The International Hearing Society’s 55th annual convention was the best ever to date!
And the location played a huge part. We went straight to the source and asked the
members where this year’s meeting should take place. Well, you asked for it and
IHS delivered…San Antonio, Texas was the overwhelming choice, and it truly was
the perfect destination for hearing healthcare professionals from around the world
to meet and exchange fresh ideas. |
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
The annual membership meeting is the official forum for discussing issues of critical significance to the Society. Attendees gathered to hear the most up-to-date information regarding the Society’s business matters. The following is a summary of that meeting.
President Cato welcomed all those in attendance, introduced the IHS Board and gave his presidential report. Additional reports followed including the secretary’s report by IHS Secretary and Southwest Governor Larry Farris, BC-HIS, ACA; the treasurer’s report by IHS Treasurer and Northwest Governor Bruce Sharp, BC-HIS, ACA; and a report on the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences given by Chair Greg Nedelec, BC-HIS.
Presentations continued with an update on the Hearing Industries Association by Director of Regulatory Affairs Andy Bopp and a briefing on federal advocacy efforts by Washington Counsel Tim Waters.
“IHS meetings are a great way to collect a lot of new information in a short period of time. Conventions like this are an opportunity to learn to work in your profession better. They are also a great way to take a break and get refreshed,” said Donald Meyer, BC-HIS. The meeting ended with a spontaneous eruption of advocacy alliance donations from those in attendance totaling an impressive $13,000.
AWARDS
New to this year’s schedule was the Awards Luncheon, an event where members were honored while interacting with colleagues and friends. The meeting began with Representative Tracy King delivering the keynote address. Rep. King was uniquely positioned to share his remarkable story. He has a well rounded perspective on hearing health. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1994 and is currently serving his fifth term. He is a leader in the Legislature; he currently serves as the Chairman of Budget and Oversight for the Environmental Regulations Committee and is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. A hearing healthcare provider himself, Rep.King serves the hearing impaired in 16 Texas counties. Rep. King told a heartfelt story about a child who was just about to attend an all deaf school, when a hearing instrument dispenser made a home visit and changed the small child’s life forever by giving him a hearing test and hearing aids. At the end of the speech Rep. King revealed he in fact was that child. And that inspired the direction of his future involvement in politics and hearing healthcare.
All-Stars, those individuals who have helped keep the Society alive and moving forward through decades of loyal membership, received special recognition. Those in attendance included: 20-year members Lena Bengtsson, BC-HIS; Richard Giles, BC-HIS; and Peter Kuopus, BC-HIS—25-year members Max Chartrand, BC-HIS; Kathy Harvey-Jones, BC-HIS, CCCA; Leslie Holden, BC-HIS; Wayne Jacobson, BC-HIS; Michael James, BC-HIS; Michael Stone, BC-HIS; Curt Wallis, BC-HIS, ACA; and Peggy Wallis, BC-HIS—30-year member John Bartolucci, BC-HIS, ACA— 35-year members Gerald Cockerham; Graham Meadville, BC-HIS—45-year member Theodore LaFaber, BC-HIS.
IHS Empowerment Awards
This year two honorees received the IHS Empowerment Award. Longtime members Raymond Z. Rich, BC-HIS, and Ernest Zelnick were the recipients. This honor is given to recognize extraordinary achievement in advancing the profession of hearing healthcare.
Rich, a former IHS president, has over 55 years experience and is one of the early visionaries in the industry.
“Raymond Rich has attained legendary status in the hearing health profession. He has served with dedication and distinction, earning his place among the revered leaders of the industry,” said President Cato. Rich, a member since 1961, currently serves as president of IHS’s Hearing Aid Foundation and is a member of the Bylaws Committee.
Rich has received many honors in the past and says about them, “My greatest rewards have not been those you hang on the wall but rather the people I’ve met. First, of course, are the hearing impaired I serve. Then are the relationships and friendships I’ve developed through my involvement in professional organizations. These have enriched my life immensely.” Zelnick has been an IHS member since 1962 and was instrumental in achieving the advancement of the hearing healthcare profession. He received this award in absentia.
IHS James Lovell Advocacy Award
Doug Johnson and the Wisconsin Alliance of Hearing Professionals were dual recipients of the IHS James Lovell Advocacy Award. This award is given in recognition of extraordinary achievement as advocates for the hearing impaired.“Doug and the Alliance have been a great force in the Wisconsin legislative arena and have been a shining example of how allied professionals can work together for positive results,” said President Cato. In 1996 the Alliance and the Wisconsin Speech, Language
and Hearing Association adopted a joint resolution recognizing “The Wisconsin Model” of cooperation for the betterment of the hearing impaired and those who serve them. The accomplishments of the model include:
• working closely with former Wisconsin Governor TommyThompson, who became Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Services. They partnered with IHS in a joint effort to defeat the FDA hearing aid rule proposals.
