Former Fredonia doctors named distinguished alumni

Patrick and Ann Cashin of Port Washington, who operated an eye clinic in Fredonia for decades and today split their time between Wisconsin and Florida, are among six recipients of the 2024 Northern Michigan University Alumni Awards.

This is the first time a couple has been awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Ann Wheeler Cashin, a retired doctor of optometry, earned a bachelor of arts in biology in 1969 from NMU.

Patrick Cashin, a retired doctor of optometry, earned a bachelor of arts in psychology in 1966 and a master of arts in education in 1969 from NMU.

Mrs. Cashin earned a doctor of optometry degree from Indiana University in 1974 and her husband earned a doctor of optometry degree from Indiana University in 1973.

Groundbreaking leaders in optometry and insurance, the husband and wife team operated a successful optometry practice and were the founders of the first limited-service health maintenance organization in the United States in 1983. Specifically designed for eye-care, this innovative idea influenced health care worldwide and helped lead to the creation of similar organizations in more than 30 states.

In 1990, the couple formed a laser and refractive surgery network for optometrists called New Sight Laser Network, one of the first in the country.

The couple initially began their optometry practice in Milwaukee but moved to Fredonia in the late 1970s. They operated Fredonia Vision Center until Mrs. Cashin retired in 2004 — Mr. Cashin spent much of his time with Eye Care of Wisconsin, their limited-service health maintenance organization.

The couple also had clinics in Fox Point and Mequon.

When they began practicing, women were just entering the work force in numbers and Mrs. Cashin told Ozaukee Press in a 2022 interview about some of the resistance she faced.

When they opened the clinic, she said, it wasn’t unusual for people to walk in and say to her, “Who are you, the nurse?” 

“It sounds strange in today’s world,” she said, adding it was par for the course back then. She would tell people that she would give them their exam and if they weren’t satisfied, they could have a man conduct an exam.

“I never had any takers,” she said.

Mrs. Cashin noted that as time went on, people’s opinions of women in the exam room changed.

“The tide has turned,” she said. “If I wasn’t there, people would ask, ‘Where’s the lady doctor?’

“If you do better than average and stick around long enough, you can change minds.”

The couple announced in late 2023 they would donate $250,000 to the Northern Ozaukee Schools Scholarship Foundation — the largest single donation to the foundation in its history — in addition to the $125,000 the couple gave to the foundation after they closed their clinic, according to the foundation.

The  Cashins and the other honorees will be recognized at NMU during homecoming  activities on Sept. 20 and 21.