2000 Oticon Focus on People Awards Seek Individuals Who Defy the Stigma of Hearing Loss

Somerset, NJ—Oticon, Inc., a leading manufacturer of hearing instruments, announced a call for nominations for the 2000 Oticon Focus on People Awards. This includes the Lifetime Achievement Award for a hearing care professional. Created in 1998, the national awards program honors individuals with mild, moderate or severe hearing loss who demonstrate, through their accomplishments, that hearing loss does not limit a person's ability to make a difference in their families, communities and the world. Last year's award winners included a Penn State University student, a disability access specialist for AT&T and a retired Warner Brothers animator.

Through its recognition of outstanding hard-of-hearing individuals, the Focus on People Awards is committed to changing outdated stereotypes of what it means to have a hearing loss—stereotypes that often prevent people from seeking professional help.

'We created the awards program in the belief that all of us benefit when the public develops a more positive and encouraging perception of hearing loss. Today, even with the significant advances in hearing aid technology, outdated stereotypes about hearing loss persist,' stated Oticon President Soren Holst. 'Because of these misconceptions, 80 percent of people who would benefit from advances in hearing instruments hesitate to seek help. The reality is that, with the proper hearing amplification, individuals with hearing loss can lead active, fulfilling personal and professional lives.'

1999 award winner Linda Day of Fresno, California, echoed Holst's viewpoint, 'The Oticon Focus on People Awards send a message that if you have a hearing loss you can lead a full life.'

Award Categories:
Awards are offered to hard-of-hearing individuals in four categories: Senior, for people over the age of 65; Adult, for those over the age of 18; Student, for people, age 25 and younger, who are currently full-time students in grade school through college; and Advocacy, for individuals of all ages who are actively involved in volunteer and support efforts for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. A special award in the Professional category is offered to hearing care professionals who have demonstrated a commitment to improving the world of people with hearing loss.

Category winners will receive a $2,000 award and a $1,000 donation by Oticon to a not-for-profit cause of their choice. Second and third place winners in each category will receive $250 and $100 awards respectively. All nominees, regardless of whether they are selected as category winners, will receive a Certificate of Recognition. Winning nominations will be announced at the 2000 American Academy of Audiologists Convention in Chicago in March 2000.

Lifetime Achievement Award:
This year, for the first time, Oticon will present a Lifetime Achievement Award to a hearing care professional whose contribution to promoting better understanding of hearing loss is truly exemplary. This one-of-a-kind recognition was created at the request of the awards program's distinguished panel of judges. Nominees may be retired, semi-retired or currently in practice. The outstanding professional selected for this honor will receive a $5,000 grant from Oticon, Inc.

Anyone may nominate themselves or another individual with a hearing loss for the Oticon Focus on People Awards. Hearing loss is not a requirement for nominees for the professional category and the Lifetime Achievement Award. Nominators complete a simple form that asks for a brief description of the nominee's accomplishments and achievements.

Nomination forms are available on Oticon's website at www.oticonus.com. Forms may also be obtained by phoning Oticon Customer Service at 800-526-3921 or by sending a postcard with your name and address to: Oticon Awards, c/o Rowland Company, 1675 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Deadline for award nominations is February 1, 2000.

Formed in 1904, Oticon is the world's oldest hearing care company. Oticon was the first company to develop fully automatic, non-linear hearing instruments where amplification continually adjusts to changing environments. Most recently, Oticon introduced DigiFocus II, a new generation of cosmetically attractive hearing instruments, offering improved sound quality, and an easier, more flexible fitting system. Oticon believes that, to guarantee optimal results, advanced technology must be combined with a greater understanding of the relevant human factors. The company calls this philosophy 'The Human Link.'

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