Zounds was founded by Sam Thomasson, an Engineer and entrepreneur who has spent his career developing new technologies in the medical device and consumer electronics industries. Sam is also the father of a hearing-impaired daughter and has witnessed the problems associated with today’s hearing aids. Sam promised his daughter that he would develop a hearing aid to address the key problems common with other high-end hearing aids. Zounds’ breakthrough technology is the fulfillment of a father’s promise to his daughter and the solution for dissatisfied hearing aid users around the world.Zounds utilizes a combination of internally developed and exclusively licensed technology from Acoustic Technologies, Inc., where Sam Thomasson is the founder and former CEO. At Acoustic Technologies, Sam created high-performance semiconductor chips and related software with low power usage algorithms that dramatically improved voice and sound quality in cell phones, video phones, desktop phones, conference call phones and automotive communication systems. For Sam, it was a logical extension to leverage this superior technology at Zounds. Zounds’ goal is to offer a portfolio of hearing aids and wireless devices that provide the world’s best performing technology at an affordable price to anyone with a mild, moderate, or moderate/severe hearing loss.

Our long term customers often ask about Kate, and want to know how she is doing. The little girl who inspired the Zounds revolution is now a senior in college, studying electrical engineering. Inspired by her father, she wants to follow in his footsteps by helping others through technology. During school breaks, Kate works with the Zounds team on new technologies that she will someday benefit from herself.

Dr. Brent Steele and his mother Joan, a retired pharmacist, are the proud owners of the newly opened location in Asheville. Both understand the problems facing the hearing impaired very well. Both Dr. Steele and Joan have had experience with family members and close friends who are hearing impaired. They made the decision to become franchise owners once they met Sam Thomasson, founder and CEO of Zounds Hearing.

Thomasson’s quest to create the best hearing aid on the market was born out of a desire to help his hearing impaired daughter, and the Steeles wanted to be a part of that journey. “I first became aware of the challenges of hearing loss when I was a high school student,” said Dr. Steele. “I saw that our principal didn’t respond to students unless he was looking directly at them. He couldn’t hear us properly and as a result, our communications with him suffered. He became somewhat alienated from us, and I know that it was frustrating for him.” As both mother and son come from the medical field, they saw the benefit of providing top quality hearing aids at an affordable price to those who need them. “Our goal was to find a company that had the values, the heart, and state of the art technology to truly change people’s lives,” said Joan “and when we found Zounds, we knew it was the right fit.”