Alcon

Alcon incorporated and with corporate headquarters, in Hünenberg, Switzerland, is a global medical company specializing in eye care products. Alcon's U.S. headquarters are located in Fort Worth, Texas. Alcon has been purchased by Novartis from Nestlé and there have been confirmed information indicating high likelihood that Alcon will soon also be merged with the new parent company.

History

Alcon was founded in 1945 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. The company started as a small pharmacy in Fort Worth and was named for its founders, pharmacists Robert Alexander and William Conner. Conner and Alexander focused on sterile ophthalmic products, which no other company specialized in at the timeand built their business by researching eye care products that would reduce contamination and increase safety.

Nestlé of Switzerland purchased Alcon in 1977. This was during a time of rapid growth for Nestlé and was their first venture into the pharmaceutical industry. Alcon expanded its manufacturing capability with new plants in South America and Europe and drastically increased its investment in research. In 1979, Alcon acquired Texas Pharmacal Company which became Dermatological Products of Texas (and is now DPT Laboratories). In 1984, Alcon founded the Technical Excellence Award to promote achievements in R&D excellence and has extended the award to more than 100 recipients. In the 80s and 90s, Alcon continued to grow and became the largest and most profitable ophthalmic company in the world. The Alcon product line has expanded from pharmaceuticals to the surgical arena. The Acrysof intraocular lens is the most commonly used implant in cataract surgery worldwide. Today, Alcon has operations in 75 countries and their products are sold in over 180 countries.

Kenny Loggins

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Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is known for soft rock music beginning in the 1970s, and later for writing and performing for movie soundtracks in the 1980s. Originally a part of the duo Loggins and Messina, he became a solo artist and has written songs for other artists.

Early life

Loggins (born in Everett, Washington) is the youngest of three brothers. His mother was Lina (née Massie), a homemaker, and his father, Robert George Loggins, was a salesman. They lived in Detroit and Seattle before settling in Alhambra, California. Loggins attended San Gabriel Mission High School, graduating in 1966. He formed a band called the Second Helping that released three singles during 1968 and 1969 on Viva Records. Greg Shaw described the efforts as "excellent punky folk-pop records" that were written by Loggins who was likely to be the bandleader and singer as well; Shaw included "Let Me In" on both Highs in the Mid-Sixties, Volume 2 and the Pebbles, Volume 9 CD.