GREEN BAY, Wis.—Shopko held its 2018 Shopko Optical Management Conference at the Radisson here late last month. This year’s conference, “Celebrating the Past, While Building for the Future,” celebrated Shopko Optical’s 40th anniversary. More than 130 Shopko center managers, regional, corporate and lab leadership team members were in attendance. The three-day annual event, held April 24 through 26, is designed to provide learning opportunities and recognize employees’ contributions and hard work, according to an announcement about the event.


Kirk Lauterback, director of optical
services (r), pictured with 40-year
anniversary honorees, Kurt Barger
(Eau Claire) and Janet Leiterman
(Green Bay).
“Shopko’s annual conference is a great opportunity for our entire optical leadership team to meet with their peers, our vendor partners, and those who play key support roles in the lab and corporate office,” Kirk Lauterback, director of optical services, said. “Additionally, this conference celebrated its 40th anniversary and recognized everyone for all of their great work in delivering another record-setting year in 2017.”


Attendees at the trade show.
The 2018 Shopko Optical Management Conference recognized Shopko’s optical managers and center teams for their excellent performance during the past year, including customer service, sales and overall performance awards. Optical manager anniversaries also were recognized. Among the honorees were Kurt Barger of Eau Claire and Janet Leiterman of Green Bay, who have been with the company since its first optical centers opened in 1978.

The conference kicked off at Shopko’s Store Support Center with new optical managers. It included an open house and tour of the optical lab, breakout sessions, and system and product training, while reviewing 2018 key initiatives. In addition, a full vendor trade show allowed optical vendors to meet with Shopko’s optical managers to review new eyecare products and training techniques.

Shopko, which operates 136 optical centers in 12 states, is owned by an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners Inc., a leading private investment firm.

(L to R) The Shopko leadership team presentation included Kirk Lauterback,
director of optical services; Danielle Deterville, optical coordinator; John Burcham,
regional optical supervisor; Barb Demmerly, regional optical supervisor;
Jim DePaul, senior vice president, store operations; James Radebaugh,
regional optical supervisor; Dr. Tom Bobka, director of optometry; Missy Johnson,
systems manager; and Sue Kozloski, buyer assistant.