Starkey Labs
William Austin, founder and CEO of Starkey Laboratories Inc. and the Starkey Hearing Foundation, was recently honored in Washington, DC, with a National Caring Award for his generosity and commitment to service. The award was presented by Senator Robert J. Dole, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Caring Institute. Austin organizes over 150 missions a year to countries such as Vietnam, Mexico, the Ukraine, the Dominican Republic, and South Africa to fit needy children with hearing aids. In addition, the foundation promotes hearing health awareness and provides hearing aids, hearing aid batteries, and other hearing products to needy people. Austin joins other National Caring Award recipients, including Mother Teresa, former President Jimmy Carter, and Hugh Downs.

Oticon Foundation & DRF
The Oticon Foundation has awarded the Deafness Research Foundation (DRF) a $20,000 grant for the production and distribution of a consumer education booklet entitled Parents Guide to Hearing Loss. The 30-page booklet will provide information about the causes of hearing loss/impairment, possible treatment options, prevention techniques, and available resources.

AG Bell Association
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) has appointed Gayla Hutsell, MA, as AG Bell’s deputy executive director of education and professional outreach. This newly-created position is the first of its kind in the company’s 113-year history. Hutsell will oversee AG Bell’s publications, periodicals, and advocacy departments, as well as developing educational programming and outreach services for professionals. These services will include training, certification, and accreditation programs. Hutsell will also plan and coordinate AG Bell’s Summit on Deafness, to be held in Washington, DC, on February 26-29, 2004. A certified and licensed audiologist and speech-language pathologist, Hutsell has over 12 years of clinical experience as supervisor and instructor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Cochlear Americas
Cochlear Americas has launched the Cochlear Consumer Advisory Board, a consumer advisory board for cochlear implant recipients. Members of the board will facilitate Cochlear in meeting the needs of its recipient base. The primary goal of the board is to increase Cochlear’s knowledge about the needs of Nucleus recipients and cochlear implant candidates.

Carnegie Research
Michael Clemens, hearing industry analyst for Carnegie Research, Copenhagen, Denmark, has accepted a new position as senior portfolio manager of a mutual fund. Succeeding Clemons will be Carnegie Research Securities Analyst Thomas W. Sørensen who has worked with Clemons analyzing the hearing industry for several years.