Nominations open soon for the 2023 HCPE Practice of Excellence Awards.
Click here to download the 2023 Application.
These prestigious $5,000 awards provided by the Hayes Family Foundation, are the only such honors recognizing the pursuit of excellence in Private Practice Optometry by young Optometrists.
Beginning with the 2020 application cycle -
1) Applicants must be have GRADUATED FROM SCO within the last eight years.
2) The Applicant must have secured an ownership/equity position in a Private Practice in ONE OF THREE WAYS:
- NEW PRACTICE AWARD
THIS IS FOR A COLD START – The applicant holds a majority or equal ownership interest in a practice for which he/she participated in writing the business plan, securing financing, and participated in operational development for a NEWLY FORMED PRIVATE PRACTICE.
- PARTNERSHIP AWARD
THIS IS FOR A BUY- IN – The applicant has PURCHASED/EARNED AN EQUITY INTEREST IN AN EXISTING PRIVATE PRACTICE and actively participates as a partner in its operations/management.
- PRACTICE ACQUISITION AWARD
THIS IS FOR A BUY - OUT – The applicant has COMPLETED THE BUY-SELL PROCESS OF ACQUIRING A PREVIOUSLY EXITISING PRIVATE PRACTICE and currently holds a majority or equal ownership interest in that practice.
Established in 2005, by a generous gift from Jerry Hayes, OD’ 73 and his wife, Cris, the Hayes Center for Practice Excellence (HCPE) is dedicated to preparing SCO students for the successful practice of independent Optometry.
All questions regarding the award should be directed to Lisa R. Wade, OD, MPA – Director of the Hayes Center – [email protected]
2022 winners
Congratulations to this year's Hayes Center for Practice Excellence Award recipients: Alan A. Arabi, OD '13, Scott Ronhovde, OD '15, and Christopher Stewart, OD '13 and Kimberly Phillips Stewart, OD '13.
Dr. Arabi received the Practice Acquisition Award category for ProView Eye Care Optometry in Corona, California.
Dr. Ronhovde was honored with the Partnership Award for Magnuson Hopkins Eyecare, PC, in Wayne, Nebraska.
Drs. Stewart received the Cold Start Award for Stewart Family Eye Care in Oviedo, Florida.
The award recipients spoke to SCO third-years as part of the annual Bon VoyEyes program in which students begin preparing for their fourth-year externships. The group gathered for photos afterward with Jerry Hayes, OD '73, and his children, Natalie and Nathan.
SCO is appreciative to Allergan, VSP Global, and CooperVision for its sponsorship and participation in the program as well as Dr. Peter Kehoe and other speakers from the SCO faculty.