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Clepper Named President and Chief Executive Officer of Envision

Envision, the nation’s most trusted service and employment provider for people who are blind or low vision, has named Frank Clepper as president and chief executive officer. He was selected by the Envision board of directors and will begin in February 2012.

Clepper brings with him more than 20 years in military leadership and 10 years in corporate leadership. “Frank was a stand-out candidate with an outstanding career. We are fortunate to have found someone of his national stature who has Envision’s mission and the Wichita community at heart,” said Sam Williams, Chairman of Envision’s Board of Directors. “His passion and his proven record for excellence in leadership make him an ideal fit to lead the organization in the years to come.”

Serving successively as chief executive of two installation commands in the United States Army, Clepper provided executive leadership to large organizations that served a population exceeding 400,000 military and family members in Maryland and New York. Upon his retirement in 2000, he became senior vice president at UBS in New York, where he was responsible for a significant portion of UBS’ back-office operations supporting branch operations, trading and account support, client communications, and Patriot Act compliance.

“Much of my passion for Envision stems from my career in the military. Eye trauma from combat injuries affects more than 50,000 service members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan – and has affected my family as well,” said Clepper. “In addition to serving the visually impaired community as a whole, it allows me to direct efforts toward a group of individuals specifically dear to my heart – those who have sacrificed far more than I in service to their country.”

Clepper said as CEO, he hopes to continue to build the organization from its solid foundation. “Providing the best service and broadest outreach possible for the visually impaired will be my focus,” he said. “I also want Envision to be well-known not only in the Wichita community but nationally. The organization provides a greatly needed service; a need that will continue to grow as the population ages, which will require us to address a growing number of visually impaired Americans, including our American military heroes.”

Moving to Kansas in 2005, Clepper joined Value Place LLC as senior vice president of operations and chief operating officer of Value Place Property Management LLC. He was responsible for developing and managing the operational infrastructure necessary to support the fastest growing franchise system in the country.

In 2007, Clepper joined Delta Dental of Kansas as their vice president of operations. He was responsible for all operational functions. In 2009, he was promoted to chief operating officer responsible for all internal functions of the organization. Delta Dental is America's largest dental benefits carrier, covering more Americans than any other dental benefits provider.

“My experience in Wichita with Delta Dental has been one of my most rewarding roles,” said Clepper. “I had a great mentor in Linda Brantner. She emphasized the importance of involvement in the community and encouraged her staff to participate in its numerous charitable organizations; so that we could truly make a difference and an impact. She makes the organization much greater than the sum of its parts.”

Clepper earned his bachelor of science in civil engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and his master’s degree in business administration and management from Golden Gate University. Additionally, he graduated from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, completed the Financial Industry Executive course at the Wharton School of Business and received certification by the National Association of Corporate Directors.

He is active in numerous nonprofit and civic organizations, including Communities in Schools of Sedgwick County, United Services Organization (USO), United Way, Angel Flight, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, West Point Alumni Association and the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Clepper assumes the president and CEO position from Interim CEO Kent Wilson, who will resume his role as chief financial officer.

2012 "Excellence in Education" Keynote Announced

Envision Conference is pleased to announce the Envision Conference 2012 "Excellence in Education" Keynote, Mary Warren, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA.

Mary Warren, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA, is an Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy and Director of the Graduate Certificate in Low Vision Rehabilitation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is the editor of a self-paced clinical course on low vision and co-editor of the textbook Occupational Therapy Interventions for Adults with Low Vision, both published by the American Occupational Therapy Association Press. She chaired the AOTA panel that developed specialty certification in low vision rehabilitation for occupational therapy practitioners. She has presented numerous workshops on low vision rehabilitation and on visual perceptual dysfunction following acute brain injury, and is an internationally recognized authority in this area. Her research has been published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy and she has contributed chapters to several rehabilitation textbooks including Occupational Therapy: Practice Skills for Physical Dysfunction. She is also the author of the Brain Injury Visual Perceptual Battery for Adults. Warren is a 2010 recipient of the UAB President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

AOA VRS Receives Envision Award

In the News: American Optometric Association Vision Rehabilitation Section recognized at Envision Conference with the Envision Excellence in Advocacy Award. View the full article in the October 2011 issue of American Optometric Association News.

Continuing Education Certificates Now Available

Envision Conference 2011 continuing education certificates are now available for download. Visit the continuing education page. You will need to enter your name and either registration number or badge number to download your records.

Your feedback is invaluable to us. After several comments about the three-week wait for continuing education certificates, the Envision Conference staff hopes to clarify and streamline our processes.

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“Excellence in Research” Award

The Envision “Excellence in Research” Award will be presented to the individual, individuals or organization that has demonstrated an outstanding career, program, research outcome or effort in low vision research with national or international impact for people who are blind or low vision. The “Excellence in Research” Award will be presented at Envision Conference 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri. Please give an example of this research effort.

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Envision Conference 2012 Student Scholarships

Envision is pleased to announce the availability of two Envision Conference Student Scholarships. Each scholarship will be awarded to either a full-time student studying clinical areas of low vision rehabilitation (optometry, ophthalmology, occupational therapy, orientation and mobility, low vision therapy), or a PhD candidate specializing in research related to low vision applications or clinical outcomes. Scholarships cover cost of full registration, but do not include travel or hotel expenses.

To be considered for an Envision Conference Student Scholarship, submit your current curriculum vitae, a letter of reference from at least one professor or clinical supervisor, the attached application, and a one-page narrative explaining your interest in the low vision rehabilitation or research fields, outlining the benefit the Envision Conference would have on your educational and career objectives. All applications are due by April 15, 2012. Notification of acceptance will occur by June 10, 2012.

Student Scholarship Application

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Envision Conference adopts mission and theme

The mission of the Envision Conference is to improve the quality of low vision care through excellence in professional collaboration, advocacy, research and education. The focus of Envision Conference 2012 will be "Excellence in Education."

Become involved with this multi-disciplinary low vision rehabilitation and research conference by submitting an abstract, sponsoring or registering as an attendee.