Audiologist serves the poor, celebrities for hearing health
Dr. Ronna Fisher, founder and audiologist with the Hearing Health Center, has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Lady Gaga, Kenny Rogers and Roger Daltrey.
She fits the musicians and singers with ear monitors, so they can regulate what they hear on stage during their performances. She does that by making impressions inside the ear with a pliable material so the custom fit allows the monitor to fit well.
Fisher often goes to Chicago area music venues when doing ear monitors. But in the case of Hall of Fame rocker Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who, she went to his suite at the Ritz Carlton in downtown Chicago.
"I was joking and asked him 'Are you deaf,' and his whole entourage nodded their heads," laughed Fisher, 62. "I then asked him when was his last hearing test."
For 33 years, Fisher has been working with adults and children around the suburbs by providing hearing tests and hearing aids. She now has five offices in Naperville, Oak Brook, Highland Park and two in Chicago. She said many people lose their hearing for various reasons, including long-term exposure to loud noise, age and certain medications.
As for Daltrey, he went to Fisher for a hearing test and was fitted with an aid about 3 years ago. Since then, Daltrey returns to her for a check up whenever he's in town, she said.
Fisher, who was born and raised in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, grew up while her father exhibited hearing problems. That's what led her to become an audiologist. Besides local residents and the occasional celebrity, Fisher helps those who cannot afford to get a tests or aids through her Fisher Foundation for Hearing Health. "I've been in this business for 33 years and I still want to help people," she said.
Muthana to be honored
Aneesa Muthana, president and owner of Pioneer Service Inc. in Addison, will receive the Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Award from the Manufacturing Institute. The award honors women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of manufacturing, from the factory floor to the top office. The awards ceremony will be April 20 in Washington, D.C. Pioneer Service has been a manufacturer in Addison since 1990.
Talking up tourism
Dave Parulo, president of Schaumburg-based Meet Chicago Northwest, was in Washington, D.C. with other tourism colleagues. He also had the chance to visit with Rep. Raj Krishnamoorthi to talk about his favorite subject, tourism in the Northwest suburbs.
FastTracks
• Karen Lowney was promoted to executive director of Data Privacy Compliance at Northbrook-based Astellas. She will lead efforts to promote compliance to data privacy laws and regulations.
• Ben Warriner, executive vice president and partner at Morgan/Harbour Construction in Willowbrook, completed the requirements for the nationally recognized Design-Build Professional certification.
• Chris Coborn, chairman, president and CEO of Coborn's Inc., was named chairman of Elk Grove Village-based Topco Associates LLC board of directors.
• Bill Toler will become executive vice president of strategic planning and development of Schaumburg-based Global Brass and Copper Holdings Inc. and Dale Taylor will be president of Olin Brass starting April 3. Olin Brass is a division of GBC Metals LLC.
• Andrew Sinclair, a former executive with the Skype division of Microsoft, will join Motorola Solutions as the company's first head of software.
• Husband-and-wife team Craig and Kim Hackl recently opened a new FastSigns franchise on Dempster Street in Skokie.
• There's more to business than just the bottom line. We want to tell you about the people who make business work. Send news about people in business to akukec@dailyherald.com. Follow Anna Marie Kukec on LinkedIn and Facebook and as AMKukec on Twitter.