Dr. James Boucher

Dr. Boucher is a 1961 graduate of the Southern College of Optometry (SCO). After graduation, he served in the United States Air Force until 1964. Since 1966, he has been in practice at the Snowy Range Vision Center in Laramie, Wyo.

Dr. Boucher has held leadership positions with several optometric organizations. He was on the AOA Board of Trustees (1979-1982), chair of the Education and Manpower Division, Executive Committee (1973-1974), chair of the Contact Lens Section (1986-1987), and chair of the Commission on Ophthalmic Standards (1977-1979). Dr. Boucher served as Wyoming Optometric Association president from 1976-1978.

Dr. Boucher has taught at numerous institutions, including: Illinois College of Optometry; University of Houston College of Optometry; and Pacific University College of Optometry. Dr. Boucher has received many honors, among them are Lifetime Achievement Award (SCO) in 1999, The Harvey W. Wiley Medal/ Food and Drug Administration Commissioner’s special citation in 1995, and the AOA Optometrist of the Year in 1978.

Dr. William “Billy” Cochran

Dr. Cochran, a third-generation optometrist, graduated from SCO in 1968. He then served as a captain in the U.S. Army’s Medical Service Corps. After completing his military service, Dr. Cochran spent 13 years in a private-practice, primary care optometry partnership in Mississippi.

In 1984, Dr. Cochran was named president of SCO, and he began to make changes to move the college beyond its regional image and into the national arena of optometric education. Under Dr. Cochran’s leadership, SCO began working to fund scholarships and to improve academic standards. He implemented a student recruitment program that saw student enrollment grow from 90 to 120 entering students per year.

By his second decade as SCO president, Dr. Cochran had improved and stabilized the college’s finances. This strengthened the college’s ability to meet the educational, clinical and technological needs of the students.

By the late 1990s, the college had outgrown its clinical facilities. SCO launched capital campaign to construct The Eye Center at SCO, a freestanding clinic designed as a long-term teaching and patient care facility. The Eye Center at SCO opened in 2002 as the largest facility of its kind in the United States.

Within the AOA, Dr. Cochran served on the Task Force on Negotiations in 1974. He also served on the Nominations Committee and in the House of Delegates. He spent four years on the AOA’s Leadership Development Committee and five years as AOA Keyperson.

Dr. Cochran was active in the Mississippi Optometric Association (MOA). He served as the MOA’s Legislative Committee chairman from 1972-1974. He spent three years on the MOA’s board before becoming president in 1978.

Dr. Cochran was also on the board of ASCO. He spent nine years on ASCO’s Executive Committee and served as president in 1991. Additionally, Dr. Cochran served on the Board of Directors of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO).

Congratulations to both of these outstanding alumni!

He practiced at West Tennessee Eye in Memphis for several years before returning to Louisiana in 2005 to join what is now the Bond-Wroten Eye Clinic, a multi-location group practice. Dr. Wroten founded the clinic’s residency in family practice optometry, for which he serves as residency supervisor, in addition to creating and overseeing its externship programs. He holds adjunct faculty appointments at SCO and the University of Incarnate Word – Rosenberg School of Optometry.

Dr. Wroten has served as vice president of the West Tennessee Optometric Society, president of the Southeast Louisiana Optometric Society, and in every elected office in the Optometry Association of Louisiana (OAL), including two terms as OAL president. He is co-chair of the OAL Education Committee, continues to serve on numerous other committees, is the keyperson for several state legislators, and has been an instrumental part of numerous legislative victories for organized optometry in Louisiana.

He is also an active member of the AOA, serving or having served on the AOA’s Federal Relations Committee, Drive for 65 Campaign, Nominating Committee, Eye Care Workforce Study Expert Panel, and Resolutions Committee, in addition to numerous years of involvement in the AOA Congressional Advocacy Conference and as a delegate to the AOA House of Delegates.

Dr. Wroten was the first optometrist appointed to the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Board by the governor of Louisiana, as well as to the Bayou Health Quality Assurance Committee, which oversees Louisiana’s Medicaid managed care programs. He is also a multi-term president of the Board of Directors for Child Advocacy Services, sits on the Alumni Council at SCO, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Hayes Center for Practice Excellence.

