FYIDOCTORS - Key Persons
Mr. Amit Varshney obtained his Honors in Business Administration (HBA) from the Richard Ivey School of Business and his Bachelor of Engineering Science (BESc) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario.
Shortly after, he then articled at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he obtained his Chartered Accountant (CA) designation and then held various leadership roles within accounting and finance at WestJet Airlines and Rockpoint Gas Storage (formerly Niska Gas Storage).
Amit joined FYidoctors in 2015 bringing significant experience in leading large teams, implementing process improvements, working with business partners, and managing financial reporting/compliance requirements.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Marketing and Digital
Braden brings over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, brand management, and ecommerce. He's contributed to several iconic Canadian brands as part of the senior leadership teams at Herschel, SAXX, Kit and Ace and Clearly. Earlier in his career, he supported the digital transformation at AutoTrader/Yellow Pages and led web analytics at TELUS. He was named as one of Canada's Top 40 online marketers in 2009.
He lives in the Vancouver area with his wife and two cats and is an avid collector of PEZ, fountain pens and generative art. He has a personal goal of visiting each continent (just Australia/Oceana and Antarctica to go!).
Job Titles:
- Vice President and Chief Strategic Officer, Visique California / David M. Redman, O.D.
David M. Redman, O.D. is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, School of Optometry. In 2005, he was recognized as Santa Clara County "Optometrist of the Year." He is a Past-President of the California Optometric Association and currently serves as COA's Advocacy Chair. He was named the California Optometric Association Optometrist of the Year in 2017 and the American Optometric Association Optometrist of the Year in 2018.
Dr. Redman's public service has included organizing and participating in vision care clinics, serving on the board of Salud Para La Gente clinics and on the First 5 San Benito Children's and Family Commission. His public service also includes numerous appearances on the San Francisco Bay Area NBC affiliate channel KNTV, educating viewers on dry eye and children's vision issues.
Dr. Redman has worked in private practice for over 20 years, and in 2021 he became the US Chief Strategy Officer and VP of FYidoctors. Currently residing in California, he enjoys hiking, motorcycle riding and woodworking.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Chairman of the Board
- Optometrist in 1990 from the University of Waterloo
Dr. Alan Ulsifer graduated as an optometrist in 1990 from the University of Waterloo, where he was acknowledged for several awards in clinical achievement, including the Ontario Association of Optometrists Award for Excellence in Patient Management.
After graduating, Dr. Ulsifer became one of the founders and a managing partner of Northern Vision Centre, which developed into one of Canada's largest independent optometric practices.
Dr. Ulsifer has also been involved at the executive level with various not-for-profit Boards including the Alberta Optometric Association, Rotary, Optometry Giving Sight, the Alberta Freestyle Ski Association and the Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce.
In 2008, Dr. Ulsifer oversaw the creation of FYidoctors, which still stands as the largest business merger in Canadian history in terms of the number of companies involved. He was awarded the Ernst & Young Emerging Entrepreneur Award for Western Canada in 2008 and the Prairies Entrepreneur Award in 2012. Dr. Ulsifer has served on other not-for-profit Boards over the years and has an ICD.D designation. He currently serves as CEO and Chairman of the FYidoctors Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Optometrist from the University of Waterloo
Dr. Craig Meckelborg graduated as an optometrist from the University of Waterloo in 1993 and later completed a certificate in ocular therapeutics at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He went on to practice in Edmonton and Calgary before acquiring his first practice in Airdrie.
Dr. Meckelborg was later elected onto the Alberta Association of Optometrists as a Council Member. He then started a practice in McKenzie Towne, Calgary, which was one of the first clinics to join FYidoctors as a bannered location.
Dr. Meckelborg continues to be active in the Alberta Association of Optometry Political Action Committee. Over his last 9 years on the FYidoctors Board of Directors, he has sat on both the Audit and Governance and Compensation Committees. He continues his educational pursuits through the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Job Titles:
- Optometrist, Vice President of Visique
Dr. Frédéric Marchand graduated from the Laval University in 1996 with a BAA in Marketing and Finance. He later graduated from the University of Montreal in 2001 as an optometrist before joining the Marchand Optometry family business as it became the only third-generation optometric practice in Québec.
