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Dr. Sandefur

The 2010 Optometry’s Meeting® Opening General Session highlighted the accomplishments of the five recipients of the AOA annual awards.

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes James D. Sandefur, O.D., for his unusually significant contributions to the profession of optometry.

The Optometrist of the Year Award recognizes Randall Reichle, O.D., for his performance of outstanding services on behalf of the profession and to the visual welfare of the public.

The Young Optometrist of the Year Award recognizes Sarah Marossy, O.D., who has been in practice less than 10 years and demonstrates remarkable leadership skills when serving the profession, patients and her community.

The Apollo Award recognizes Tom Sullivan for distinguished service to the visual welfare of the public. The Apollo Award is the highest award presented to the general public by the AOA.

The Paraoptometric of the Year Award honors Lynn Konkel, CPOT, for her significant contributions to the field of paraoptometry.

Distinguished Service Award

James D. Sandefur, O.D., was a leader within optometry even before he graduated from the Southern College of Optometry (SCO).  In 1965, he founded the Gold Key Optometric Honor Society and was student body president.  

After graduating, Dr. Sandefur went into practice with his uncle. He began practicing in Oakdale, La., in 1968, and practiced there until 2005. Dr. Sandefur was also on staff at the Oakdale Community Hospital from 1992-2005.   

He is a long-time supporter of optometric education. In 1980, Dr. Sandefur became an adjunct professor at his alma mater, SCO. He continues to teach there today.

Since 1999, Dr. Sandefur has traveled to Memphis to participate SCO’s “Optifest.” During the meeting, he meets with students interested in practicing in Louisiana. In 2007, Dr. Sandefur worked with SCO’s 75th anniversary committee and helped raise a record $2.5 million. 

At the state level, Dr. Sandefur has been active with many organizations, including serving as president, and now, executive director of the Optometric Association of Louisiana (OAL). He has also been a member, president and secretary of the Louisiana State Board of Optometry Examiners for a combined total of 28 years and a member of the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry.   

Dr. Sandefur has been a strong advocate for optometry in the state of Louisiana and has many legislative accomplishments. One major accomplishment occurred in 1984 when Dr. Sandefur championed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals that forced Medicaid to accept optometrists as providers, with the same fee schedule ophthalmology receives as long as those procedures fall within the scope of practice of optometry. 

Dr. Sandefur has also been an active member of the AOA. Some of his involvement includes serving as the Congressional Keyperson coordinator (1999-present), chair of Special Affiliate Advisory Committee (2001-2003) and chair of the Membership Committee (2003-2004).

Others have recognized Dr. Sandefur for this long-time commitment to optometry. In 1993, he was named Louisiana Optometrist of the Year. Dr. Sandefur was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 from SCO, the highest honor the college can bestow on its alumni.

Dr. Sandefur’s commitment to optometry is not limited to his work in the United States.  In 2002, a missionary group interested in opening a free eye clinic in Nicaragua approached him. Dr. Sandefur and the OAL took on this project and collected instruments, equipment, and lenses. Dr. Sandefur then traveled to Nicaragua to assemble the clinic. Since then, more than 40 trips have been made by optometrists and ophthalmologists, providing eye care and eyewear to thousands of poor, many of whom have never been to an eye doctor.

Optometrist of the Year Award

Randall Reichle, O.D., has served his profession both as a leader and as a visionary. Since graduating from of the University of Houston College of Optometry in 1976, he has volunteered in many ways from behind-the-scenes legwork to state president and chair positions. 

Since starting his practice in Houston, Dr. Reichle has maintained an open-door policy for students, faculty and other new practitioners. By providing clinical guidance to optometry students starting in his first year in practice and continuing until today, he has shared his expertise in classroom lectures, clinical patient care and personal direction to optometric externs, residents and practitioners. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Houston College of Optometry.

In early 1984, Dr. Reichle became a founding member of a group of optometrists and ophthalmologists who formulated the protocols and business plan for a new concept of sharing the eye care of patients (co-management).

Early in his co-management center career, Dr. Reichle recognized the necessity of a comprehensive knowledge when it came to clinical billing and coding. The ability to properly bill and code for patient care is essential. Over the past 25 years, Dr. Reichle has lectured on this topic and has provided one-on-one billing and coding instructions in optometrists’ offices, to the doctor and his or her staff.

