Every year, the Grossman School of Business hosts the Hoffman Family Business Lecture, a speaker series that provides opportunities for UVM students to learn about innovative business policies and practices from leading scholars and practitioners through special guest lectures. 

The next Hoffman Family Business Lecture will take place on April 20, 2023 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Keller Room at Ifshin Hall. This event will feature Jordan Kassalow ‘83, founder of VisionSpring, the co-founder of EYElliance, and a Partner at Drs. Farkas, Kassalow, Resnick, & Associates as well as an eye doctor, social entrepreneur, and author.  

As part of this year's theme, “Journey of Scaling a Social Enterprise," Jordan will discuss how his organization has adopted new strategies and business models to reach impact at scale. VisionSpring is a social enterprise founded on a very basic principle that "if you can't see, you can't work." His organization has evolved to correct the vision of 10 million people at the Base of the Pyramid with eyeglasses. VisionSpring sells low-cost eyeglasses to individuals in developing nations to increase their functioning, productivity, and income earning potential to create a path out of poverty. By selling new eyeglasses rather than donating recycled ones, VisionSpring awakens market demand and serves four times as many people per dollar input.  

Jordan also founded the Global Health Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations. He was named one of Forbes Impact 30 and has received numerous awards including ones from the World Bank, the Aspen Institute, and the Clinton Global Initiative. He is also the author of Dare to Matter: Your Path to Making a Difference Now. 

This event is worth 100 PEAKS points. For more information, contact Sarah O’Sullivan.