Piscataway, N.J. - Alina Urdaneta, Vice President of Marketing at Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc., a leading manufacturer of hearing instruments in the United States, has been selected by the editors of Hispanic Engineer & Information Technology (HE&IT) magazine to receive the prestigious award "Most Important Hispanics in Technology" for 2008. She was recognized at the annual event in October and was profiled in HE&IT and Diversity Careers magazines, among others. Urdaneta was selected from thousands of employees from more than 100 companies, ranking her among the highest-achieving Hispanic executives, technologists, and researchers who have demonstrated leadership in the workplace and in their communities.
"I am very pleased and honored to have received this meaningful award," she said. "To me, it represents a positive reflection and recognition of my efforts both on the job and in my community. I strive to make a difference in what I do, and to unify the efforts of my colleagues to reach the highest business and personal goals possible, and I am gratified that my efforts have been appreciated in this manner."
Urdaneta's educational background includes electrical engineering with a combined BSEE and MSEE in Power Systems Engineering from the Universidad General Rafael Urdaneta, Maracaibo, Venezuela. An interest in engineering seems to have become a family tradition.
"I was born in Cuba and was raised in Venezuela, and both of my parents were engineers," she said. "My brother and sister are also engineers, as is my husband. Now, my two children are pursuing engineering degrees. It must be in our genes."
How did an engineer transition to a successful marketing career? In Urdaneta's case, it was a logical evolution. Her more than 20 years of professional working experience began in Venezuela, where she founded a group that sold and provisioned satellite and wireless services, then later distributed and serviced medical equipment for Hewlett-Packard. In 1994, she and her family moved to Miami, Florida, where she became marketing and test program manager for Hurst Corp. By the time she joined Siemens Communications in 1997, she possessed a hybrid approach to marketing that is all her own - and very effective.
"Engineering gives you problem solving and analytical skills and technology is a universal language. I can analyze a changing marketplace with my engineering eye, then apply good marketing tactics to effect positive results. Our customers benefit, as well as the company."
Alina joined Siemens Hearing Instruments in September 2008 to lead their quickly expanding marketing and communications initiatives.
"I am arriving at Siemens Hearing Instruments when their products, messages, and communications are at a very interesting inflection point. Recent and new opportunities and creative thinking have opened new doors for us, and I look forward to applying all my skills and resources to reach even higher to support every segment of this fine company and its loyal professional customers."
What is the state of the hearing industry according to Alina Urdaneta?
"It's exciting his industry has really come of age. New technologies are allowing patients with hearing loss to reconnect with their world of sound, and to do so according to their personal preferences. From R&D to marketing, Siemens follows a whole-person philosophy - we are no longer just about ears. Our goal is to fit our hearing instruments to both the patient's medical and lifestyle requirements. Today, I definitely see the old-fashioned stigma or embarrassment of yesteryear's hearing hardware going away. Our tiny and sophisticated hearing instruments and high-tech accessories are fashionable and multi-functional. They fit who you are, go where you go, and do what you want them to do. Plus, they look great. The state of the industry? I think the hearing industry has been listening, because today we're able to provide much more of what the consumers have been asking for."
The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in knowledge engineering, including information technology and system integration. With its laboratory diagnostics acquisitions, Siemens Healthcare is the first integrated healthcare company, bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy, and healthcare information technology solutions, supplemented by consulting and support services. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care - from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. Additionally, Siemens Healthcare is the global market leader in innovative hearing instruments. The company employs around 49,000 people worldwide and operates in 130 countries. In the fiscal year 2008 (Sept. 30), Siemens Healthcare reported sales of 11.2 billion, orders of 11.8 billion, and Sector profit of 1.2 billion. Further information can be found by visiting www.siemens.com/healthcare or the Siemens Web Channel on AudiologyOnline at www.audiologyonline.com/channels/siemens.asp.
