Tampa, Fla. (June 26, 2012) – Jason Woody, the president and CEO of the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research, the world’s only combined eye bank and ocular research center, recently received the prestigious Leonard Heise Award from the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA). Woody was presented the award during the EBAA’s annual meeting to recognize his contributions to the fight against blindness.
Each year, the Leonard Heise Award is presented to a non-physician individual within the eye-banking community. Woody was chosen for this award because of his outstanding devotion to the EBAA’s development, his significant contributions to eye banking at a national and international level, and for his positive local community influence while representing eye banking.
“Jason’s many years of service and dedication to the eye banking community have greatly benefitted the EBAA’s mission of restoring sight worldwide,” said David Korroch, Chair, Eye Bank Association of America. “Following the precepts set by Leonard Heise, Jason has shown that his drive to fight against corneal blindness will continue to afford many with life-enhancing corneal transplants. The EBAA is honored to present Jason with an award so fitting of his efforts in our profession.”
“The Eye Bank Association of America is a well-respected pioneer in this industry,” said Woody. “I am proud to be this year’s recipient of the Leonard Heise Award.”
Woody has worked with LEITR for more than 20 years and currently leads a staff of more than 60 employees. On a daily basis, Woody and his team do all they can to further ocular research, restore sight, and improve the quality of life of the blind and visually impaired throughout the world. In addition to his work with EBAA, Woody is an active professional in this industry and currently sits on the board of Donate Life America, LifeLink Foundation, Agency for Healthcare Administration and TransLife.
About the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research (LEITR)
The Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research, Inc., (LEITR) is a nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to the recovery, evaluation and distribution of eye tissue for transplantation, research and education. LEITR’s Eye Bank, located in Tampa, Fla., is the only combined eye bank and ocular research center in the world. Since its inception, it has brought the “Gift of Sight” to more than 55,000 men, women and children worldwide. For more information, visit www.lionseyeinstitute.org.
About the Eye Bank Association of America
The Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA), established in 1961, is the oldest transplant association in the nation. The EBAA champions the restoration of sight through core services to its members which advance donation, transplantation and research in their communities and throughout the world. It has led the transplantation field with the establishment of medical standards for the distribution of eyes and comprehensive training and certification programs for eye banking personnel. These standards have been used as models for other transplantation organizations. Member eye banks operate in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. These eye banks make possible more than 52,000 sight-restoring corneal transplants annually. www.restoresight.org
Media Contacts:
Kelley K. Sims
Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research
813-289-1200 (Main)
813-833-1894 (Mobile)
[email protected]
Michele Gray
Pascale Communications
917-449-9250
[email protected]