Alan M. Cregg is the Executive Director of the Vision Coalition Massachusetts. In this role, Alan leverages his diverse career experience in advertising, communication, real estate, law, and non-profit organizations to lead the state’s only volunteer eye health and safety organization solely dedicated to preventing blindness and saving sight. Alan’s path toward Executive Director of the Organization brings him full-circle in his career. On, February 7, 1977, as an undergraduate student at Yale University and a member of the hockey team, he was hit in the eye by an opponent’s hockey stick. The blow from the stick caused a rupture resulting in the loss of most of the vision in his right eye. Alan graduated from Yale a few months later, and continued to pursue a career in advertising; but his own personal experience with eye safety would continue to impact and shape his career in the years to come.

Over the years, Alan became a successful advertising executive, working with some of the world’s largest and most-recognizable names in consumer products at Ogilvy & Mather, one of the world’s largest Ad agencies. A few years later, he made a career change, graduating from Duke University School of Law and working as a corporate lawyer with a few Boston firms, before becoming a partner in his own firm, Cregg & Cregg. In this capacity, Alan’s past experiences in law and marketing melded into one: he served as general counsel to a number of financial services and real estate companies, and also worked toward marketing his own firm.

In 2000, Alan was offered the opportunity to add yet another facet to his work. As Executive Director of the Vision Coalition Massachusetts (formerly known as Prevent Blindness Massachusetts), Alan leverages his experience in marketing, advertising, business, and law—but he also works to champion a cause that is extremely personal to him: to ensure that no one takes their sight for granted. Since taking the position as Executive Director, Alan has focused on Board Management, adding new experience to the Board, while simultaneously maintaining its previous network. Also under Alan’s leadership, fundraising has reached record highs, with organizations such as Fidelity, Genzyme, TJX, Meditech, Millipore, and GE making contributions. Finally, he has increased the public’s awareness of the Organization by developing and implementing a star-studded communications and media campaign.

Alan’s efforts are complimented by a Board of Directors consisting of a group of other concerned and dedicated professionals. Under such committed leadership, he and the Vision Coalition Massachusetts continue their dedication to removing poor vision as an impediment to literacy, education, and a better way of life.