GEORGE P. BARNES, JR- back to board of directors

GEORGE P. BARNES, JR. can easily be described as a pioneer, entrepreneur, businessman, distinguished community and civic leader whose career and community service spans more than 33 years of experience and leadership in the Detroit’s business, municipal and civic communities.  He is the founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Optical Center and Heritage Vision Plans.

On July 14, 1975, he opened Heritage Optical Center and became Michigan’s first African-American dispensing optician to own and operate a full service optical dispensary. Today Heritage Optical Center, Inc. comprises three Detroit locations:  Chene Square Center, Livernois Avenue and Compuware Center.

Headquartered in Detroit, Heritage Vision Plans has a nationwide network of providers offering more than 14,000 to 20,000 locations coast to coast. Heritage Vision Plans manages and administers vision programs for a varied range of public and private clients including Wayne County, Detroit Board of Education, City of Detroit, Detroit Medical Center, and the employees of all three Detroit casinos.  Heritage Vision Plans is also the first African-American Tier I Healthcare Vision Supplier to Ford Motor Company, administering the vision benefit for Ford’s active and retired salaried employees nationally.