Nick becomes first non-Irish trained optometrist to receive honour

BBR chairman Nick Rumney is both honoured and humbled to have been elected as a Fellow of the Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI) – especially as he will be the first non-resident-Irish optometrist to receive this honour.

The award is the latest in a line of accolades for Nick who in June was elected Vice-President of the European Academy of Optometry and Optics (EAOO), a body of which he is a founding member, and a role he will serve until May 2019 when he will become President. 

Nick said: “This year marks the first time in the history of the AOI (and its predecessor bodies) that Fellowship has been conferred upon an optometrist who does not practice in Ireland and I am delighted that person is myself.

“I have now been invited to attend the AOI’s Annual Dinner on Saturday, November 4 where I will be presented with my Fellowship certificate as part of the ceremonies which will be a real personal honour for me,” he added.

This latest accolade follows a series of awards Nick has recently received including the Philip Cole Prize for practice-based research from the College of Optometrists and an Honorary Fellowship by the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) in recognition of his services to the profession of Dispensing Optics.

Nick is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) and a Fellow of the European Academy of Optometry and Optics (EAOO) and has served on many national and international committees, including the General Optical Council (GOC).

Nick Black, BBR’s chief executive, said: “I wish to congratulate Nick on yet another accolade which not only serves to show how well respected he is in the optometry profession but also puts our practice and Hereford firmly on the map as forward-thinking and adopting the latest developments all to the benefit of our valued patients.”