Giovanni Feroce,

Founder and CEO

In 1991, Giovanni Feroce joined his brother Antonio’s Ferocious Eyes Optical Center in North Kingstown, RI. Established in 1987, the Optical Center helped establish the Feroce name by emphasizing skilled and compassionate eye care combined with the latest eyewear fashions.

Within a short time, Giovanni doubled the size of the first center while opening a second location in the same area. Soon afterwards, Giovanni relocated one of the optical centers to the University of Rhode Island’s student union and renamed it College Optical. By August 1994, Giovanni launched College Optical Company, Inc., and in 1995 opened locations at the University of Hartford, CT and Radford University, VA.  Giovanni further diversified his business plan by adding College Optical Contact Express, a mail order business, signing on to 12 additional colleges and universities across 11 states.  In 1996, Giovanni added the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta.

A Combat Veteran and a United States Army Major Giovanni served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, deploying to the Middle East numerous times since 9/11, serving as a Ground Operations Officer, as well as an Interagency Operations Officer. He was also selected to be United States Central Command's first Joint Interagency Liaison Officer in Washington D.C, serving as the link between six core U.S. government agencies; Department of State, FBI, DEA, CIA, DHS, and the Department of the Treasury's Office of Intelligence and Analysis.

His education includes: B.A. in Political Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI; Civil Affairs Officer's Advance Course, United States John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, NC; attended Public Affairs Officer's Advanced Course, Defense Information School, FT Meade, MD; and Basic and Advanced Infantry Training from the United States Army Infantry School, Ft Benning, GA.

 

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