Two regional managers hired, general manager promoted

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Shopko Optical, a trusted provider of patient centric eye care and quality eyewear for over 40 years, hires Shawn Jorgensen and Michelle Bender as regional managers and promotes Dixon, Illinois, General Manager Angelique Sims to market manager.

Shawn Jorgensen will be responsible for managing the western U.S., including Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Utah. Jorgensen has more than 20 years of experience in multi-unit leadership in specialty retail and retail health as well as 10 years of optical experience.

Prior to joining Shopko Optical, Jorgensen worked as the territory sales director for Hearing Life in the Colorado market and had various leadership roles within the optometry industry . Jorgensen lead strategic initiatives and directed successful teams as regional vice president for VisionWorks, LensCrafters, and Target Optical.

“I’m excited to have Shawn as part of our field leadership team,” said Kirk Lauterback, Shopko Optical COO. “His pragmatic approach to supporting his team and fostering great results combined with his strategic business-growth expertise will be paramount to supporting Shopko Optical’s growth strategy.”

Michelle Bender is hired as regional manager for South Dakota, Nebraska, and western Minnesota. She comes with over 17 years of multi-unit optical leadership experience with Luxottica and VisionWorks, most recently working as the senior regional sales manager serving 125 Sears Optical locations.

“Michelle has a proven track record as a results-driven leader and coach,” Lauterback said. “She brings energy and passion for the business, and I’m confident her teams will thrive under her leadership.”

Angelique Sims is promoted from Dixon, Illinois, general manager to market manager for central and southern Illinois. Sims has over 25 years in optical experience, working as an optician and general manager within private practice and retail centers. Since 2016, Sims has served as the general manger for Shopko Optical in Dixon.

“Angel has demonstrated an outstanding ability to represent the Shopko Optical brand and lead her team to deliver exceptional service and results,” Lauterback said. “She has consistently taken on new challenges for Shopko Optical, and I’m excited for her to have the opportunity to influence and more broadly serve in this new role and support our new store growth in northern Illinois.”

Shopko Optical will continue its expansion and the growth of its team by opening 35 new centers in 2020. For information on Shopko Optical careers and current open positions, visit the Shopko Optical website.

About Shopko Optical
Shopko Optical, is the trade name of Shoptikal LLC, an affiliate of Monarch Alternative Capital LP. For more than 40 years, Shopko Optical has provided excellent patient-centric care and high-quality eyewear through its dedicated team of nearly 700 optometrists (independent doctors of optometry in IA, ID, MT, SD and WA) and opticians. Shopko Optical expects further growth in 2020 and beyond. For more information, visit Shopko.com.

About Monarch Alternative Capital LP
Monarch Alternative Capital LP is a private investment firm with approximately $5 billion in assets under management across various investment vehicles. Monarch was founded in 2002 and focuses primarily on opportunistic investing across distressed debt, special situations equity and real estate. The firm has offices in New York and London.

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Chloe Albrecht
Public Relations Manager, Element
Phone: (920) 702-1245
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