Award honours chamber CEO's contributed to optometry
TOOWOOMBA Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Greg Johnson has received the Professor Sydney BJ Skertchley Award for his contribution to optometry.
The award recognises outstanding contribution to the profession of optometry by a non-optometrist.
Mr Johnson was handed the prestigious award at a gala dinner in Brisbane earlier this month.
Mr Johnson was CEO of Optometrists Association Australia Queensland/NT Division for more than 11 years immediately prior to joining the chamber in August last year.
During his term in office he established working relationships with state ministers and shadow ministers, the media and other health/medical professions.
He was also instrumental in renaming the state conference, Australian Vision Convention, and increased delegate numbers from 100 to 800.
Furthermore, under his leadership he increased the number of exhibitors at the convention from 12 to 80.
His most significant achievement, working closely with the board and statewide practitioners, was to get optometrists prescribing rights to a large range of eye drugs, meaning that not only could optometrists diagnose eye conditions, but they could also treat those conditions saving patients time and money.
The award has been presented only on three previous occasions.
Mr Johnson said he was extremely humbled to receive such a prestigious award.
"It was a pleasure to serve the state's 1000 optometrists and to leave a significant legacy for them and their patients," he said.
