Prevent Blindness honors Michael McCuen, KeyBank with Southwest Ohio 2023 People of Vision Award

The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness was proud to honor Michael McCuen and KeyBank as the recipient of the 2023 Southwest Ohio People of Vision Award at a dinner event at the Cintas Center at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

Since 1985, The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness (PBO) has recognized and awarded select organizations and their leaders for visionary leadership and community service. The People of Vision Award event has become one of Southwest Ohio’s premier charitable events in support of PBO and its mission to prevent blindness and preserve sight.

As last year’s honoree, Kurt Reiber and Freestore Foodbank chaired the event and presented the 2023 award to Michael McCuen, KeyBank’s Southwest Market President.

Reiber asked that guests join in celebrating McCuen and KeyBank for their commitment to the Southwest Ohio community. McCuen proudly represented KeyBank and its team of employees who care passionately about their work and the opportunities their work provides them to help in the community.

“KeyBank Foundation supports organizations and programs that prepare individuals for thriving futures. Their funding priorities focus on neighbors, education and workforce. Through grants and sponsorships they make dreams a reality,” said Reiber.

McCuen was introduced by longtime friend and retired legendary broadcaster, Jim Scott, who shared kind words in his support of the honoree.

McCuen expressed his thanks to KeyBank for “enabling us as employees to support our community. KeyBank encourages and enables us to support so many of our favorite causes,” he said.

McCuen shared his own experience with vision challenges.

“The impact tonight causes me to reflect on being a third grader with severe nearsightedness,” he said. “I recall being too vain to wear my thick glasses. My teacher called my mom to ask why I was still squinting so badly while sitting in the front row. My mom made sure that was the last time that I didn’t wear my glasses.

“But I think about those who may not have the advocates, or the means, to fix their eyesight and what that can do to affect confidence and opportunities of all kinds. Thank you Prevent Blindness for providing such support to help improve the lives and futures of the many who have benefitted from your services.”

Half of all blindness is preventable, and the number of individuals who are blind or visually impaired is expected to double by the year 2030 if nothing is done to address the problem. Furthermore, it is estimated that the economic impact of visual disorders and disabilities costs approximately $6 billion annually in Ohio.

“Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate is proud to honor Michael McCuen and KeyBank with the 2023 Southwest Ohio People of Vision Award,” Amy Pulles, President and CEO of the Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness said. “We look forward to them chairing the event next year.”

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness is Ohio’s leading volunteer nonprofit public health organization dedicated to prevent blindness and preserve sight. We serve all 88 Ohio counties, providing direct services to 1,000,000 Ohioans annually and educating millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their precious gift of sight. For more information or to make a contribution, visit www.pbohio.org.