New president of ABDO takes up office

The new president of The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) is Fiona Anderson (pictured) who took over the role from Peter Black (pictured) during a handover ceremony held at the ABDO gala dinner at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole last Sunday (10 April).

At the event, Ms Anderson thanked Mr Black for his dedication and hard work during the three years that he held the post and then handed over the vice presidency to Clive Marchant, who is a contact lens optician at Colin Lee Opticians.

In her inaugural address, Ms Anderson outlined the challenges ahead for the association and highlighted the welcoming support and strength of “the ABDO family.”

During a moving speech reviewing his time as president, Mr Black announced that he would not be seeking to stand for re-election in the forthcoming ABDO board election. However, as immediate past president, he will become an advisor to the board for two years.

At the gala dinner, special awards were also presented to ABDO stalwarts, with life membership of the association awarded to former ABDO president, Kevin Milsom, as well as ABDO’s head of CET, Paula Stevens and Huntly Taylor, who recently retired from a four-year tenure as chairman of the ABDO College board of trustees.

ABDO chief finance officer, Thurailingam Pavanakumar, was awarded honorary fellowship of the association by Mr Black. Dispensing optician and low vision practitioner, Gil Smith, received the Hamblin Memorial Prize from Boots Opticians’ director of professional standards and central operation, Eddie Watson.