Grossnickle Family, Eye Center Honored At Spine Award Dinner
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
State Representative Rebecca Kubacki honored the family and eye center with the “Spine Award” for having backbone to start an optometry business in Warsaw.
Biomet donated the miniature replica spine in a glass case.
The award was presented during the third annual dinner at Noa Noa Wood Grill and Sushi Bar, Warsaw. The dinner, attended by 80 people, was a political fundraiser for Kubacki.
Honorary chairs for the event were Dr. Dane Miller and Jean Northenor.
Kubacki started the award that was previously presented over the past two years to current Governor Mitch Daniels and congressman and gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence.
Kubacki said the business community has been under attack since the current administration took office.
“We need to keep the business community viable and do whatever we can to keep it growing,” Kubacki said.
Kubacki said it takes real courage and spine to start a business.
“You put up that shingle and hope the free market works and Paul, the Grossnickle family and eye center are the epitome of success,” Kubacki said.
Paul Grossnickle, who retired eight years ago at age 80, opened his first optometry office on Market Street in 1957.
Paul served in World War II from 1942 to 1945. He was a fighter pilot in the United States Navy. He returned from the Navy in 1951, at their request because there was a need for an optometrist.
After getting out of the Navy he thought Warsaw would be a good place to start an optometry business because the city had good schools, recreation with the lakes and was financially sound.
“Starting a business of your own, you have to like your work and I enjoyed going into the office every day and that’s why I worked until I was 80 years old,” Paul Grossnickle said.
Grossnickle Eye Center was expanded with his sons, Steve, who joined the business in 1978, and Bruce, who joined in 1982.
That is when the idea of a surgery center began to take off. The surgery center was in full swing by 1986.
Currently, Grossnickle Eye Center does about 5,000 eye surgeries and sees about 50,000 patients a year, said Paul’s son, Bruce, an opthamologist for the center.
Bruce said the patients have been great to work with over the years.
Bruce thanked Kubacki for the award.
What began with six employees now has grown to 100. Grossnickle Eye Center has expanded to Mishawaka and Elkhart.
Steve Grossnickle, also an opthamologist for the center, spoke about the Grossnickle Foundation that was established in 1997.
Steve said the family wanted its charitable donations to increase to organizations and that is why the fund was started.[[In-content Ad]]
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State Representative Rebecca Kubacki honored the family and eye center with the “Spine Award” for having backbone to start an optometry business in Warsaw.
Biomet donated the miniature replica spine in a glass case.
The award was presented during the third annual dinner at Noa Noa Wood Grill and Sushi Bar, Warsaw. The dinner, attended by 80 people, was a political fundraiser for Kubacki.
Honorary chairs for the event were Dr. Dane Miller and Jean Northenor.
Kubacki started the award that was previously presented over the past two years to current Governor Mitch Daniels and congressman and gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence.
Kubacki said the business community has been under attack since the current administration took office.
“We need to keep the business community viable and do whatever we can to keep it growing,” Kubacki said.
Kubacki said it takes real courage and spine to start a business.
“You put up that shingle and hope the free market works and Paul, the Grossnickle family and eye center are the epitome of success,” Kubacki said.
Paul Grossnickle, who retired eight years ago at age 80, opened his first optometry office on Market Street in 1957.
Paul served in World War II from 1942 to 1945. He was a fighter pilot in the United States Navy. He returned from the Navy in 1951, at their request because there was a need for an optometrist.
After getting out of the Navy he thought Warsaw would be a good place to start an optometry business because the city had good schools, recreation with the lakes and was financially sound.
“Starting a business of your own, you have to like your work and I enjoyed going into the office every day and that’s why I worked until I was 80 years old,” Paul Grossnickle said.
Grossnickle Eye Center was expanded with his sons, Steve, who joined the business in 1978, and Bruce, who joined in 1982.
That is when the idea of a surgery center began to take off. The surgery center was in full swing by 1986.
Currently, Grossnickle Eye Center does about 5,000 eye surgeries and sees about 50,000 patients a year, said Paul’s son, Bruce, an opthamologist for the center.
Bruce said the patients have been great to work with over the years.
Bruce thanked Kubacki for the award.
What began with six employees now has grown to 100. Grossnickle Eye Center has expanded to Mishawaka and Elkhart.
Steve Grossnickle, also an opthamologist for the center, spoke about the Grossnickle Foundation that was established in 1997.
Steve said the family wanted its charitable donations to increase to organizations and that is why the fund was started.[[In-content Ad]]
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