Iowa Eye Association News Oct. 2004. Series 2, no. 39.

University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

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Eye Bank Undergoes Changes

Long-Time Eye Bank Executive Director Retires

Pat Mason began her retirement July 1, 2004, after serving for 22 years as the Executive Director of the Iowa Lions Eye Bank. She began working for the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology in 1969 as secretary to Dr. Mansour Armaly and served in various grant accounting and secretarial positions until 1978, when she was promoted to Office Coordinator II in the Department of Ophthalmology as the assistant to Mr. Mel Chiles, who was then the Director of Administration. In 1982, she became the Executive Director of the Iowa Lions Eye Bank (ILEB).

Dr. Mansour Armaly and Pat Mason at Iowa Eye Association Annual Meeting 2004

She is only the second Executive Director of the Eye Bank. During the time that she was in this position, the Iowa Lions Eye Bank has received over 19,000 donations of eyes and provided over 9,000 corneas for transplantation. Prior to Mason assuming the Director responsibilities, the eye bank averaged 141 transplants per year; this figure is now over 800.

During her tenure in eye banking, Mason served on several national committees of the Eye Bank Association of America. She was also instrumental in chartering the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Lions Club and served the club in many capacities. She has been active in International Lions Clubs and has helped secure two International Lions grants in support of research in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Iowa.

Most recently, Pat Mason has moved the eye bank to its larger location on Mormon Trek Blvd., in Iowa City, increasing the space by about 3,000 sq. ft. She opened the ancillary office in Ames, Iowa, for central Iowa eye banking.

She participated in two years of discussion, which culminated in the contractual agreement with the Iowa Donor Network – establishing the foundation for continued cooperation between the ILEB and the IDN.

Mason has been recognized by receiving the University of Iowa Board of Regents Staff Excellence Award in 1998 and by the Lions Clubs International Foundation with the Melvin Jones Fellowship in 1993. The Melvin Jones Fellowship is the highest honor conferred by the Lions Club International Foundation. She has also received the Irving B. Weber Award for 1997 Outstanding UIHC Lion, the Lions International President’s Appreciation Award for 1997-1998, and the Lions International President’s Leadership Award in 2002.

The Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Iowa, and patients both in the United States and around the world are fortunate to have benefited from Pat’s leadership in the eye bank.

Having gotten up and left the house to put in a great day of work every day for the last 35 years, Pat has earned a great retirement. Ron, her husband of 43 years, is not retiring, so Pat may occasionally be found at Gallery One, the art gallery and framing business in Iowa City that Ron owns and operates. She says she may provide a little supervision there, but in the interest of family harmony will not work there regularly. She hopes now to have time to develop more hobbies. So far, she has discovered that she enjoys traveling, camping, and reading. Pat and Ron recently bought a travel trailer and hope to be able to spend more time traveling. Her favorite destination so far is visiting her family, especially 7-year-old granddaughter Andrea. We wish Pat the very best in this next phase of her life.

-adapted from the program of The University of Iowa 2004 - Retirement Reception.

Visit the Iowa Lions Eye Bank Website.