Dr. Raies practices optometry with his wife, Dr. Kelly (nee Carson) Raies, in Portsmouth, Ohio. The practice was founded by Kelly’s father, Dr. Raymond Carson. Dr. Raies is a member of the Ohio Optometric Association (OOA) and the American Optometric Association. He is past zone governor for the OOA. He is also a member of Vision Source, a national association of private practice optometrists.

Dr. Raies has a variety of hobbies. He has performed in the Southern Ohio Light Opera and the Portsmouth Little Theater, and has performed in and co-directed the Red Stockings Revue, a local variety show in Portsmouth. He is an avid runner, has completed the New York City Marathon two times, and still competes in 5K runs regularly. His favorite hobby is managing and performing in the band BAD HABITS, “The EyeDocs of Rock”. This five-piece classic rock band, four of which are fellow optometrists, has been performing since 1987. They have performed annually for the EastWest Eye Conference at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio since 1999, as well as many optometric conventions around the United States since 2001.

Dr. Raies is an elder and chancel choir member at Second Presbyterian Church, and is active in various charitable organizations and events locally. He and his wife, Kelly, have three daughters, Sarah, Allison, and Anne Marie.

He writes, “Music has always been a big part of my life. When I decided to attend The Ohio State University College of Optometry, I never dreamed that choosing a career as an optometrist would also give me the opportunity to pursue my interest as a musician as well. I feel truly blessed to be in a career that I love, which has also helped enhance a hobby that I love!”

I was greatly and pleasantly surprised to find that I was selected to be a “notable alumnus”. I was surprised because, after all, why would I be honored for simply enjoying my career, especially since the honor belongs to countless others who made my gratifying career in optometry possible? I have always been fond of saying, “If you like what you do, you never have to go to work.” So, in this short blurb, I would like to turn the recognition around and honor those who paved the way for me to experience or touch on almost every aspect in the optometric profession and in the universe of people known as The Ohio State University. Beginning with my optometrist grandfather, whose kindness inspired me to be “just like him,” to all those along the way who provided guidance, teaching, mentoring , advise, counsel, influence, support, and prayer and ending with my family and my beloved Jane who provides all the love and encouragement I will ever need, I give my heartfelt appreciation and gratefulness.

In the past 50 years I have witnessed the most amazing changes and growth in our profession and in Ohio State. What a privilege! I personally have been a learner, a teacher, a researcher, a provider of patient care, a participant in professional and academic organizations, a recruiter, an accreditor, and an administrator. What a privilege! The people I have known via the College of Optometry (students, staff, colleagues, practitioners, lab reps, donors, and patients) are the best ever. What a privilege! I have been retired from the College of Optometry and from the profession for over ten years now, and I must tell you that I do have a “second career” which began long before my career in optometry ended. Jane and I are active in church ministry and leadership. Because of the redeeming grace in both of our lives, we have a special passion for marriages and devote time and energy to marriage ministry in particular.

Thanks to the College of Optometry for this 100th Anniversary honor. However my honor and reward will truly come if I have ever been a part of raising up another to love well and serve well. Actually, I do have another career in the offing. Since we were created for “forever” and since I have passed my allotted “threescore and ten,” I am looking toward the time when I will finish my life journey here and take my place The Eternal Kingdom. Thanks for the memories.

My experience at Ohio State created a platform for me to have a wonderful practice but also a great experience as an optometrist. Community involvement started very early in my career, joining the practice of Dr. Jack Keith, who encouraged me to get involved with my community. I had the privilege of chairing the 1991 NEC World Series of Golf at Firestone Country Club in Akron overseeing 1000 volunteers and raising almost a million dollars for the Akron community. I also served as President of the Fairlawn Kiwanis and Fairlawn Chamber of Commerce in 1986 and was named Fairlawn’s Citizen of the Year in 1988.

I am very proud of my professional accomplishments as well. Early in my career, I became Zone 3 Governor, continuing through many Ohio Optometric Association (OOA) committees and serving as President of the OOA in 1995. I was named the Warren G. and Ruth P. Morris Optometrist of the Year in 1997. I also have served the profession nationally as chairman of the American Optometric Association (AOA) Professional Relations Committee, as well as chairing two AOA Nominating Committees. I have been on the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry’s COPE Committee for the past 12 years, chairing the committee six years ago and continue to be a consultant to the COPE committee. I am also most proud of serving on the Ohio State Board of Optometry for 10 years.

I thank The Ohio State University College of Optometry for giving me the education to represent myself, as well as my profession, proudly throughout my career in optometry.

David A. Berntsen, OD, PhD, FAAO completed his Doctor of Optometry degree in 2002 at the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO). He completed a Cornea and Contact Lens Advanced Practice Fellowship (2004) and a PhD in Vision Science (2009) at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. During his studies, he was a two-time recipient of an American Optometric Foundation William C. Ezell Fellowship. His research interests include juvenile-onset myopia, contact lenses, and optical aberrations of the eye. Notably, Dr. Berntsen conducted the Study of Theories about Myopia Progression (STAMP), a two-year clinical trial evaluating theories of juvenile-onset myopia progression, which found evidence for an association between peripheral myopic defocus and slowed myopia progression in children. He has also conducted multiple adult and pediatric studies involving contact lenses and higher-order aberrations of the eye.

In 2010, Dr. Berntsen joined the UHCO faculty as an Assistant Professor, and his laboratory there continues to investigate juvenile-onset myopia and contact lenses. Dr. Berntsen teaches in both the professional and graduate programs and has mentored several NEI-supported professional students interested in a research career. He also volunteers as the UHCO faculty-student liaison to the American Academy of Optometry and as the advisor for the UHCO student chapter of the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Berntsen lives in Houston, TX with his wife Monique (an OSU College of Nursing alumna) and their two children (Ella and Reed).

