VIEWPOINT
Winning Team
Changes in store for 2001.
FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR, LARISA HUBBS

For many of us, January marks the starting point for change. Hopefully, we look back over the last year and realize that we've made progress and actually implemented plans that we'd hoped to.

About this time last year, I was facing a position with this magazine that entailed more responsibility -- a situation ripe for change. Since then, I've thought about ways to improve OM -- including new departments, article topics and board members.

Now, with the new year upon us, we're ready to unveil these changes.

A warm welcome

Beginning this month, Neil Gailmard, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O., takes the helm as chief optometric editor.

Many of you may already know Dr. Gailmard through his role as program chair for the American Optometric Association's Practice Management University or as a professor, lecturer and practice management consultant. Dr. Gailmard also has a successful private practice in Munster, Ind.

Dr. Gailmard has a rich history with OM -- he's been a contributing editor with us for 12 years.

I've immensely enjoyed working with him, and I'm eager to bring Dr. Gailmard's cutting-edge practice management ideas to you in print. (He's also written this month's cover story, which begins on page 32.)

Please feel free to contact him with any comments or ideas you have for the magazine. His e-mail address is: neil@gailmard.com.

Host of new positions

We've also made other changes to our team. Please welcome nationally known lecturer and author Milton M. Hom, O.D., F.A.A.O., as our new CE coordinator and contact lens consultant and nationally known author Carol Schwartz, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O., who will assume the newly created role of contact lens editor.

In addition, we've launched several new departments for 2001. They include the following:

• Coding Q&A by nationally known expert John McGreal, O.D.
• Street Sense will offer tips for stock market investing by seasoned financial writer Gerald Helzner.
• Therapeutic Insights, a column on advances in pharmaceuticals, which will be coordinated by Bobby Christensen, O.D., F.A.A.O.
• Eye on Managed Care by managed care expert Gil Weber, M.B.A.

Also, we've added Richard Hom, O.D., F.A.A.O., as our new Cybercare editor, and next month we'll launch a new column on legal issues by Paul Peng, O.D., J.D.

A well-deserved thanks

No discussion of a winning team would be complete without mentioning the contributions of our former Chief Optometric Editor Art Epstein, O.D., F.A.A.O. For 5 years, he helped guide OM, and he'll be missed by all here on staff. We wish him well in his future endeavors.

Here's to a great new year, one full of positive change for you and your winning teams.