Bob Ferrigno.
​
CARLSBAD, Calif.—The board of directors of SynergEyes, Inc. has appointed Bob Ferrigno as chief executive officer, effective June 27. Ferrigno joined SynergEyes in 2015 with “a wealth of experience and expertise in the health care, optometry, medical device and diagnostic industries,” according to an announcement of the appointment earlier this week. Ferrigno succeeds James Kirchner, OD, in the chief executive position. Kirchner assumes the title president emeritus and will “continue to develop and foster relationships within the U.S. eyecare community,” according to the announcement.

Kirchner also will be involved in new product development, and advocate for SynergEyes contact lenses in the areas of myopia management, presbyopia and other eye conditions, the company noted.

SynergEyes is an advanced-technology, high-performance contact lens company focused exclusively on leading independent ECPs, according to the company.

Before assuming his new role, Ferrigno led the sales and marketing efforts at SynergEyes and worked to expand the company from “a hybrid contact lens company to a specialty contact lens company,” according to the announcement. His team oversaw the launch of the SynergEyes VS scleral contact lens, and it is currently marketing and selling the new SimplifEyes soft daily contact lens brand.

Ferrigno also has led the implementation of programs formulated to strengthen services and support for eyecare professionals and their patients, according to the company.

Earlier in his career, Ferrigno was president of North America for CooperVision, where he led the integration of the $1.2 billion Sauflon contact lens company acquisition. His responsibilities at CooperVision included sales infrastructure, logistics, operations and an aggressive launch strategy to rapidly grow contact lens sales in the one-day contact lens segment, according to the SynergEyes announcement.

Ferrigno also had held executive and general management positions with Becton Dickinson, a global medical technology company.

SynergEyes manufactures and markets hybrid contact lenses for astigmatism with Duette and Duette Progressive and the UltraHealth lens for irregular corneas, all available with Tangible Hydra-PEG polymers. The SynergEyes portfolio also includes the SynergEyes VS scleral lens and SynergEyes corneal RGP designs.