R. Randy Olson likes to say the world is full of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. “I’m not always the smartest guy in the room,” he says. “But I’m fortunate to know my strengths and weaknesses, surround myself with motivated people, and I make sure they have what they need.”
He offers the line with characteristic modesty, as if anyone with enough gumption could have built the world renowned John A. Moran Eye Center. In reality, Olson is anything but ordinary. What began in the early 1980s as a one-man ophthalmology division—powered by optimism, persuasion and a borderline reckless belief in what was possible—grew over four decades into a globally known eye center at the University of Utah.
ranks top 10 in the nation.
Photo courtesy of John A. Moran Eye Center
His successor, CEO and Ophthalmology Department Chair Dr. Jeff Pettey, offers the translation: “Make no mistake, Randy is brilliant,” he says. “His other superpower—aside from relentless optimism—is humility. He can actually remove his ego from decision-making. It’s rare.”
Sparking an Institution
It’s also how his story begins. In 1979, at 31, Randy cold-called the University of Utah’s chair of surgery after hearing the school’s lone ophthalmologist was leaving. He was given the division—minus any substantial startup funding—on what amounted to a dare. Unflinching, Randy got to work recruiting a cadre of equally hungry clinicians and researchers. He rallied the community around two deceptively simple convictions: that “little old Utah” deserved world-class eye care, and that no one should go blind from a treatable disease.
One of the first believers was University of Utah alum John Moran. “We had a dog-andpony show for John,” says Randy, recalling their introduction in then-President Chase Peterson’s office. “He said, ‘I like it. I want to be involved.’” When Moran asked how much they needed, Randy froze. Ultimately, it was Peterson who would throw out $3 million. Randy says he had no idea where Chase came up with the number, but he nodded along.
Moran, he says, closed the deal with a handshake. “He turned to me and said, ‘Randy, I’m putting my faith in you. I’m putting my name on you. I’m not doing this unless you’re committed to creating something excellent.’” It was both a blessing and a burden, and Randy felt the weight of it immediately.
Setbacks
Life, for its part, didn’t simplify. Around the same time, Randy’s teenage son was diagnosed with bone cancer—in an era when chemotherapy was still experimental and terrifying. “I barely slept,” he says. “Everything stacked up—it made the world feel impossible.”
His son slowly recovered, buoyed by emerging treatments. That experience steeled Randy’s resolve to push for similar breakthroughs in his own field. “It was a dark time personally, and a critical time professionally. I’d made a promise, and we needed to keep the momentum.”
Momentum carried them far. Randy, aside from steering the department and treating patients, helped pioneer modern cataract
surgery, transforming what was once a grueling ordeal into a relatively quick outpatient procedure. He oversaw the first Moran Eye Center opening in 1993; a larger second center followed in 2006, backed by another transformative gift from Moran. Today, the institution includes more than 50 specialists, 600 employees, 11 satellite clinics, over 20 research labs and a leading global outreach program. It routinely ranks among the top 10 in the nation for its level of care.
Pettey summarizes it neatly: “He built an internationally renowned center, created a premier training program and committed to caring for underserved communities,” he says. “Most importantly, he established research that has led to discoveries and cures for millions.”
Pass The Torch
Stepping away after 40 years hasn’t been easy. “I still have a hard time going back to the building—I get choked up,” Randy admits. But he’s heartened by what’s on the horizon. “We’re poised to have a cure for macular degeneration. We’re in phase two of a gene treatment.” That work will continue because of the strong foundation Dr. Olson built over the decades.
For a man who insists the world is full of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, Randy has spent a lifetime quietly proving that while his acts are indeed extraordinary, he is anything but ordinary—his unique brand of leadership is woven into how millions see the world.
As he hands the reins to a new generation, the future looks—appropriately—brighter than ever.
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