Under his leadership, the Marchand Group grew from 30 to 70 locations operating under multiple banners before he joined FYidoctors in 2015. These clinics, and many other partners, have been unifying under Québec's well-established Visique brand since 2017.
In 2012, Dr. Marchand received the honour of "B tisseur" from the University of Montreal for his overall contribution to the profession in the business development category. One such contribution was his role in 2008 as a founding partner of "Centre Oculaire de Quebec," a new and innovative collaboration model between optometry and ophthalmology. He has held different positions over the last 20 years on the provincial and national optometrist associations board and executive comity. He is an active board member of ABCIOQ, Québec's optical owner's association and an advocate and contributor to Montreal's school of optometry financing and development comity.
Dr. Marchand lives in Blainville, Québec with his wife Anouk, who is also an optometrist, and their two children, Julia and Cédric.
Job Titles:
- Physician
- Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Medical Aesthetics
Dr. Jason McWhirter is a fully licensed physician. Dr. McWhirter has a special interest designation in dermatology and skin aesthetics and has undergone extensive training with several pre-eminent dermatologists in Canada and the United States. He has a keen interest in minimally invasive and no-downtime cosmetic procedures for facial rejuvenation, and thoroughly enjoys incorporating the latest aesthetic procedures.
Dr. McWhirter is a graduate of the University of Alberta, where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree. He is licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta and is a Fellow of the Canadian College of Family Physicians. He is an active member of the Canadian and Alberta Colleges of Physicians and Canadian and Alberta Medical Associations, as well as the Calgary Area Physicians Association and the Canadian Association of Aesthetic Medicine. He also has extensive training in Sports Medicine and Urgent Care Medicine.
In his spare time he is passionate about many other areas of his life with his young family being at the forefront. He is an avid golfer and enjoys camping and hiking and has completed marathons and half marathons.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Optometric Partnerships
Dr. Michael Naugle acquired his Bachelor of Science with honours from the University of New Brunswick. He then received his Doctor of Optometry with honours from the University of Waterloo in 1992. Since 1996, Dr. Naugle has served on the Council of New Brunswick Association of Optometrists, including two years as President from 2000-2002. Since 2010, he has also served as Chair on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Coalition of Eye Care Professionals.
In his current role as VP, Optometric Partnerships, Dr. Naugle oversees the growth and development of the FYidoctors banner in Canada and is a key figure in recruiting new optometrists. From the company's inception up until 2015, he served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Vice Chairman of the Advisory Committee.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Corporate Development
Gord leads the Corporate Development team across the entire FYihealth group. Gord is responsible for execution of the growth platform through our unique partnership approach and through the full merger life cycle.
Gord spent 30 years with one of Canada's largest professional services firms where he held senior leadership roles as the regional managing partner for Western Canada as well at the national managing partner of advisory services. He also spent several years on the firm's partnership board. He has been involved in hundreds of mergers, business valuation and transaction advisory engagements focused on the small and mid market privately owned companies.
Gord is a FCA, FCPA and a Chartered Business Valuator (CBV). Gord was previously a member of the boards of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators and the International Institute of Business Valuers. He currently is the treasurer and member of the board on the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Innovation & Information Technology
Kevin joins FYidoctors with over 20 years of experience in IT leadership. Building IT shops from the ground up to over 90 cross-functional team members, and successful project management and implementation of mission critical multi-million dollar corporate initiatives are among his accomplishments. He brings business knowledge in the healthcare, insurance, transportation and government sectors, including practical experience in the areas of privacy and security - particularly as they apply to the interoperable Electronic Health Record initiative in Canada.
He became part of the FYidoctors IT team as VP of Innovation and IT in January of 2016. Kevin is working closely with the team to improve the overall utility and value of our IT hardware and software assets and services, putting a heightened focus on customer experience, capitalizing on new technologies, mindful organizational change management, and team building.