Dr. Reichle has been a leader at the local and state levels. He served as president of the Harris County Optometric Society in 1991-1992 and as president of the Texas Optometric Association in 1992-1993.

In 1997, Dr. Reichle was appointed to the AOA’s Federal Relations Committee and served for six years while also serving as optometry’s representative to the American Medical Association’s Resource-Based Relative Value Scale Update Committee.

In 2003, Dr. Reichle was appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to serve a six-year term on the Texas Optometry Board. He was recently re-appointed for another six-year term and serves as vice chair of the Texas Optometry Board. 

Young Optometrist of the Year Award

Sarah Marossy, O.D., graduated with honors from Indiana University School of Optometry in 2000. Since her graduation, she has become both a leader in the profession and an advocate for children’s vision.

Her leadership roles consist of various positions with the Idaho Optometric Physicians (IOP) including member of the board of directors (2007-2009); vice-president (2010), and eye care benefit center representative (2005-2010).

As the eye care benefit center representative, Dr. Marossy helped to end discrimination against optometry by Blue Cross of Idaho in 2008. The next year, she negotiated an agreement with Blue Cross of Idaho resulting in the designation of scanning laser code as medically necessary. This milestone benefitted eye care professionals and patients, ending Blue Cross of Idaho’s classification of this procedure as investigational in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma.

In 2008, the IOP recognized Dr. Marossy’s achievements by naming her the Optometrist of the Year.

Dr. Marossy has also made significant contributions to her community and the visual welfare of the citizens of Idaho, focusing on children’s vision screening initiatives.

In 2007, Dr. Marossy founded the Idaho Children’s Vision Coalition. This sight-saving organization has received more than $45,000 in grant and private donor support since its inception. It has directly affected the vision screening of more than 6,000 children in the state of Idaho.

However, her dedication to children’s vision goes beyond her work with the Idaho Children’s Coalition. Dr. Marossy is also the Idaho School Health Services liaison. In this capacity, she organizes the program for all districts in north Idaho and works hand-in-hand with vision programs with school nurses in five Idaho counties. Since 2003, Dr. Marossy has been vision-screening consultant, promoter and educator for Head Start of Idaho, a program that serves more than 4,000 children. 

Apollo Award

Tom Sullivan is known to many as an actor, singer, entertainer, author and producer. However, to many in the profession he is considered an inspiration and a true friend to optometry. Hundreds of optometrists and optometric students have heard him speak on the importance of eye and vision care as a part of one’s overall health care.

Born prematurely in 1947, Sullivan was given too much oxygen while in an incubator. Though it saved his life, it cost him his eyesight. However, Sullivan has never allowed blindness to restrict his way of life. 

With a personal affinity for one of Optometry’s Charity™-The AOA Foundation’s public health programs, Sullivan has an unbridled passion for the InfantSEE® program. He enthusiastically advocates for early vision assessments for children.

Early in his entertainment career, Sullivan gained national prominence as a recording artist and as a special correspondent for ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

As he became a morning fixture in millions of homes, Sullivan shared insightful stories and interviews with sports legends like Jack Nicklaus and Muhammed Ali who overcame great odds to achieve success.

“If You Could See What I Hear” is an early biography of Sullivan’s life that was made into a successful motion picture.
 As the author of nine books, Sullivan’s latest title, “Adventures in Darkness,” takes readers through a heart-warming account of his determination to realize his dream for a “normal” life.

Paraoptometric of the Year Award

Lynn Konkel, CPOT, has more than 30 years experience with the Wisconsin Vocational School System. She served in many capacities in the optometric technician program at the Madison Area Technical College including instructor, program director and lab assistant.

Konkel has been directly involved in the education of several hundred paraoptometrics. She was instrumental in developing an online optometric technician program that provided program access to those who were unable to travel to Madison, Wisc., to enroll in the program. This is the first optometric technician program in the country to offer distance education in any format.

Konkel has been active in professional organizations, served as chair of both state and national associations; authored numerous professional articles and presented seminars at professional meetings in the United States and Canada. 

Active with the Wisconsin Paraoptometric Association (WPA), Konkel has served as a director, vice president and president. She was also the recipient of the WPA’s Optometric Assistant of the Year Award in 1977.

As a charter member of the AOA’s Paraoptometric Section, Konkel spent 10 years serving in many capacities including working on various committees and serving as secretary-treasurer, second vice chair, first vice chair, and chair.