• helping create a joint licensing board of hearing instrument specialists and audiologists.
• helping get Medical Assistance regulations modified to recognize tests by hearing instrument specialists.
“The Alliance and I personally appreciate the national recognition of our accomplishments over the last 25 years. Visionary Alliance leaders committed to the betterment of the hearing impaired worked closely together clearly understanding the value and necessity of working together. We are proud to receive this award. We appreciate IHS’s years of effort and leadership to help us get where we are,” said Johnson.
IHS Meritorious Service Award
President Cato honored former IHS president and executive director Robin Clowers, BC-HIS, with a Meritorious Service Award, recognizing the dedication and distinguished service in advancing industry standards on behalf of IHS, the hearing impaired and those who serve them. Clowers served as the IHS president from 1988–1990 and as executive director from 1990–2004.
“It’s an honor being recognized for a lifetime’s body of work. The opportunity to influence hearing health policy as a member of the IHS Board and later as the Society’s executive director was a privilege. This award really belongs to every member and to the professional staff who worked with me. Without their efforts, the hearing healthcare team as we know it today would not exist. They are the real heroes,” said Clowers.
IHS Chapter-of-the-Year Award
President Cato presented to the Missouri Hearing Society (MHS) the 2006 Chapter-of-the-Year Award. This honor is given to the IHS affiliate chapter that has excelled in one or more of the following categories: membership development, public relations, government relations, education, and chapter meetings.
Chapter President Scott George, BC-HIS, said, “The Missouri Hearing Society is very pleased and excited to receive this award. When one considers the past recipients, MHS is humbled and awed to be included in such august company. Our most gracious thanks to IHS for selecting us for this award.”
Highlights of MHS’s achievements include:
• cooperative efforts with the audiology community
• a 10% increase in membership
• the pursuit of legislative initiatives with potential national impact
• defeat of legislation that would divide the licensing board with no consumer protection or funding plan
• an exemplary public relations program, member newsletters and website
Present Cato presented an engraved plaque and a $250 check to MHS President Scott George, BC-HIS.
The Hearing Journal’s Excellence in Education Award
William Schenk, BC-HIS, ACA, was this year’s recipient of The Hearing Journal’s Joel S. Wernick Excellence in Education Award. With this annual award, the Journal honors a person who is an advocate for excellence in dispenser education. Schenk has been a dispenser for more than 33 years and he owns a highly successful practice in the Los Angeles area. He has been a member of IHS since 1980, and he has been very active in his state organization. Schenk served for years as president of the IHS chapter in California, the Hearing HealthCare Providers of California, where he worked to raise the educational bar.
“I consider the Joel Wernick Award less of a ‘prize’ and more the sincerest form of recognition. And I am in awe! All these years I have been impressed if I even knew the awardee and never considered being honored with it myself. Many of my colleagues have earned this award in the past and I have always been so proud to have worked with them and consider them great friends including Joel Wernick,” said Schenk.
Schenk went on to say, “I was also overwhelmed with all the attention I received afterwards. Many people stopped me to shake hands and say a few kind words. Through IHS, I have made many, many friends, not only from this country but in Canada and the rest of the world as well.”
From 1996 to 2003 Schenk volunteered on IHS’s International Institute of Hearing Instrument Studies Committee, where he promoted the cause of professional education on an international level. Schenk was active in all the Institute’s work, including the publication of textbooks, accreditation of IHS courses and creation of the written and practical exam that is used in many states and Canadian provinces.
The Hearing Review’s Professional Leadership Award
For outstanding contributions to the advancement of hearing healthcare professionals and for providing excellent service to those suffering from hearing loss, IHS President Harlan Cato, BC-HIS, was honored with The Hearing Review’s 2006 Professional Leadership Award. Cato, IHS president for the last two years, is a third generation hearing instrument specialist, who has been dispensing for more than a quarter-century. For the last fifteen years he has served in numerous capacities in the North Carolina Chapter and nationally on Society committees and on the IHS and NBC Boards.
“I was so surprised. I never expected to be in the company of those who have earned this award before me. It’s always nice to be recognized, but the truth is that there were many that helped me and IHS these last years while I served on the Board and as president. I appreciate them and I offer my sincere thanks to Karl Strom and The Hearing Review for this honor,” said Cato.
As president of IHS, Cato has succeeded in building membership and enhancing educational standards. Additionally, he has among other responsibilities focused on IHS’s financial security, expanding educational opportunities and updating the image of the Society.
IHS LEADERSHIP
At the closing of the Awards Luncheon President Cato welcomed incoming President-Elect Chris Gustafson, BC-HIS, ACA, to address those in attendance. Gustafson, whose term is effective January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2008, thanked the membership for the opportunity to serve as the Society’s next president-elect and briefly described his background in the hearing healthcare field and his plans for the future of IHS.
