Para/Optician/Staff Course Schedule & Registration
Illinois 2026 Annual Meeting
Speaker: Mary Schmidt, ABOC, CPO
Mary E. Schmidt, ABOC, CPO is the founder of EyeSystems a professional training and practice consulting firm, specializing in the eyecare field.
She provides full scope paraoptometric education with a focus on dispensing skills and patient care. Her emphasis is on organization and professionalism. The American Optometric Association and the American Board of Opticianry have accredited her programs.
Mary has over 30 years experience within the optical field including ten years of hands-on in office experience along with practice administration for multi-doctor practices, outside sales and marketing experience and she was manager of education and training for a large practice management group.
Mary has presented programs to state wide, national and international audiences along with personalized private training since 1995. She is a popular speaker with the ability to motivate and inspire.
| Para/Optician/Staff Schedule | |
| THURSDAY, August 27, 2026 | |
| 11:30am | IOA Golf Tournament – The Rail Golf Course - Springfield, IL |
| FRIDAY, August 28, 2026 | |
| 7:00am | Registration opens |
| 9:00am-10:00am | What’s in My Eye – Emergency or Urgency (AOA-CPC, ABO Pending) |
| 9:00am-11:00am | Time Management – How to Prioritize Your Day (AOA-CPC, ABO Pending) |
| 11:00am-1:00pm | Exhibit Hall Open & Lunch |
| 1:00pm-2:00pm | Optical Cross - I Don't Get It (AOA-CPC, ABO Pending) |
| 2:00pm-3:00pm | Prism - It Has Prism, You Do It (AOA-CPC, ABO Pending) |
| 3:00pm-4:00pm | Selling Skills - To Speak or Not to Speak (AOA-CPC, ABO Pending) |
| 4:00pm-5:30pm | Illinois Optometry's Celebration Happy Hour |
| SATURDAY, August 29, 2026 | |
| 7:00am | Registration Opens |
| 9:00am-11:00am | Frame Inventory Management... Managing the Practice Profit Center (AOA-CPC) |
| 11:00am – 1:00pm | Exhibit Hall Open |
| 1:00pm – 2:00pm | Frame Styling: Choosing What's Right for Your Patient (AOA-CPC) |
| 2:00pm-3:00pm | 10 Ways to Lose a Patient and Not Even Know It (AOA-CPC) |
| 3:00pm-4:00pm | Team Building: Building a Strong Team (AOA-CPC) |
