Envision seeking ways to diversify in effort to find new sources of revenue

If you thought Envision was just about employing those with low or no vision to make plastic bags for the military, think again.

Spurred by declining revenue and growing need, the 80-year-old Wichita-based nonprofit known for its manufacturing operation is expanding its mission and sources of revenue. Its most public move will be to launch within the next month what it says will be an annual fundraising campaign. The goal is $1.6 million in the first year.

The diversification of Envision’s mission is nothing new. Over the past decade, Envision opened a clinic and started providing training to others with similar missions. But that effort is accelerating under new Envision CEO Michael Monteferrante, who has been at the helm for six months.

Estimates show the number of Americans suffering from vision problems will nearly double between 2010 and 2030 as the population ages and conditions such as diabetes increase.

At the same time, Envision is confronting falling revenue from its core operation of making plastic grocery bags for military commissaries. Envision’s revenue has fallen more than 30 percent from its peak of $169 million in 2010.

Diversification took on greater urgency this winter when federal budget cuts, known as sequestration, hit the organization in late February.

“It was a 38 percent cut. Overnight,” Monteferrante said. “It’s hard to adjust.”

The organization closed its operation in Kansas City, laying off 22 workers; laid off nine more in Wichita; and cut hours. It also continued to plan for how to transform itself.

The organization’s plans call for the development of a research arm to be based on the third floor of the Envision building at 610 N. Main. The research would be applied, rather than basic, seeking ways to improve devices and techniques to aid those with low or no vision. It is presently wooing potential donors to support the facility.

It would work hand-in-hand with the organization’s clinic on the second floor, education and training outreach, and its traditional employment mission. There are other entities that do some of these functions, from hospitals to universities to nonprofit groups to medical device makers – and that’s good, because it means lots of collaborators, they say – but Envision’s leadership sees its size and narrow focus as uniquely able to bring a comprehensive approach to the low- and no-vision population.

To pay for its operations, Monteferrante has brought in Michael Montana as senior vice president to develop new business. The emphasis on aggressively digging up more business is new, Monteferrante said.

“The focus in the past was not to go out and look for work,” he said. “(The work) came in, and it was robust.”

Montana, who has been on the job about a month, is seeking new customers for the organization’s plastic bags from other federal agencies and the private sector.

Envision is also the second-largest producer of business cards in the country, Monteferrante said.

Montana said Envision is also looking to develop and sell other products, such as cleanup kits using bags and gloves.

The goal is to be both comprehensive and nationwide in its approach to improving the quality of life for those with low or no vision, the leaders say.

“We would like to become the leader in low vision,” said Heather Hogan, Envision’s senior marketing and operations executive.

Envision recently expanded its board to bring in people from across the country. The board consists of Sam Williams, chairman; Jon Rosell, vice chairman; Monteferrante; Bert Denny; Gregory Ek; David Harris; Douglas Hobbs; Terry Keller; Penny Mishkin; Bob Ring; Joseph Sullivan; Randy Summers; and George Timberlake.

This story was originally published July 30, 2013 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Envision seeking ways to diversify in effort to find new sources of revenue."