Prevent Blindness Names Ed Buffington, GPN Technologies, as the 2024 Person of Vision Award Recipient

Prevent Blindness announced that the 2024 Person of Vision Award will be presented to Ed Buffington, president and CEO of GPN Technologies. The Person of Vision Award Gala will be held on March 14, 2024, at 583 Park Avenue, New York City, in conjunction with Vision Expo East.  

The Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Award recognizes an individual, corporation and/or organization whose inspired outlook champions healthy vision and its importance for a healthy life. Mr. Buffington was chosen as the recipient of the 2024 Person of Vision Award for years of outstanding service in the optical and eyecare industry.

Mr. Buffington began his career in the optical industry in 1979 as part of the contact lens company, American Hydron. In 1983, with his partners, he launched OfficeMate Software installing the first eye care practice management software system to run on an IBM PC in April 1984, according to Prevent Blindness. 

After tremendous growth, in 1994, Marchon acquired OfficeMate, which was later acquired by VSP. Today OfficeMate remains one of the leading eye care practice management and electronic medical records software solutions in the optometric industry with a significant market share.

After retiring from VSP in 2014, Buffington began his private consulting firm, The Buffington Company, leveraging his nearly 40 years of expertise in the eye care industry. In 2017, Buffington joined data analytics firm GPN Technologies as President and CEO. 

“I am humbled and honored to receive this very special industry recognition from Prevent Blindness, thank you!” said Mr. Buffington. “I want to thank all the wonderful friends and partners I’ve worked with throughout my tenure in eyecare. It’s those relationships that have contributed to my success and enjoyment in my career.”