Dr. Thomas Quinn received his OD degree in 1979 and his MS degree in 1981 from The Ohio State University College of Optometry. Tom’s MS degree was earned while completing Ohio State’s Cornea and Contact Lens residency under the guidance of Dr. John Schoessler. Tom and Dr. Jerry Paugh were privileged to be only the third “class” of residents to graduate from this one-of-a-kind program. He became a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry in 1982 and then became a Diplomate in the Academy’s Section on Cornea, Contact Lens and Refractive Technologies in 1991. He was a full-time faculty member at Ohio State from 1981-83 then a part-time clinical instructor at the college from 1986 to 1993. He currently has a faculty appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor at The Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Tom practices in Athens with his wife, Dr. Susan Quinn (OD’82), Dr. Shane Foster (OD’08) , and Dr. Robyn Stout Sargent (OD’99). He enjoys serving as principal investigator for numerous studies exploring the performance of contact lenses and contact lens related products.

Tom is a member of the American Optometric Association (AOA), and is currently Chair of the AOA’s Contact Lens and Cornea Council. He has served the Ohio Optometric Association as chair of various committees, including currently serving as chair of The EastWest Eye Conference. Dr. Quinn also serves on the Advisory Board of the Rigid Gas Permeable Lens Institute and was honored with its national 2001 RGP Lens “Practitioner of the Year” Award. He is a contributing editor for Contact Lens Spectrum, the nation’s leading contact lens magazine and for over 30 years has enjoyed speaking in the areas of contact lenses and corneal physiology.

Tom enjoys traveling with his wife and partner, Susan, and takes special delight in spending time with son Brian (Chicago) and daughter Katie (New York City).

Tom also enjoys the stage and has performed in a number of well-known musicals, including The Wizard of Oz (Tinman), The Sound of Music (Captain von Trapp), and Harold Hill in both the 1996 and 2007 Ohio Valley Summer Theater productions of The Music Man. He most recently performed the role of Mr. Fezziwig in the Brick Monkey Theater Ensemble’s production of Appalachian Christmas Carol, which is performed each December at Nelsonville, Ohio’s historic Stuart’s Opera House.

Finally, Tom is a member of the classic rock (1954-1964) band Remember Then. In addition to performing across the state of Ohio, Remember Then will again be the opening act at the EastWest Eye Conference Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Party on October 10, 2014. He invites everyone to come share in the fun. Bring your dancing shoes!

Dr. Fortuna’s mother, Karen Fortuna, wrote us, “We were very happy to hear that our son Allen, AJ to us, was chosen as one of Ohio State Optometry’s 2014 Centennial Notables. We thank you for this honor that you have given him.”

“AJ first told us that he was going to be an optometrist when he was 12 years old. We still have the paper he wrote on career day telling of his chosen profession. I don’t know why we kept it, since his career choice changed so many times, but it always came back to this. He was very happy when he was informed that he had been accepted at Ohio State. From the moment he moved into Epsilon Psi Epsilon (the εψεhouse), he knew he found a new family. He made many wonderful friends there, and they have continued to honor him by naming a room after him and also placing a plaque above the doorway of their meeting room. He loved his years spent at The Ohio State University College of Optometry and he loved his εψε family.”

“AJ earned his BS degree in Chemistry from Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA before attending Ohio State. His academic and professional achievements earned him membership in the Beta Sigma Kappa International Optometric Honor Society. AJ had a great affinity for children with eye problems and those who could not seek proper care due to financial limitations and was looking forward to helping those less fortunate by volunteering his time. Unfortunately this never came to be. ”

“The impact our son had on his peers in his short life has amazed us. They continue to honor him with a Facebook page. We always knew he was special, but it has been a comfort to us to find that others thought so too. I am attaching a picture of the plaque they have hung at the εψε house. Again, we thank you.”

Dr. Jack Thomas Keith, 79, died June 5, 1998. Born in Springfield, Ohio, he was a graduate of Springfield High School in 1935. He attended Wittenberg University in 1936, where he was president of the freshman class, and graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1941. He practiced in Cleveland for two years and in Akron from 1943 to 1993 when he retired. Dr. Keith was past president of the Akron Jaycees, the Summit County Optometry Association, the Ohio Optometric Association, the Ohio State Board Examiners, the International Association of Board Examiners, and the West Akron Kiwanis. He was a member of Adoniram Lodge F&AM, Valley Akron Consistory, and Tadmor Temple Shrine. Dr. Keith is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Violet, and six loving children.

Dr. David Roncone has practiced in various modalities in his career (group optometry, ophthalmology referral center, and Department of Veterans Affairs). He is currently practicing at The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Centers, where he completed his Primary Care Hospital-Based Optometry Residency in June 2000. Dr. Roncone became a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry in December 2000 and the second Clinical Refractive Diplomate in the country in The American Academy of Optometry’s Section on Cornea, Contact Lens, and Refractive Technologies in November 2009. He was awarded the Mahoning Valley Professionals 20/30 Club 40 under 40 Award in November 2009 for excelling in his profession and in community service. He received National Board Certification in Medical Optometry from the American Board of Certification in Medical Optometry in August 2010. Dr. Roncone’s research has been published five times in peer-reviewed professional journals, and he has lectured at numerous conferences. A member of the American Optometric Association, the Ohio Optometric Association, the National Association of VA Optometrists, the Optometric Council of Refractive Technologies, the Ohio Vision Foundation, the Mahoning Valley Professionals 20/30 Club, and the Pacentrano Club of Youngstown, Ohio, Dr. Roncone enjoys playing bocce, watching movies, attending athletic events, and spending time with his wife Angela, son Vito, and family members and friends.