Thomas Blair, Jr., LDO, ABOM, is a veteran of the US Air Force where he began his career in opticianry more than 30 years ago. A native of Elizabeth New Jersey, he is a honors graduate of the Ophthalmic Science program at Camden County College in Blackwood NJ, and maintains license to practice in 3 states: Florida, Georgia, and New Jersey. He was licensed as an Ophthalmic Technician in New Jersey as well. He received the Master of Ophthalmic Optics certification from the American Board of Opticianry in 1995, and in 1998 completed requirements for a Master's degree in Applied Occupational Training and Development - Opticianry. He has served opticianry in many leadership capacities over the past 25 years, including the OAG (Opticians Association of Georgia, president), being named President Emeritus in 2010. He has served on the Georgia State Board of Dispensing Opticians (Vice-Chairman), the Opticians Association of America (board of directors), and the Southeastern Opticians Conference (president).  He is the past Vice Chairman of the Commission on Opticanry Accreditation (COA), Chairman of the OAA Legislative Committee and a former Adjunct Faculty Instructor at the former DeKalb Technical College in the Opticianry Program. He is also a former adjunct faculty instructor in Opticianry at the former Somerset County College in New Jersey. Among the various awards and honors received, he was the 2001 OAA national State Leader of the Year, a 2003 recipient of the Gosnell Award as an Outstanding Optician of the Southeast, a 3 time OAG Optician of the year (1995, 2001, 2010) and the 2008 NAO (National Academy of Opticianry) Ambassador of the Year Award. He was inducted into the Camden County College Ophthalmic Science Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Georgia Opticians Hall of Fame in 2005.