THE FOUNDER
PIONEER. ENTREPRENEUR. BUSINESSMAN.
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 40 years of experience and leadership in the Detroit business, municipal and civic communities. He is the Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Heritage Optical and Heritage Vision Plans.
George Barnes is known as a man of considerable ability as well as a talented entrepreneur who has contributed much to the community. His affiliations include serving as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) and Chairman of its Healthcare Industry Group. He is a Lifetime Member of the Detroit NAACP and serves on both the Detroit NAACP Board of Directors & Executive Committee. He is an Advisor on the Advisory Board of the University of Detroit Mercy College of Business Administration. Mr. Barnes has received numerous awards, honors and commendations for his dedication and contributions to the viability of the City of Detroit. He has served and continues to serve the best interests of the citizens of the State of Michigan.
Married to Mrs. Kay Boyd Barnes, they have three children, Leonard, Tracy and George C. and three grandchildren. He is an active member of Berea Lutheran Church of Detroit since 1957. Currently serves as an Elder on the Board of Trustees and previously served as Chairman of the Congregation for three years.
OUR STORY
“A LEGACY OF SERVING GENERATIONS”
On July 14, 1975, at the corner of Chene and Lafayette in Detroit, Michigan, George P. Barnes, Jr. made history. 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 Campus Martius Center. These centers contribute to the revitalization of the neighborhoods by providing employment and economic growth in the communities which they exist. On an ongoing basis, Heritage Optical Center participates in Mayor Duggan’s Grow Detroit Young Talent summer program that allows high school students from Detroit the opportunity to gain work experience at its three locations. Additionally, college seniors at Ferris State University complete their internships under the leadership of the Doctors of Optometry on staff at Heritage Optical.
In 1991, Heritage Optical applied for and successfully obtained an Alternative Financing Delivery System (“AFDS”) Certificate of Authority from the State of Michigan. Heritage Optical is the only minority-owned company to hold an AFDS license. This designation allows the company to offer managed vision care plans and fully covered vision care programs which are administered through Heritage Vision Plans.
In 2006, the company began a process to separate the retail and vision benefit management functions into two separate companies: Heritage Optical Center, www.heritageoptical.com the retail company and Heritage Vision Plans, the vision benefit management company, www.heritagevisionplans.com. This separation allows both companies to be individually recognized and focused on their growth and expansion.