Kevin was born and raised in BC, and enjoys his time in our Ophthalmic Laboratory in Delta, BC.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder and Chief Operating Officer at BonLook
- Vice President, BonLook
Co-founder and chief operating officer at BonLook, Louis-Félix leads various departments that work in cooperation to provide the best customer experience in the eyewear industry. He oversees a range of divisions including Information Technology, Operations, Fulfilment, and Retail.
On the strength of his background as an electrical engineer, Louis-Félix brought on a unique and comprehensive vision to the company's technological stack. This has allowed for the rapid implementation of innovative solutions and technological advances such as AI and machine learning. He is also the architect behind BonLook's data-driven approach to operations and information technology, which has allowed the company to optimize and scale its supply chain infrastructure.
Prior to his current mandate, Louis-Félix assumed the position of CEO of BonLook. With a focus on scaling and improving retail, operations, information technology and customer service, he took the company from web-only prescription glasses retailer to budding omni-channel retailer. As COO, he is tasked with developing technology products with a clear potential to disrupt the entire retail optical industry in the near future.
Louis-Félix holds an Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Ottawa and has previously worked in leadership roles at Boeing, IBM and Coveo. Before establishing himself in Quebec, past professional experiences gave him the opportunity to reside in France and the United States.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, People & Culture
Meriya's impact has been recognized with several industry awards. She has been asked to share her strategies at Deloitte University, the University of Calgary, as well as many conferences and industry events. She is also very proud that ATB was named the #1 place to work in Canada while she was leading Leadership, Learning Performance and Change for the organization.
Meriya has a Master's Degree in Education, an Executive MBA, is a certified Project Manager, and a certified Change Practitioner. She is an avid learner and enjoys pulling in best practice and thought leadership from other industries and professions into her People & Culture practice.
At home Meriya has 2 teenagers, 2 dogs, 2 cats, but only 1 husband! She enjoys spending time at their cabin in BC skiing, downhill, cross country or water, depending on the season! She is also on the board of Big Brothers, Big Sisters Calgary and a mentor for young women in business through the Network of Empowered Women.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Real Estate
Monika Galecki is a commercial real estate professional with over 10 years of experience in the field. After several successful years at a large international brokerage, Monika joined one of the largest private property owners in Canada, where she created and executed strategies for numerous Canadian real estate assets.
Prior to joining FYidoctors, Monika was the Vice President of Leasing for Orange Group Commercial Real Estate, where she provided high level real estate advisory for regional, national, and international tenants. During this time, she managed and oversaw real estate operations for numerous high-profile brands.
Since officially joining the company in early 2022, Monika led the formation of the real estate department and has established internal systems and processes to manage occupancy for FYi's current network of over 400 locations. As the VP of Real Estate, Monika has been instrumental in developing strategies to lower risk and increase the company's profitability through real estate. Monika is also a director with the Grey Dog Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing resources for those who support family, friends and colleagues who are impacted by depression.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Mr. Andrew Taub graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Finance and Accounting before going on to obtain an MBA from Columbia Business School. He currently is a Managing Partner at L Catterton, focused on the Buyout fund, and serves on the Board of Directors of several L Catterton portfolio companies.
Having joined L Catterton in 1996, Mr. Taub has nearly 25 years of experience in private equity and has led more than a dozen investments at L Catterton. Mr. Taub's investment and operating expertise spans the consumer landscape through investments in the healthcare, restaurant, food, pet and marketing services industries. Mr. Taub previously spent three years as a Vice President at Nantucket Holding Company, a merchant bank. Mr. Taub also served in the corporate finance group of Coopers & Lybrand. He started his career at Dean Witter Reynolds in mergers & acquisitions.
Mr. Darcy Verhun obtained his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta and MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business. Prior to joining FYidoctors he held executive leadership roles at Ernst & Young, Grant Thornton and Cap Gemini. Mr. Verhun has been recognized as a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada and as a Distinguished Alumni of MacEwan University. He is a Certified Corporate Director, Certified Management Consultant, member of Marshall Goldsmith's 100 Global Coaches (#MG100) and President of FYidoctors, where he leads the senior management team.
