Joseph T. Barr, OD, MS, FAAO – Class of 1977 – Notable Alumnus

Joseph BarrAs I look back over the 36 years since receiving my OD degree, I am most grateful for my wonderful mentors: Drs. Jerry Lowther, John Schoessler, Dick Hill, and Neal Bailey. I am so appreciative of all that I learned alongside my great colleagues and graduate students like Drs. Arol Augsburger, Karla Zadnik, Carla Mack, Mo Merchea, and Robert Steffen and all of my other fellow faculty and graduate students. I thank the many staff who have and continue to support our college and me with amazing dedication. Of course, teaching so many motivated, creative, and brilliant students is rewarding beyond belief. Working with Dr. Zadnik to establish the first National Eye Institute-sponsored, multi-center study based in optometry was the result of such remarkable effort by so many. Also, serving as editor of Contact Lens Spectrum for 20 years was the experience of a lifetime. My last six years at Bausch+Lomb have been rewarding, working with great people launching ten new products and working closely with former classmates and graduate students from Ohio State. Leading a major Bausch+Lomb philanthropic effort, the Pediatric Cataract Initiative, has been rewarding as well. More than anything, the support and love of Janet (RPh OSU ’77) and my daughters (Jennifer OSU ’04 and Beth OSU ’05) and watching our family grow, now with four grandchildren, is too good to be true.