Our Leadership

William F. Austin

Founder and CEO

In 1967, Starkey Hearing Technologies Founder and CEO, William F. Austin, founded a hearing instrument repair service in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Four years later, he acquired a small earmold company called Starkey Laboratories, and merged his companies under the Starkey Laboratories name.

Austin's experience in hearing aid distribution and repair led him to create the concept of comprehensive hearing solutions. Austin's focus on customer satisfaction and quality of life revolutionized the industry by setting a new standard for innovation and service. Since 1984, his Starkey Hearing Foundation has promoted hearing care awareness through support of research, education and charitable programs.

Learn more about the Starkey Hearing Foundation

Jerry Ruzicka

President

With more than 30 years of industry experience to his name, Starkey Hearing Technologies President, Jerry Ruzicka, is the driving force behind the company's manufacturing systems, quality assurance systems, education programs, product engineering and facility expansion.

Ruzicka began his career as a Starkey technician. Today, his world-class engineering group specializes in the research and development of mixed signal hearing instrument integrated circuits. A teacher, lecturer and innovator, Ruzicka has developed coursework in Quality Systems and Product and Project Planning. He holds an associate degree in computer technology and a master's degree in business management.

Rob Duchscher

Senior Vice President of Information Technology

With more than 20 years of experience in software and technology, Rob Duchscher is currently Senior Vice President of Information Technology at Starkey Hearing Technologies. Duchscher was instrumental in building the company's leading-edge software engineering organization to deliver innovative product and customer software worldwide. He currently leads Starkey's global Information Technology organization and delivers business applications and technology solutions in all areas of the business.

Duchscher holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of North Dakota and has completed course work in the master's program in computer and information technology at the University of Minnesota.

Brent Edwards, Ph.D.

Vice President of Research

Joining the company in 2004, Dr. Edwards is responsible for developing and executing the organization's corporate research strategy worldwide. Edwards founded and developed the Starkey Hearing Research Center where he leads a team of interdisciplinary scientists and engineers conducting long-term research on hearing impairment and hearing aid technology.

Edwards received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, his Master of Science and Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of Michigan, and did his postdoctoral fellowship in Psychology at the University of Minnesota.

Keith Guggenberger

Senior Vice President of Operations

Keith Guggenberger is currently Senior Vice President of Operations at Starkey Hearing Technologies. He has held both technical and management positions during his career at the company. Guggenberger leveraged his business and quality background into information technology and held the position of Vice President of Information Technology for three years before expanding to lead Operations.

Today, he helps guide Starkey's Manufacturing, Materials, Quality, and Process initiatives. Guggenberger has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in industrial technology.

Kenny Landherr

Vice President of Administration and Credit

Since beginning his journey with Starkey Hearing Technologies in 1997, Kenny Landherr has held a number of positions in the finance group. Currently the Vice President of Administration and Credit, Landherr is in charge of ensuring that Starkey's operational processes and policies align with the company's business needs.

Landherr holds an undergraduate degree in accounting and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.

Phil Lyons

Vice President of International Operations

Joining Starkey Hearing Technologies in 1990, Lyons is currently the Vice President of International Operations. He is responsible for sales, marketing, product development for international markets, starting new facilities in new markets, and resolving issues regarding IT, production, sales, marketing, logistics, and finance via working with key members of each area.

Lyons received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota.

Chris McCormick

Vice President of Marketing

Since beginning with the company more than 15 years ago, he has held several positions within the sales and customer organizations including Sales Representative, Midwest Regional Sales Director, Senior Director of Sales Operations and Customer Service, and Senior Director of Marketing and Communications.

Today, McCormick oversees the wide variety of internal and external marketing and communication activities for Starkey Hearing Technologies including business-to-business relations with customers, retail marketing activities, public relations, social media and web site development. He holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from the Herberger College of Business at St. Cloud State University.

Larry Miller

Senior Vice President of Human Resources

Larry Miller began with Starkey Hearing Technologies in 1987 as an HR Assistant and currently holds the position of Senior Vice President of Human Resources. His responsibilities include recruiting, benefits, payroll, commercial insurance, health and safety, training, and employee relations. Prior to joining the company, Miller was the Associate Director of the Better Hearing Institute in 1979-1980 and the Manager of Information Services at the AG Bell Association in 1975-1979.

Miller received his Bachelor of Arts in humanities/journalism from the University of Pittsburgh and his Master of Science in information sciences from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales.

Susan Mussell

General Counsel, Corporate Secretary

Joining Starkey Hearing Technologies in 2004, Susan Mussell established the first in-house legal department at the company. The department now includes two additional attorneys, a paralegal, patent manager and legal administrative assistant. All members of the legal department are dedicated to providing the company with first-rate, professional legal representation.

After graduating from law school at the University of Kansas in 1982, Mussell was a litigator in private practice for 17 years, initially with the Murnane, Conlin, et al law firm in St. Paul and later with Flynn & Gaskins in Minneapolis. In 1999, she joined the H.B. Fuller Company law department as Litigation Counsel. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kansas State University in 1979.

Scott Nelson

Chief Financial Officer

Scott Nelson is currently CFO at Starkey Hearing Technologies. He has held a variety of management positions during his career at the company, including Director of Cost Management and Worldwide Controller. Nelson used his international experience to develop his skills and take over all aspects of the Finance and Accounting functions of Starkey Hearing Technologies' global operations. Today, Nelson helps guide the company's expansion into new markets as an officer of the company.

Nelson has a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree in finance from the University of St. Thomas.

Brandon Sawalich

Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Customer Relations

Brandon L. Sawalich has been with Starkey Hearing Technologies since 1994, when he started his career as an Inside Sales Executive. Since then, he has built expertise in nearly all aspects of sales and marketing in the hearing industry, and today leads Starkey's Sales, Marketing and Customer Relations teams. He is responsible for helping move the company forward through strategic development, as well as planning and executing key growth initiatives. Additionally, he is charged with building and strengthening relationships with customers. In his leadership roles, Sawalich has helped the company achieve overall growth and has built excellent teams to tackle the challenges customers and patients face every day.

Timothy D. Trine, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President of Research and Development

Tim Trine is the Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Starkey Hearing Technologies In this role, Trine is responsible for the leadership of all research and development activity at the company. He leads a staff of approximately 300 scientists, audiologists, engineers, technicians, and support personnel who research, design and develop new technologies and products to improve hearing and communication. Trine's focus is on the organizational development for an always-growing R&D community at Starkey as well as steering the short- and long-term product development roadmaps.

Trine received his bachelor's degree in communicative disorders from California State University, Northridge, his master's degree in audiology from Vanderbilt University and his Ph.D. in hearing science from the University of Minnesota.