Shades of Entrepreneurship

What, in today's competitive world, makes any particular product stand out from the rest?

A group of IC alumni seems to have hit upon the answer, at least as far as sports sunglasses are concerned. Jason Wildman ’91, an athlete, was frustrated by finding sports eyewear that was overpriced, offered mediocre optics, and broke easily. Already the owner of Ultimate Vision, a company that licensed sunglasses to the National Football League and Major League Baseball, he decided to create his own line of eyewear for athletes that provided maximum optics and protection, looked good, and was reasonably priced. He decided to offer a lifetime warranty on the product, which he calls Native Eyewear.

The company is based in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, and the line debuted at the National Sporting Goods Association Show in Chicago in the summer of 1998. Wildman is president of Native Eyewear and his management team includes Randy Ostrow ’91, national sales manager; Eric Grunfeld ’93, account executive; Corey Havelka ’91, director of operations; and Max Golden ’97, sales and marketing assistant. They launched five styles, all touting "techno-assets" with names like "rhyno-tuff frames," "prismatic crystal carbonate lenses," and "gator-lok temples." Since the eyewear was designed with outdoor sports such as skating, surfing, biking, and running in mind, the company has signed on a professional snowboarder and mountain biker as spokespersons. Wildman has already sold Ultimate Vision, and he and Ostrow hope to expand Native’s market to 12 different countries by the end of the year.

— Penny Bianconi