Northern Michigan University presented its Distinguished Alumni Award to Ann (Wheeler) Cashin and Patrick Cashin of Port Washington, Wis., during NMU's 125th Anniversary Homecoming Sept. 20-21. The retired optometrists, whose careers were closely intertwined, became the first joint recipients of the award in the university's history.
The Cashins were groundbreaking leaders in both optometry and insurance. In 1983, they founded the first Limited-Service Health Maintenance Organization (LSHMO) in the United States. Specifically designed for eye care, this innovative idea influenced health care worldwide and helped lead to the creation of LSHMOs in more than 30 states. In 1990, they formed one of the first laser and refractive surgery networks for optometrists nationwide called New Sight Laser Network.
Ann graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in biology from NMU in 1969. Patrick completed a bachelor of arts in psychology in 1966 and a master of arts in education in 1969.
“I'm from Powers, Mich., and there were 25 students in my graduating class,” said Ann during their acceptance speech at the awards luncheon. “I was fortunate, as my uncle provided funding for college and my parents instilled in me a very hard work ethic. Education changed my life, and Northern Michigan University was a huge part of that.”
The duo got married while attending Northern. Pat's first job after graduation was serving as a teacher in grades 4-6 at a southwest Chicago school.
“It was at the beginning of efforts to integrate the city's school system,” he said. “They started with the faculty, so I was the first white teacher in an all-Black school. I became very close to a couple of the students in 6th grade. They were older, had influence over the other students and helped me maintain control of the classroom. In return for their help, I agreed to tutor them after school. I later worked as a school psychologist in a very poor white area of Orlando, Fla., which was the most challenging position I ever had. From those experiences, I realized all children can learn if we can learn how to teach them, provided they are in a safe and healthy environment.”
The Cashins were the first husband and wife accepted for grad school at Indiana University's School of Optometry; they completed their degrees within a year of each other. The couple attained a Wisconsin license and opened an optometry office in the Milwaukee area.
“We started with one patient file in the drawer and worked for other doctors and for the St. Francis Children's Center in Glendale until our office could be sufficient on its own,” Ann said. “In many ways, it was challenging for me as a female in what was then a very male-dominated profession. But I felt if I did a great job, stayed there and worked it through that, good things would happen. Success would come, and it did. Moving forward, after 30 years of practice, we ended up with four offices of our own, sold them for asking price in 2004 and retired. But we didn't retire from life.”
The couple contributed gifts toward annual scholarships for a male and female graduating high school senior in each of three districts: Ann's hometown of Powers; Pat's hometown of Escanaba; and Fredonia, Wis., where one of their practices was based. “We ask the students to send us notes as to their future plans and goals. We have saved them all,” Ann added.
The Cashins now split their time between Wisconsin and Florida.