HIA Elects Scott Davis as Chairman
WASHINGTON, DC, March 12, 2015 — HIA elected Scott Davis, Siemens Hearing Instruments, as Chairman of the Board at its recent Annual Meeting in Washington, DC on March 4. HIA also elected Peer Lauritsen, Oticon, to be Vice-Chairman and reelected Robert Tong, ON Semiconductor, to be Secretary/Treasurer. Todd Murray, GN Hearing Care Corporation, continues on the HIA Executive Committee as Immediate Past Chairman along with President Carole Rogin. HIA also re-elected Gordon Walker, Knowles Electronics; Jeff Newnham, Phonak; Jeff Taylor, Sonion; and Jeff Geigel, Widex. Kevin Kouba, Spectrum Brands, and Jerry Ruzicka, Starkey Hearing Technologies, continue on the Board.
Outgoing HIA Chairman Todd Murray (left), accepts a Ceremonial Gavel from incoming Chairman Scott Davis, thanking him for service to HIA from 2010 to 2015.
Hearing Champions Rally to Support HATC in Spite Of DC Snowstorm
In spite of a snowstorm that shuttered federal agencies on March 5, HIA members teamed with members of AGBell Assn. for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AGBell) and Hearing Loss Assn of America (HLAA) to visit Senators, Representatives and staff urging them to support the Hearing Aid Tax Credit. Although many meetings were cancelled, the hearing champions persevered through snow and slush to urge Congress to support the legislation. HATC champions from AAA, ADA, ASHA and IHS also made the rounds on the Hill in spite of the weather.
Advocates urged Senators to co-sponsor S.315 which was introduced by Senators Dean Heller (R-NV) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and urged Representatives to co-sponsor the HATC which will be introduced by Reps. Devin Nunes (R-CA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) later this month. Senator Heller opened the HIA Annual Meeting on March 6 and discussed the importance of hearing health and the HATC. He is a member of the Senate Finance Committee which has jurisdiction over all tax legislation including the HATC.
