Starkey Hearing Technologies history

In August of 1970, William F. Austin bought Starkey Labs from Harold Starkey in Minnesota for $13,000.

On January 1, 1971, Starkey introduced the first Starkey custom In-The-Ear (ITE) Custom Master.

1973: Starkey markets the CE-1 custom hearing aid with in-the-ear technology.

Starkey Labs issued its first CE model custom fitted in-the-ear amplification device in 1975.

1976: Starkey opens a subsidiary business in Manchester, England.

In 1977 a campaign named the CARE program was begun to educate consumers.

1983: President Ronald Regan is fitted for hearing device; sales soar.

For more than 50 years, Austin has been providing the gift of hearing to people in need, and to formalize the philanthropic efforts of Starkey Hearing Technologies, he officially founded Starkey Hearing Foundation in 1984.

In 1988 Starkey opened new facilities in Miami, Florida, and Budapest, Hungary.

By 1990 Starkey was ranked number one in the world in its ability to service all makes and models of hearing aids and was also cited for its inventory of replacement parts for a vast variety of models of hearing aids.

By 1992 Starkey’s sales had reached nearly $200 million.

1993: The Tympanette (the first entirely in-the-ear aid) is marketed.

Starkey Labs acquired a competitor, Qualitone, in 1996.

The jury ruled in Dawson’s favor in 1998, awarding her $62 million.

One former Starkey employee filed a lawsuit accusing Sawalich of sexually assaulting her in a hotel room following a Starkey party at Austin’s house in 2001; she was 21 at the time and was fired from her job in the customer-service department five days after the encounter.

By 2006 Austin was traveling nearly all the time for his foundation work, though he remained CEO. Austin’s confidence in Ruzicka grew to the point where he made him a trustee for three of his personal trusts.

Starkey’s growth has slowed. It hasn’t released a blockbuster product since 2014, and it’s losing market share with the Department of Veterans Affairs, which accounts for one fifth of the United States hearing-aid market.

In November 2015, the feds raided Nelson’s and Ruzicka’s homes.

Ruzicka’s status was further cemented with a lucrative ten-year employment contract set to expire in January 2016.

With Ruzicka gone, Austin eventually handed the reins to his stepson Brandon Sawalich, who became president in July 2017.

Nelson testified in the 2018 trial that Sawalich had a reputation as a “serial harasser” of female employees, had tried to get raises for some of the women who had slept with him and had gotten one employee pregnant.