Corporate structure
Éric Babin
President
Eric Babin was appointed President of the IRIS division when the banner was acquired by Newlook Vision Group acquired in 2017. Mr. Babin joined IRIS in 1998 with a strong background in IT. He successively held the positions of Director of IT, Vice President of IT and Communications and Vice President of Marketing.
Dr. Jahel St-Jacques, Optometrist
Vice President, Professional affairs and Partner relations
Dr. Jahel St-Jacques, Optometrist, joined IRIS immediately after graduating from the University of Montreal School of Optometry in 2004. She practiced as a contractual Optometrist, then as a franchisee and now as a partner. She held the position of regional representative on the IRIS Advisory Committee for a few years. She joined the Professional Development Team in 2013 and took responsibility for it as Deputy Vice President, Professional Development in 2015. It is since 2019 that she occupies the role of Vice President, Professional Affairs and Training. Dr. St-Jacques is the wife of Dr. Patrick Caron, also IRIS Optometrist and partner, and the mother of two young girls of 13 and 10 years old. She has been involved as a cyclist for 5 years on the Tour CIBC-Charles-Bruneau to raise funds for pediatric cancer.
Dr. Daryan Angle, Optometrist
Vice President of Business Development
Dr. Daryan Angle was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, graduated from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry in 2001 and joined IRIS in British Columbia in 2002. He served as Vice President of Professional Relations from 2006 to 2013, during which time he successfully led a political-legal challenge to the regulations governing the business practices of optometry in Ontario, allowing for open collaboration with Opticians and corporations, as well as the freedom to advertise, and the right to dispense eyewear at retail pricing. Following that appointment his role became national as Executive Vice President and Chairman of the Board from 2014 to 2017. Currently he serves as Vice President Business Relations and Development, Ontario. Dr. Daryan Angle is a practicing Optometrist, franchise partner (Waterloo, Ontario), and has extensive management experience in operations, regulatory/legal and merger/acquisitions.
Dr. Gaston Bérubé, Optometrist
Vice President Special Projects
Dr. Bérubé has been with IRIS since its beginning in 1990. Throughout the years he has held many positions but most recently has been appointed the role of Vice President of Special Projects.
Lynn DeKoster
Vice President of Corporate Relations and Communications
Ms. DeKoster has over 25 years in the optical industry. She joined IRIS in 2000 when IRIS acquired the Fort Optical group in Western Canada. In 2012 she was appointed the role of Vice-President of Corporate Relations and most recently Vice President of Corporate Relations and Communications.
Dr. David Schwirtz, Optometrist
Vice President of Medical Affairs & Professional development
Dr. Schwirtz joined IRIS The Visual Group in 2009 as a clinician and completed a residency in 2010. From 2012 to 2015 he provided expertise and training as the Chair of Refractive Surgical Services for IRIS’ Professional Development Team (Western Canada). In 2012 he was appointed as General Manager of IRIS Ophthalmology Clinic in Langley BC.
In more recent years, Dr. Schwirtz has continued to serve IRIS The Visual Group as a Vice President. In the past, his responsibilities have included Professional Development and Regulatory Affairs. Today, he continues his leadership in the company as Vice President Medical Affairs and Professional Development.
Outside of his executive role at IRIS, Dr. Schwirtz remains active as a practicing Optometrist in the network and adjunct assistant clinical professor for his alma mater, Pacific University College of Optometry.