Mr. Verhun's leadership is based on being a lifelong learner and passionate coach who lives his life with gratitude. He is known for the high energy and commitment he brings to everything. Through FYidoctors he is able to align his personal beliefs with an organization whose purpose is to enhance lives.
Mr. Verhun was a founding Director of The Calgary Homeless Foundation, where he served as Treasurer from 1998 to 2017. He serves today as a Director of HomeSpace Society, a non-profit intent on eliminating homelessness. In addition to his commitment to help those in need, he is a passionate skier with considerable experience as a downhill ski racing coach. He has achieved the highest level of certification in Canada as a Level IV instructor.
Mr. Imran Gulam obtained his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary and articled at PwC, where he obtained his Chartered Accountant designation. He later achieved a Masters in U.S. Taxation from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
Mr. Gulam joined FYidoctors in 2014, bringing his financial skill sets in budgeting, forecasting, tax and treasury proficiency, as well as his past experience as the CFO of a publicly listed company. He is also a director at the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing settlement and integration services to refugees and immigrants living in Southern Alberta.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Factory Optical
Mr. Jeffrey MacPherson received his degree in Business Administration from the University of Regina before beginning his banking career with CIBC. He also worked with BMO, who nominated him to participate in a joint BMO/Dalhousie University MBA program which focused on executive development. Mr. MacPherson then went on to serve as Executive Vice President responsible for the Commercial, Consumer and Wealth Divisions of Conexus Credit Union before joining the Factory Optical group. In the latter position he successfully negotiated a venture capital investment program that supported significant growth of the organization in Western Canada.
Outside of work, Mr. MacPherson has served 12 years as Chair for the Regina Exhibition Association Board, Regina's sport and entertainment hub. Housing Taylor Field, Brandt Centre, The International Business Centre and Queensbury Convention Centre, this not-for-profit entity has a significant economic presence in its city.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants
Mr. Michael Ross is a University of Alberta graduate, Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA), Fellow of the Certified Management Accountants (FCMA), Certified Management Consultant (CMC), Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR - retired) and Institute of Corporate Directors certified (ICD.D).
Mr. Ross retired as CEO of Conroy Ross Partners in 2012. As an Ernst & Young partner he held many roles including National Managing Partner (Canada) of middle market and entrepreneurial consulting.
In addition to sitting on the FYidoctors Board of Directors, Mr. Ross also sits on Boards for Fountain Tire, Frac Shack Inc., Norseman Group Ltd., G2 Integrated Solutions (Systems Integrity Management Solutions, Inc. - Houston, TX) and CORUS Orthodontists Inc.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Mr. Rajan Shah holds a Bachelor of Accounting and Finance and a Master of Accounting from the University of Waterloo. He is a Vice President at L Catterton, a CPA and CBV in Canada and currently serves on the Board of Directors of several L Catterton portfolio companies.
Prior to joining the company in 2018, Mr. Shah was a Principal at the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board (OTPP), where he focused on global opportunities in the consumer and healthcare services sectors. He spent time in both OTPP's Toronto and Hong Kong offices. Prior to joining OTPP in 2014, he spent time at Imperial Capital and the corporate finance group at PwC.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Mr. Tim Gillespie is a graduate of the Haskayne School of Business and holds a Chartered Financial Analysts designation. He started his career as an International Equities Trader in Odense, Denmark and has spent over 35 years in the finance industry, holding numerous corporate lending and capital markets positions. During his long career, he has specialized in technology, real estate, transportation, retail and energy. He was most recently Executive Vice President and Head of ATB Financial's Corporate Financial Services Division.
In addition to sitting on the FYidoctors Board of Directors, Mr. Gillespie serves on the Board of the HomeSpace Society and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also Vice Chair for Meals on Wheels.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of the Delta Opthalmic Laboratory
Ms. Nancy Morison graduated from the University of British Columbia in the field of Human Kinetics with a specialization in leadership and coaching. She was also a finalist in the 2013 YWCA Women of Distinction Awards in the Business and Professions category. In 2017 she joined FYidoctors after filling senior roles in numerous industries, including online optical with Clearly.ca, online home food delivery with SPUD.ca, IT product management with i2 Technologies and small pack supply chain and logistics with Loomis Express.
