ABO Presents First Annual Visionaries for Volunteer Service Award

At the annual Board of Directors meeting on June 18 in Nashville, Tennessee, ABO presented Dr. David A. Heath with the first annual Visionaries for Volunteer Service Award. Dr. Heath recently announced his retirement as President, SUNY College of Optometry, after 16 years of leadership.

Dr. Heath is a former president of The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry and was a founding member of the American Board of Optometry’s Board of Directors. His guidance and expertise were integral to the formation of ABO and the development of the first board certification examination. Dr. Paul Ajamian, who served on the original ABO board with Dr. Heath, recalls “From the outset, Dr. Heath was a bridge builder, and had an uncanny ability to read people and to quietly and thoughtfully figure out next steps.  He taught me that a conversation never hurt anyone and could lead to great things. And his academic background was crucial as we entered the exam development stage with teams of item writers across the country.”

Even after his time on the board ended and many examinations had been administered, Dr. Heath continued to volunteer his time and knowledge to help ABO succeed. Making introductions, sharing knowledge and advocating for board certification within optometry, all have contributed greatly to the present-day ABO.

Dr. Jeff Weaver, former ABO Executive Director, said “There is no question that ABO would not be what it is today without Dr. Heath’s leadership in the early days of the organization. With his background in education and experience with other healthcare disciplines, he spearheaded ABO’s policy development toward a program that could stand as an equal to that of any board certification in medicine. His guidance was key to ABO’s accreditation by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and recognition of the Maintenance of Certification process by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as substantially equivalent to that of medicine’s.”

We are eternally grateful to Dr. Heath for his contributions to ABO and were thrilled for board chair, Dr. Diane Adamczyk, to present this award during a special reception following ABO’s annual Board of Directors meeting. Best wishes to Dr. Heath for a long and happy retirement!