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Red Sox Icon Confirms Better Hearing Isn’t “The Impossible Dream”

Rico Petrocelli Helps Zounds Hearing Centers Address and Treat Local Hearing Loss

Boston – August 13, 2008 – Zounds Hearing, a unique manufacturing and retail company focused on providing hearing aids with state-of-the-art fidelity, price point and professional service, recently opened two locations to address local hearing loss.  Zounds hearing centers are located in the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers and the South Shore Mall in Braintree. 

The official opening, featuring former Boston Red Sox icon Rico Petrocelli, will take place on Thursday, August 21, at Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, and on Friday, August 22, at South Shore Mall in Braintree.  Both events start at 12:30 p.m.

“We’re glad such a local icon has joined us to help the Boston area hear better,” said Sam Thomasson, founder and inventor of Zounds. “It continues to be a remarkable journey as Zounds grows, and we will continue to develop and provide hearing aids with the best sound quality and at a reasonable price as we expand throughout the country.” 

Local Hearing Loss
According to a MarkeTrack survey, hearing loss affects about 10 percent of the U.S. population, and three in 10 people above age 60 are affected by hearing loss. Some studies estimate this number is even larger.  In Norfolk County, these figures conservatively translate into more than 80,000 locals likely affected with hearing loss.  However, four out of five people in need of hearing aids don’t wear them!  This means people in Boston are struggling every day with one of life’s most precious gifts, hearing. 

Rico Petrocelli Takes Hearing Test
Petrocelli will join consumers and fans by taking his very own hearing test by one of Zounds’ licensed hearing professionals at 10:00 a.m. at the Liberty Tree Mall location on August 21. Starting at 12:30 p.m., he will discuss hearing loss, sign autographs and meet with fans throughout the events.  Red Sox tickets will
also be raffled off to attendees at both events.

In addition to Petrocelli’s appearance, Thomasson will be in attendance to celebrate with local customers, employees and dignitaries. 

Zounds Hearing Growth
Zounds Hearing is one of the fastest growing hearing aid companies in the United States. The Danvers and Braintree centers mark the 19th and 20th location across the country, and 30 more are scheduled to open before the end of the year.

Thomasson started the company as a promise to his hearing-impaired daughter. He vowed to create a new hearing aid to overcome her annoyance with her own aids due to excessive feedback, poor sound quality and an uncomfortable fit. 

On a mission to help his daughter, he spent more than 10 years developing over 100 prototypes of hearing aids. Thomasson spent large portions of his life savings and hundreds of hours to create a product he believed in. Finally his dedication and perseverance paid off, and he developed the innovative technology behind Zounds.

Zounds Hearing aids feature breakthrough technology and design, including:
•    Enhanced noise cancellation that eliminates up to 90 percent of background noise
•    Exceptional voice clarity and enhanced feedback cancellation that virtually eliminates the squealing that is common with traditional aids
•    Rechargeable batteries and remote control to fine tune one’s listening experience for a variety of environments
•    Custom fitting, testing and programming by a licensed professional takes less than two hours

About Zounds
Zounds Hearing designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets high-performance hearing aids for use with mild to profound hearing impairments. Headquartered in Mesa, Arizona, Zounds offers a unique combination of patented breakthrough product technology, exceptional value, and a unique customer-friendly testing, fitting and purchase process. Zounds aids are available through a network of branded, state-of-the-art Zounds hearing centers in Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. For more information and demonstrations, please visit ZoundsHearing.com or call 1-888-5Zounds.