OPRI Biographies
Hank Stute
With 30 plus years of entrepreneurial innovative product and manufacturing achievements in medical devices, semiconductor, consumer products and ophthalmic, Hank has a wealth of knowledge about our industry within the US and Internationally. He began his engineering carrier with McCulloch/Husqvarna Group developing innovative plastic processing, high volume robotic assisted CNC machining systems and million dollar automation systems. Hank further advanced his plastic processing expertise joining TemTech Solar Systems as a senior development engineer. During this time he engineered and implemented one off profile extrusion lines for the production of the world first one hundred percent polymer solar hot water system for residential and commercial use. Hank has a broad background in creatively integrating technologies from diverse fields and transforming these elements into world class products, systems and solutions are his specialty. He started his ophthalmic device career as Director of Manufacturing & Engineering Paragon Vision Sciences in which he progressively climbed the leadership ladder to VP of Manufacturing. Prior to resurrection and rejuvenation of OPRI, Mr. Stute invented the Paragon HDS® 100 technology and material which is the default material for the CRT® corneal molding lens material. In addition Hank co-invented the Paragon HDS® technology and material gleaned from the NASA Space Shuttle Discovery missions. *Mr. Stute acknowledges that because such inventions occurred when Mr. Stute worked for Paragon, protectable intellectual property interests in those inventions remain Paragon’s sole, exclusive, and absolute property. Beyond polymer processing Hank provided leadership in the acquisition, relocation, ISO9001-13485 certification and operation of FlexLens Inc. He developed and implemented robust polymer processing and finished lens systems used in the manufacturing of the CRT® corneal molding lens. Hank’s ingenuity has led to numerous ophthalmic manufacturing process and product patents generating multimillion dollar annual revenues.
2010 Hank joined Menicon CO Ltd. as consultant performing Due Diligence in the acquisition of LAGADO Corporation of Englewood CO. With his extensive polymer and finished lens experience he developed a collaborative operational blue print for Menicon’s New Vision multipurpose facility located in Emmen, Netherlands. Menicon is Japan's first and largest contact lens and care product manufacturer.
Hank received his Bachelor of Sciences magna cum laude, double major in Mechanical Engineering & Technical Education from Arizona State University and a Masters of Business Administration major Technology Management from University of Phoenix.
Krist Jani
Krist Jani offers 30 years of marketing, sales, domestic & international business development experience within the ophthalmic marketplace, He began his career as an optician and quickly transitioned to Territory Sales Management then Product Marketing Management position at Dow Corning Ophthalmics, the world leader in medical use silicone technology. There he progressively climbed the leadership ladder, with significant roles in the introductions of the 100% silicone Silcon and Silsight Contact Lenses. Krist then joined and later invested in Paragon Vision Sciences, a high-growth leader in gas permeable polymer development.
Hired as the Director of Marketing, he ultimately advanced to be the VP of Marketing & Sales. Due largely to Krist’s significant hands-on involvement with key global eye-care opinion leaders and contact lens manufacturers alike while spear heading the market introductions of seven unique Oxygen Permeable Ophthalmic Polymers the company grew from an entrepreneurial venture to a global leader. Notably, Krist successfully directed the marketplace introduction of several technology firsts including the first extended wear GP polymer, the first Flouro-silicone polymer system and the first GP segmented bifocal. These unique technologies all required the creation of new industry vernacular and jargon. The highlight of which occurred during a US Senate hearing regarding NASA’s Commercialization of Space Program wherein Mr. Jani was requested to provide expert testimony on the definitions and relationships, about and between these technologies.
During his most recent role as Director, Key Market Sales and Public Relations at CooperVision, Inc. Krist led the resurrection of the Authorized Distributor Program, Key Practitioner Accounts Program and Military/Government Accounts Sales Programs, therein strongly contributed to Coopervision’s growth from $75 M to nearly $350 M in U.S. sales during his tenure.
Krist Jani received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from St. Bonaventure University and an MBA with an emphasis on marketing from the University of Pittsburgh. Krist was awarded the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association, Industry Enhancement Award (2001) and a Vereingung Deutscher Contactunsenspezialisten Professional Achievement Award (1997) and additionally has sat on several ophthalmic industry Boards of Directors.
Contact Lens Manufacturers Association, Contact Lens Society of America, American Optometric Association Ophthalmic Council
*If the company owning the rights to the inventions applies for any patents for the Paragon HDS® 100 technology or material, it has been agreed that Mr. Stute will accurately be named as the inventor of the Paragon HDS® 100 technology and material. If the company owning the rights to that invention applies for any patents for the Paragon HDS® 100 technology or material, Mr. Stute has agreed to cooperate in determining the identities of additional inventors aside from Mr. Stute of the Paragon HDS® technology or material to correctly identify inventorship under the United States patent laws, including 35 U.S.C. 115(a).
