Society Director Roz Sinclair-Sjue (l), and IHS President Chris Gustafson (r) present the Historian award to Paul J. Willoughby (center).
(Photo courtesy of OHS)

The Oregon Hearing Society (OHS), Portland, Ore, recently marked its 50th anniversary, as more than 100 members and exhibitors attended a grand event on a beautiful weekend at Seaside, on the Oregon coast. The meeting kicked off with a golf tournament at Gearhart Links, the oldest course on the West coast, says the group.

Sergei Kochkin, PhD, executive director of the Better Hearing Institute (BHI) and author of MarketTrak studies, served as the special guest and speaker, presenting seminars on BHI activities, and a preview of the most recent MarketTrak survey results.

A grand banquet with speakers, entertainment, and a historical photographic slideshow highlighted the weekends festivities.

The society presented Paul J. Willoughby with a special Society Historian award for his dedication and commitment to the organization.

Eight former society presidents attended the event, marking the largest gathering of current and past leaders. They include NIHIS Chair Jay Thurman, Ron Scheurer, Jim Knutsen, Don Cloutier, Norm Rose, NBC-HIS Director Wayne Jacobson, past IHS President, Scott Austin, and
current IHS President, Chris Gustafson.

The society, was founded in 1959 by Harry Marx, Paul Thompson, and Paul H. Willoughby, during the time that Oregon hearing aid specialists were creating the first state law in the country to license hearing aid specialists, and promote fair business practices and ethics.
OHS also introduced the first law to prohibit the mail order sale of hearing aids, says the group. OHS is a chapter of the International Hearing Society.

[Source: OHS]