#341 - The Entrepreneurial Playbook of Michael Block

Michael Block Retired as President at Block Buying Group

August 27, 2025

Listen to "#341 - The Entrepreneurial Playbook of Michael Block" on Spreaker.

Guest Bio

Michael BlockRetired as President at Block Buying Group

Mr. Block began his career as an entrepreneur shortly after graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1973. He became a licensed ophthalmic dispenser (optician) and opened an office in New Jersey shortly after. In 1983 he was awarded the honor of New Jersey Optician of the Year.

In 1983 Mr. Block founded Block Buying Group, a group purchasing and practice management company representing nearly 5000 independent eye care professionals. He was chosen to receive the Inc. Magazine/Arthur Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1989 for his creation and management of the company.

In 1990 Mr. Block partnered with venture capital firms Chemical Venture Partners, Rothchild Inc. and Marketcorp Ventures. Shortly after, the company was rebranded as Block Vision, and started a managed vision care division that provided eye care services to HMO's, insurance companies and employer groups. Within a period of seven years Block Vision was managing vision care for five million people in thirty states representing approximately 100 HMO's and insurers thru a nationwide network of 14,000 eye care professionals.

The company was acquired in 1997 by Vision Twenty One, a Nasdaq company that specialized in roll ups of professional eye care practices. Mr. Block was retained by the company as Executive Vice President, a position he held for two years.

In 1999 Mr.Block acquired the purchasing and practice management division from Vision Twenty One. As the company's CEO he led it to become the leading optical purchasing group and practice management organization in the United States.

In 2017 Mr. Block organized a consortium of group purchasing organizations and arranged for them to be acquired by Nautic Partners, a private equity firm, under the name Healthy Eyes Advantage. He currently serves as a director of the company.

Mr.Block has lectured frequently on retail optical management and is periodically a guest lecturer of the topic of entrepreneurship at the Florida Atlantic University College of Business.