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 The Founder
Co-Founder, Chairman, CEO, and President
Roger Hardy discovered his passion the moment he realized that customers were being ripped off. Working for a contact lens manufacturer, Hardy realized the mark ups on these products were crazy. Seeing first hand the way customers were being taken advantage of didn't sit well with him. This is the moment Hardy gained his vision for Coastal Contacts. "Saving the World from Overpriced Contacts"
A noble mission indeed!
Hardy knew when the Internet entered the public world, that this was something special. He knew that this was one of the most powerful tools ever invented and it would aid him in changing the way the world bought contact lenses. The revolution has started with contact lenses, but according to Hardy, "This is only the beginning."
Hardy is setting his sights on eyeglasses next, and aims to be a Billion dollar business by the year 2015. "Revolutionizing one industry at a time."
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Hardy grew up in Eastern Canada until, after graduating from Bishops University in 1993, his passion for skiing pulled him to the West Coast. He spent a year skiing in Whistler and came to the decision that BC was his home.
While at Bishops University Hardy was a member of the men's rugby team, where his competitive nature garnered him the Most Valuable Male Athlete of the year award for his team. Later in his career, it was this competitive spirit that helped Hardy succeed in an online industry in which thousands had entered, and failed.
Competition wasn't the only thing that drove Hardy in university. His unique ability to envision business opportunities also shone through at a young age, when he started a t-shirt printing business that paid his way through school.
Settling in Vancouver BC, Roger began to build his resume working for Loomis Courier and Wessley Jessen. It wasn't long before his entrepreneurial affinity began to take over, and Coastal Contacts was born.
As current President, CEO and Chairman of Coastal Contacts, Hardy focuses his talents on corporate strategy, business development and Merger and Acquisition endeavors.
Still managing a balance between work and play, Hardy is a member of the Jericho Tennis Club, where he plays squash for the Division 1 league.
Hardy has been a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) since 2004, and currently sits on the membership committee for the YPO Vancouver Chapter.
In 2003, Hardy Established the Hardy Endowment fund at Bishops University which will pay the tuition of a student "in need" each year in perpetuity.
Hardy has been presented with many awards over his years as Coastal's leader, including BC Business Magazine's (Top Forty under Forty" in 2002, and The Pacific Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Business-to-Consumer) in 2006.
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