- April 24, 2024
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Dr. Joseph M. France, founder of Tomoka Eye Associates, said he was always amazed that doctors didn't have nicer offices.
So when it came to his own office, he decided to change that. He played big band music for patients — the sounds of Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw filled his waiting room.
"We worked 12 hours here," France recalled. "I played it from morning till night, and the girls would go crazy — absolutely crazy. And as soon as I went out the door, they turned it off. Put on country music or something."
Tomoka Eye Associates is now celebrating 50 years of business, having opened in Ormond Beach on July 10, 1972. With offices in Port Orange and Palm Coast and Ormond Beach, the latter of which is located at 345 Clyde Morris Blvd. #330, France's business has grown to employ 144 people and serves about 55,000 patients a year.
According to a press release, France earned his bachelor's degree from Loyola University in Baltimore in 1962, and later his doctor of medicine in 1966 from the University of Maryland. France also served in the Air Force from 1967 to 1969.
And three years later, he was recruited to work at Ormond Memorial Hospital, which used to be on Sterthaus Drive before it was demolished in 2012.
France said he was the first ophthalmologist in town, and attributed his move to Ormond Beach to "serendipity."
He had three children at the time, and was finishing a residency at the University of Maryland. And he was broke. He was earning $3,000 a year.
"Broke, broke," France said.
He borrowed $25,000 to open his office and worked at the hospital's emergency department a couple nights a week to earn some extra dollars. He bought a home in Ormond for just $38,000.
But it worked, and the practice he founded with just three employees still remains independently owned. He never sold it.
"I have a firm belief in you put the patient ahead of everything," France said. "First, second, last — no question about it. Second thing is to have the best people to work for you because a business, like a factory that depends on machines and robots and storage, and we rely on people skills."
Though he retired from his practice 15 years ago, he only stopped working for a couple of weeks. He was quickly called to teach at the Florida State University College of Medicine Daytona Beach campus, and serves on the community board of directors for the FSU College of Medicine.
Tomoka Eye Associates has seven doctors serving patients today: Dr. Alan Spertus, Dr. Mark Kennedy, Dr. Timothy Root, Dr. Rory Myer, Dr. Joseph Zobian, Dr. Karin Schoeler, OD and Dr. Thomas Kline, OD.
The practice hosted a celebration for the public at the Ormond Beach location on Wednesday, July 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The highlight of the event for France?
The fact that the Good Humor ice cream food truck was in attendance.
"I'm going to eat one coconut, and one creamsicle," said France, laughter in his eyes. "And then my wife will see me maybe having something else."
This story was updated at 9:06 a.m. on Friday, July 15, to correct the fact that Loyola University is in Maryland and that Dr. Joseph France's residency took place at The University of Maryland.