“I will strive to further enhance the goals of the Society, working for the advancement of mutual respect of all professions involved in dispensing hearing instruments. I will work diligently to protect and preserve the rights of the consumer and hearing instrument specialists,” said Gustafson.
Last on the agenda was the traditional passing of the gavel ceremony by outgoing President Cato to incoming President James Ogurek, BC-HIS. Ogurek took the oath of office and was sworn in for his term which begins January 1, 2007 and ends December 31, 2008. Ogurek thanked the membership for their support and said, “I’m committing myself to doing everything I can to advance our profession, and with your help we can take our industry to a level of success that we have never known.”
CHAPTER LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
The annual conference of chapter leaders is a forum established for the leaders of the Society and its affiliate chapters to broaden their awareness of industry issues, open communication channels and exchange views. President Cato opened the meeting by giving a report from the IHS Board of Governors. He was followed by the Canada Territory Governor John Letts, BC-HIS, who updated chapter leaders on activities and new initiatives in Canada. IHS Marketing, Communications and Membership Manager
Felicia Anderson presented a new fundraising opportunity that utilizes chapter websites and online shopping. IHS Washington Counsels Tim Waters and Karen Sealander gave an update on federal advocacy efforts, the latest developments about the Hearing Aid Tax Credit legislation and the importance of coalition building.
Alissa Parady, manager of state legislative affairs for the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), addressed the group on the success of the IHS/AAO-HNS state liaison initiative and the importance of maintaining open access to all hearing health providers. IHS Central Territory Governor and Regulatory Strategy Committee Chair Scott George, BC-HIS, announced the development of a new IHS Model Licensure Act. He discussed highlights of the draft and encouraged feedback from chapter leaders. IHS Government Relations Manager Susan Stewart presented an update of government relations activities, legislative trends and strategies available for chapters. During an open forum, chapter leaders shared triumphs and challenges in areas such as advanced educational requirements,
licensure provisions and mail order/Internet hearing aid sales.
INFORMATION POWERHOUSE:
PREMIER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
This year’s seminars had it all! They were designed to give hearing health professionals of all experience levels a hands-on learning opportunity in variety of topics ranging from Internet research, tinnitus management, critical issues of law, marketing and much, much, more. Attendees had the opportunity to earn a total of 16.5 continuing education credits. Nancy Newton, BCHIS, summed up the comments from many of our attendees, “The best part of the convention was the quality of the educational sessions and the excellent instructors.”
EXHIBIT HALL SHOWCASE
As soon as the Exhibit Hall opened, attendees flooded through the doors with enthusiasm to get their first look at the most comprehensive array of hearing healthcare products, services and information available under one roof. The Exhibit Hall was open over a span of two days and there was plenty of activity to keep attendees and exhibitors on their feet. Here’s a glimpse at the happenings:
Silent Auction Success Reigns Supreme
The Silent Auction was never quiet! It was bursting with activity from the second it opened to the minute it closed. Thanks to all of the support from members, manufacturers and attendees, this year’s auction raised nearly $40,000. All funds received help grow the Advocacy Alliance, a fund for the support of government relations activities. (A total of over $77,000 was raised for the Advocacy Alliance over the span of the convention!)
And the Winner is…
Were you one of the surprised winners at the prize drawings held at the IHS booth? The lucky individuals include:
• Anna Mysliwiec, BC-HIS / $100
• Lloyd Musselman, BC-HIS, ACA / 2007 IHS membership
• Norman Fournier, BC-HIS / $100 (immediately donated
to the Advocacy Alliance!)
• Christine Feige, BC-HIS / digital camera
• Michael Sexton, CCCA / $100
• Kathy Wass / 2007 convention package
• Duane Wass, BC-HIS / laptop computer
Special thanks to both Starkey and Siemens for donating the digital camera and laptop computer, respectively.
EXPLOSIVE FINALE
Saturday’s closing night party kicked off with an action packed bus ride that traveled to the rustic and historic Knibbe Ranch. The temperature was perfect, the atmosphere was tantalizing and the exceptional barbecue is still being talked about. Among the highlights of the night were hayrides, country line dancing, and sharing stories by the campfire. The final hours of the evening included a vibrant display show of fireworks that lined the sky as attendees looked on in awe. It was a spectacular finale for an exciting week.
“I’ve never missed a convention in the last 57 years and this one was definitely one of the very best!” said Herbert C. Knapp, BC-HIS.
FROM ONE EXCITING CITY TO THE NEXT!
Plan today to attend “A Sound Bet” in Reno, Nevada September 26–30, 2007 for our 56th Annual Convention and Expo. You can count on an explosion of creative concepts, innovative programming, practice-building opportunities and, well, a ton of fun. Reach for your calendar today and save the date!
