Southern College of Optometry Board of Trustees member Steven T. Reed, OD '95, has been named Mississippi’s “Optometrist of the Year,” by the Mississippi Optometric Association (MOA) to recognize significant contributions to the profession of optometry and the general public. Dr. Reed received the James P. Brownlee O.D. of the Year Award at the MOA’s annual fall meeting in Jackson recently. The award is given to an optometrist who provides outstanding service for patient care and to the profession of optometry at the state and national level.
“Steven Reed has served the profession of optometry in almost every position available at the state level. He has represented Mississippi in national meetings and now serves optometry at the national level on committees. He is very deserving of this recognition,” said Awards and Nominations Committee Chair Susanne Cunningham, OD '02, of Columbus.
“I am humbled and honored to be recognized in this manner. I am blessed to have had the opportunities to serve my profession in a variety of ways. Optometrists are the eye care providers in towns and cities like Magee across this state and across this nation. It is important that we work together through our state and national associations to ensure that our patients have the highest quality of care available,” Dr. Reed said.
Dr. Reed, who practices at Family Vision Clinic, Inc., in Magee, is past president of MOA and has chaired committees for Long Range Planning and Optometry for Progress. He is president of Southwest Optometric Society and past chair of the Assistance to Graduates and Undergraduates Committee, the Legislative Committee and the Nominations Committee. He is actively involved on the MOA Past-Presidents Council and a member of the Finance Committee.
For the American Optometric Association, Dr. Reed served as a delegate to AOA Congress for six years, as a National Key Person Coordinator and as a representative for Mississippi at AOA’s advocacy conference for five years. He is currently a member of the AOA Communications Group Executive Committee and a member of the AOA Social Media Committee. Dr. Reed is also on the Board of Trustees for the Southern College of Optometry and is a SECO Trustee representing Mississippi. He is on the Board of Directors of Vision Care Direct.
Dr. Reed’s community involvement is extensive. He is past president of Magee Chamber of Commerce and the Magee Lions Club, and is a board member of the Simpson County Economic Development Foundation. He has helped organize eye screenings at Magee Elementary and Magee Middle School for 13 years.
He also helped coordinate the first annual Glaucoma Awareness Day in Magee and the first annual Mac McCarty Lions Club Golf Tournament to raise funds for glasses and eye care services for the underserved of Simpson County. In addition, Dr. Reed has represented the Forest Lions Club by providing eye care to patients in Costa Rica with the Student Volunteers in Optometric Service to Humanity.
Dr. Reed received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry with a minor in biology from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he graduated summa cum laude. He earned his doctor of optometry magna cum laude from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tenn.
Dr. Reed will also be nominated for SECO International’s OD of the South award and the American Optometric Association’s “Optometrist of the Year” award.