GROWING UP
I was born in Utica, NY. My father was in the Army, so my family spent a lot of time moving - from Germany to South Carolina, to Syracuse and Hawaii, where I graduated high school. I attended the University of South Carolina and earned my Doctorate at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia. I realized after 10 years in NYC that I was changing apartments about every 3 years, repeating the pattern of my childhood!

GETTING INTO OPTOMETRY
I was nearsighted as a child and always found it amazing to walk into the optometrist's office and leave with greatly improved vision. When I was a freshman at Waipahu High, we had to research different professions and select our favorites. I listed optometry, especially since math and science were my best subjects.

COMING TO NEW YORK / STARTING A BUSINESS
When I got out of school, I wasn't sure where I wanted to settle or practice, so I headed to New York City. I figured I'd stay for a couple of year - that was more than thirty years ago! I got my first apartment in the Upper West Side, a furnished studio by Riverside Drive in the West 70s for $150. I started out by working for others, in all parts of the city.

I opened my own business by accident in '74. A friend of mine opened a flower store on Columbus Avenue and 73rd, and an identical space was available next door. I was ready to try running my own business. I signed a 5-year lease.

It was exciting to be on the Upper West Side in those days! It still had a nice neighborhood feeling. Neighbors would gather for volleyball and Sunday morning softball. Yet Columbus Avenue was on the brink of booming and Lincoln Center was happening. A lot of my clients turned to be in the arts, people like John Lithgow, Chris Lahti, Farley Granger. Angela Shaw came in one day and bought glasses. My 17-year-old employee (Robert Bernstein, now known as Robert Marc) informed me that she was better known as Angela Lansbury. It was exciting to watch a TV show, a movie, go to a play, a ballet, or a concert and recognize a patient. You don't meet people like this in optometry school!

And of course, I met my wife Julie here! She came into the store one day in 1977, and the rest is history. Of course many of my clients over the years have met Julie.

A SPECIAL MEMORY: TAKING CARE OF JOHN LENNON'S EYES
One day I spotted John and Yoko peering into the storefront window. The next night he walked in at closing time, requesting an exam. My receptionist was about to suggest an appointment for another day, but when I saw who it was, I immediately offered to see him right then! I was really nervous as I examined and fit him for eyeglasses.

John was a regular for five years. He proved to be quite a "regular" person, and not once was anything mentioned about his fame or the Beatles. I examined him several times and sold him many pairs of glasses. He even brought his son Julian in for glasses when he visited from England.

MOVING ON: A NEW STORE, A NEW ERA
In 1979 my lease ran out and I moved to my present location on Amsterdam Avenue. Both the neighborhood and business were evolving. "Hippies" turned into "yuppies," and more optical shops moved in to serve them. To stay competitive, I had to become more involved in the business end of things. I learned about cash flow, profit and loss, managing staff and patients, dealing with managed care.

And I learned about marketing - from designing attractive store displays to publishing newsletters, back in the days before the Internet. Now of course we can do it online!

And after I got mentioned in some articles, especially the New York Times and in Business Week, I started to see how publicity could help build a business.

CHANGE IS GOOD
The practice has also changed a lot since I started. For example, we can now use drops for diagnosing disease, such as topical anesthetics and dilating drops. State laws were changed to allow Optometrists to treat external diseases and prescribe treatments: anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, anti-viral and anti-allergic drugs, treatments for glaucoma.

Patients sometimes ask me if I'm getting bored with practicing Optometry, and I always answer "no!" It's exciting, keeping up with a constantly evolving practice and new products. There's a line from a Bob Dylan song that has greatly influenced my thinking: "He not busy being born is busy dying." The world is changing with every minute, and I hope to always be aware and amazed and adaptable to these changes.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE WORK
I love being on the Upper West Side. My patients are friendly and fascinating. It's so satisfying to solve visual problems that hinder one's best performance - whether they're musicians or actors who need good vision from all distances without glasses, or office workers who must read from computer screens over many hours.

I always allow enough time for the examination to listen to each patient and find out what their needs are. I take great pride in solving difficult problems that had not yet been solved. And if the problem is outside my area of expertise, I'll always find the right referral for that patient.

FAMILY
Julie and I have three children, all doing great: Eric's a sophomore at The College of New Jersey who's helping pay for tuition with his Internet Poker winnings. Keith's a senior in high school and ranked tennis player who's being recruited at the college level. Lynn is a high school freshman and mall expert (if anyone needs to shop in Northern New Jersey, ask her for advice).

HOBBIES
I actually enjoy catching up with the business side of the practice on my days off - but always make time for bike rides, and for family activities. I'm always on call for a game of ping pong or tennis with the boys, or to drive Lynn to the mall or movies with her friends.