As the VP of the FYidoctors Ophthalmic Lab located in Delta, BC, Ms. Morison delivers on the FYidoctors DNA of Enhancing Life with a team focused on the daily manufacturing and shipping of over 2000 lenses and glasses. A native Vancouverite, Ms. Morison is proud to work in Delta, the community she has always called home.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Retail and Merchandising
Scott Shaw is an experienced professional with the optometric industry. Prior to joining FYidoctors, he spent eight years with CIBA Vision Canada, starting as a sales rep before being promoted to National Account Manager; a role which involved working with large Canadian optometric groups, including DEN, Iris and FYidoctors. During his time at CIBA, Scott also managed the Lens Care business, working with retailers such as London Drugs, Pharmasave, Overwaitea Foods and Safeway.
Scott officially joined FYidoctors in October of 2008. In his current role he communicates and coordinates with FYidoctors employees, suppliers and partners, in addition to advising on acquisitions and new clinic rollouts.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Operations
Shenif joins us in the position of Vice President, FYidoctors Business Unit as of August 15, 2022. Prior to joining FYidoctors, Shenif was the Chief Operating Officer at Eye Recommend where he led the vendor partnerships, Coaching, Training, Events and Marketing teams.
In addition, Shenif brings over 15 years of experience from the Consumer Packaged Goods industry in various marketing, sales and senior leadership roles with companies such as Unilever, PepsiCo and Keurig. In these roles, he developed strong partnerships with some of Canada's largest retail organizations including Wal-Mart, Costco, Loblaws, Sobeys, London Drugs and Canadian Tire. He holds a degree in Business and Economics from Simon Fraser University.
Shenif lives in Calgary with his wife Shelina and his daughters, Alyssa, and Rayanna. In his spare time, he works as an exclusive Uber driver for his daughters, enjoys tinkering with automobiles in his garage (to keep his favourite mechanic employed) and recently received his motorcycle license.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BonLook
- Vice President, BonLook
Sophie Boulanger is the co-founder and chief executive officer of BonLook. Since its inception, the company has aimed to improve the accessibility of prescription glasses by creating a must-have fashion accessory with an unbeatable quality-price ratio. Initially launched online, the company now has 37 stores in 5 Canadian provinces. The strength of BonLook's unified commerce model differentiates the company from other retailers in the field of optics in Canada. Today, BonLook defines itself as the ultimate destination to build a covetable eyewear wardrobe featuring styles designed in Montreal.
Prior to founding BonLook in 2011, Sophie completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at McGill University, along with a master's degree in Fashion and Design Management from SDA Bocconi in Milan. She has held various positions in retail and fashion at L'Oréal, Christian Dior Couture, Jacob, and Groupe Germain.
Under her leadership, BonLook was recognized by the Bronfman Foundation and C2MTL as one of the most innovative start-ups in Quebec in 2013 and won three Boomerang awards, including the 2015 Jury Grand Prize. In 2019, the company was ranked 35th among Canada's 500 fastest-growing companies by Canadian Business.
A well-known entrepreneur of the new Quebec generation, Sophie is frequently invited to comment on retail and entrepreneurship in the media. She has collaborated with, among other media outlets, CBC/Radio-Canada, the Globe and Mail, La Presse, Strategy Magazine and the Toronto Star.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Talent Development
Terry is a business and financial professional with over for 25 years of experience working in the banking industry for companies including the Alberta Treasury Branches and CIBC. After leaving the banking sector, Terry would later go on to become the Manager of the Northern Vision Centre optometry practices.
Since joining FYidoctors, Terry has been instrumental in transitioning new practices within FYidoctors and currently manages numerous other internal and external programs. He is also heavily involved in the organization and management of the Regional and Practice Coaches in order to further streamline communications and patient care at all FYidoctors locations.