As an Eyewear Architect, Dave assists customers in discovering the perfect piece of art to showcase on their face. With his extensive background in the optical industry, he ensures that each frame highlights the patient’s unique personality and meets their eye care needs.
Education/job responsibilities: In high school, Dave had the passion of photography and astronomy. He wanted to use his passions to capture images of the night sky and learn to build his own telescope. To do so, he needed to learn optics and how to grind lenses and mirrors for himself. He searched for a position where he could learn these skills and was employed as a lab technician at a Pearle Vision laboratory in a suburb in Pittsburgh, PA. His family later relocated to Knoxville, TN, and he continued his career in optics and vision care with Lenscrafters. Dave has spent over 27 years with Lenscrafters and Luxottica, holding positions ranging from Lab Technician, Optical Specialist, Lab Manager, Operations Manager, Store General Manager, Regional Quality Coordinator, and Production Supervisor at a high production facility, manufacturing over 2,300 pairs of eyewear per day. He has held certifications of ABOC (American Board Of Opticians) and has held Certification as a Licensed Optician in the State of South Carolina.
To date, Dave has still yet to make his own telescope. Someday, that instrument will be produced and be aimed toward the heavens. Beautiful images will be captured and shared.
Professional affiliations: “Helping those that have the least and need the most…” While with Luxottica over the past 27 years, and serving as the lead of the manufacturing sustainable project, Dave was intimate with the development and implementation of the global manufacturing of the sustainable eyewear in The Gambia, Africa, program in concert, with OneSight.org.
“Assisting a country, in not just “giving eyewear to those that need vision” and teaching a few skilled artisans in the field of eyewear production is the most satisfying and heart felt methods, to ensure that all of those that need access to affordable eye care can obtain it.” It was so amazing to be able to influence and enable those countries’ associates to be able to learn, know, produce and provide eyewear at the highest quality to their countrymen at a price point that allows sustainable operation, without further supervision in the future. Just knowing that Dave had his fingerprint on the operations and knowhow of their ongoing success will tattoo his soul for eternity.
What do you enjoy the most about working at Eclectic Eye?: The beauty of the frames and lines, the history and passion that the eyewear architects know and share of the artwork they sell, and the beautiful shop in which they are displayed. The commitment to the local community and commitment to local independent optometry.
Favorite frame and why: Being a huge fan of Indycar and Formula 1 racing the Exalto line is my favorite! Many styles being constructed of carbon fiber pressed and molded under 80 tons of pressure, some with interwoven wood and carbon fiber, and others using titanium. With frame design from France and inspiration pulled from the aerodynamic designs of race cars they are clean, sharp, strong and light.
