision. The company is renowned for the quality of its products, service and customer-driven philosophy. These same characteristics are driving the product development of its blindness division.
This is a thrilling opportunity for me to work in an area with such exciting new technology and that has obvious personal significance, said JoAnn. I have every confidence that Larry Lewis, Mike Pedersen (Director of Corporate Development), Ivan Illing (Product Line Manager, Tieman Holding) and I will be a successful and effective team in developing a product line for meeting the needs of consumers who are, like us, blind.
Optelec U.S., Inc.
Optelec, a member of the Tieman Group, is the U.S. market leader for products that allow individuals with impaired vision, including macular degeneration, to perform many of their normal activities and to remain independent. The company's premier product lines, the ClearView video magnifier and the Voyager Braille display, combine outstanding optical technology with ease of use and have received broad endorsement from users and eye care professionals. Optelec, headquartered in Westford, Massachusetts, continually develops new products for individuals with impaired vision. The company's products are available exclusively through authorized dealers and licensed eye care professionals. For more information, call 1-800-826-4200 or visit the Optelec web site at www.optelec.com.