Industry Spotlight with Peter Scott, CEO, American Academy of Optometry

Describe your current position.

The decision to join the American Academy of Optometry as its CEO last year was certainly a can’t-miss opportunity. The first time I met with the search committee, I sensed the Academy was a vibrant and thriving association—and it is! Joining was an opportunity to bring growth and innovation, to lead, and build upon the Academy’s successful, well-established foundation. An added bonus: It is headquartered in Orlando, my home town.

Over the past year, the Academy’s board, volunteers, and staff have been amazing. I’m honored to be here.

What do you have planned for the future of the Academy?

I joined in April 2019 when the Board was beginning a new cycle of strategic planning, which gave me the opportunity to help steer the future of the organization while building relationships with the board members and committees. The plan is based on five pillars: research, membership, education, leadership and legacy, and strategic partnerships. It’s an aggressive and exciting plan that will reinforce our vision, mission, and values to our Fellows and the profession.

From an operational standpoint, we will be upgrading new systems to streamline back-office efficiencies, implementing new dashboarding and data visualization tools, as well as implementing a new online learning platform with robust capabilities. We are also striving to improve the attendee experience at our Annual Meetings while looking for new ways to drive member engagement throughout the year.

I was excited to launch Optometry.TV at our Annual Meeting in Orlando last October. It was a great way to start conversations with our Fellows and other members of the profession. This is a powerful tool for providing our members and the profession with compelling content.

Due to COVID-19, we’re in the planning stages of evolving our Annual Meeting to include a virtual component, so attendees can participate from the safety of their homes. This is yet another way we are continuing to serve and engage with our optometry community.

When you think about the future of eye care, what do you picture?

The profession continues to evolve rapidly, and certainly the COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact, though we don’t know exactly what that will look like. As with many other medical professions, we will continue to see consolidation, private equity investments, and new learning and practice methodologies that will create significant disruption to the profession. The Academy is creating an Innovation Council with a way to identify those disruptive forces that will have a significant impact on the profession. We need to be proactive and make sure no Fellow is left behind uninformed.

Did your previous position as COO of the North American Veterinary Community have anything to do with introducing ‘Puppies and Pilates’ to last year’s Academy meeting?

“Puppies and Pilates” may have originated at NAVC’s VMX conference, but who doesn’t like puppies? It might sound as though it’s just for fun, but in actuality it is deeply rooted in wellness and self-care. Our attendees run hard and can be overwhelmed when they attend our Annual Meeting. There is a lot happening, and we recognize that people need down time, a chance to relax and take care of themselves. There is also a tremendous amount of evidence-based research regarding the benefits of the human-animal bond, so puppies really do help the wellness aspect.

For readers who aren’t Fellows of the Academy, what are the benefits of obtaining an FAAO designation?

The Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) designation means an individual practices at the highest level and truly represents excellence in eye care. When these letters follow the name of an optometrist, vision scientist, or other qualified person, it signifies to their patients and staff that they are committed to their professional development journey in order to advance the profession.

As a Fellow, they understand that they are a part of a community of other forward-thinking professionals, bringing energy, modernism, and advanced thinking into the world of optometry.

Fellows can further their development and achieve a specialty distinction by becoming a Diplomate in an Academy section. This signifies that a Fellow has taken additional steps to set themselves apart from their peers and further their education, and is another indicator of being committed to lifelong learning. Fellows set the bar and demonstrate they are the best in their field.

What’s one thing about you that others may not know?

I’m an amateur BBQ cook and a judge with the Florida BBQ Association. I’ve been on the judging circuit for the past 5 years.