Dr. Wroten has given numerous continuing education and community lectures, published many eye care articles, and presented posters at national optometric conferences, in addition to participating in clinical research and pharmaceutical drug trials.

In 2011, Dr. Wroten was named the recipient of both the OAL’s Young Optometrist of the Year Award and SCO’s Young Alumnus of the Year Award. In 2012, he was also recognized with the Southern Council of Optometrists Young OD of the South Award.

In practice, Dr. Wroten serves as the Bond-Wroten Eye Clinic’s chief operations officer, in addition to providing primary eye care services and overseeing the clinic’s educational programs. He is also an InfantSEE® provider and works closely with his local Lions clubs as a volunteer.

Dr. Wroten is married to Sarah Wroten, O.D., and they have two children, Emily and Ben.

• Darrell Broadway, OD ‘49; Lifetime of Excellence Award
• Garry Haas, OD ‘67; Lifetime of Excellence Award
• Audie M. Teague, OD ‘83; Optometrist of the Year
• Matt Jones, OD ‘09, Young Optometrist of the Year
• Russell Simmons, OD ‘83; Distinguished Service Award

Congratulations to these graduates!

Dr. Kuehn is seen here at right receiving his award from another SCO graduate, Ellis Potter, OD ‘67, the new VOSH International President.

Congratulations to Drs. Kuehn and Potter for their humanitarian service!

The Feinbloom Award is given to an individual who has made a distinguished and significant contribution to the advancement of clinical practice, and thus, to the visual enhancement of the public.

Dr. Steele’s more than 40 years of service to optometry, optometric education and pediatric vision was cited, along with his leadership role in the AOA’s InfantSEE Program, for which he serves as the AOA’s InfantSEE Chairman.

Congratulations to Dr. Steele!

Funeral services were scheduled at Wellsburgh Christian Church in Wellsburgh, West Virginia on Saturday, October 15, 2011, with visitation from 1-3 pm and services following at 3 pm. A celebration of life service is planned for Colorado, where Dr. Whiteman resided, in the near future.

SCO sends our condolences to Dr. Whiteman’s family, friends and colleagues. Visit Dr. Whiteman’s Facebook page for more information and condolences.

While many things have changed in structure of the Institute, the concepts and processes regarding development of the child remain very similar.  In fact, Dr. Steele says a full report will soon be released that validates the Gesell testing norms that were first used over 60 years ago.

During a visit with Dr. Marcy Guddemi, the new Executive Director of the Gesell Institute, Dr. Steele was asked if he was familiar with a specific piece of equipment that had been found when sorting through some of the things remaining in Dr. Gesell’s storage area.  When first looking at it, Dr. Steele was initially puzzled.  As he looked closer, he realized that it was a chart projector that utilized a flame for the light source.

The projector type was first used in the 1920s and 30s in more affluent practices and possibly even in research projects.  Dr. Steele believes the project was also likely the first attempt to replace the paper charts used most at the time.  With all the work Dr. Gesell did in the development of vision in babies and young children, Dr. Steele believes that it’s possible that the projector could have been used in some of the early data collection that was reported in his book, Vision: It’s Development in Infant and Child.

Dr. Steele was able to provide answers to some of the questions that Dr. Guddemi had about the Institute prior to her arrival five years ago.  Particular questions were regarding Dr. Louise Bates Ames, a psychologist and Dr. Frances Ilg, a pediatrician, who co-authored many of the later books from the Institute.  Together, they promoted and enhanced the initial testing protocol developed by Dr. Gesell.  Dr. Ilg had just retired when Drs. Fors and Steele were there for the Fellowship but Dr. Ames continued the work for many years following Dr. Ilg’s retirement.  Dr. Guddemi has aspirations of bringing the newly validated norms into the public arena so that children will be able to know a sense of success rather than failure.

Dr. Steele thoroughly enjoyed his visit with Dr. Guddemi at the Gesell Institute and reminiscing about times spent there over 40 years ago.

Christina F. Vranich, OD ‘09,

Dr. Vranich was also recently elected Vice President of the West Tennessee Optometric Physicians Society. Congratulations to her on her election and her practice anniversary!