OLA announces finalists

Alexandria, VA-Members of the Optical Laboratories Association (OLA) will be able to vote for 2011 Awards of Excellence contenders beginning next month.

The association has announced the list of final nominees for the awards recognizing products and manufacturers, and each nominee now can lobby customers for votes during the campaign phase of the competition. OLA members will review the nominated products this month and will receive ballots in early September. Each member company may cast one vote.

“OLA believes it is important to recognize the ophthalmic industry suppliers who have made an outstanding contribution to the laboratory community and allied professions,” said Jon Jacobs, OLA president.

The awards program is currently observing its 25th year, he added.

The Awards of Excellence program is the longest-running product recognition program offered by the laboratory industry, according to the OLA. Awards are given in 14 categories for products currently sold to and through surfacing labs.

Award winners will be announced Sept. 23 during an evening reception in the OLA Lounge within the exhibit hall at International Vision Expo West in Las Vegas. For more information about this year’s OLA annual meeting, visit www.ola-labs.org/OLA2011.