Spotlight: Marcon Hearing Instruments, Inc
by Nora m. Davis (HBCA)—October 2009
Dale Thorstad, president of Marcon Hearing Instruments, Inc.
What? Huh? SPEAK UP!
Many of us have dealt with a friend or loved one with a hearing loss. That loss is frustrating, not only for the person dealing with the loss, but everyone around them!
A visit to Marcon Hearing Instruments in Downtown Hopkins may be the answer! I met with President Dale Thorstad and learned a great deal about hearing loss and what is available to help alleviate that loss.
But first—some history. Dale has been involved in the hearing instrument field for more than forty years. He started with Starkey Labs and spent thirty-three years helping grow that business as one of the executives. Seven years ago he was approached by the former president of Marcon, asking if he would be interested in taking over the Marcon business in Hopkins. After much thought Dale decided he was ready for a new challenge and accepted the position. Marcon was the first hearing instrument business in Hopkins, and has been part of the community since 1977.
I asked Dale if the Baby Boomer generation would mean an increase in his business and he told me most folks over the age of 65 do suffer some hearing loss—but that loss is the easiest to correct. “I do worry about the ‘plugged in’ younger generation, he explained, as the damage caused by usage of iPods and Walkmans at high decibel levels will cause damage much more difficult to correct. And they could likely need hearing instruments by age thirty-five.” Other causes of hearing loss include repeated exposure to high decibel sounds including leaf blowers, lawn mowers and snow blowers.
Dale provided a tour of his hearing lab along with an explanation of what happens during a hearing test. He first checks the individual’s ears, if they are clogged with wax he will clean them to be assured the test will be accurate. Next the customer will enter the acoustic booth and Dale will proceed to check each and every hearing frequency. With test results in hand he can then order either a custom or over-the-ear hearing instrument to help that individual.
Hearing instruments continue to change and improve. The newest, a small instrument placed behind the ear, has a tiny tube extending around the top of the ear and going directly into the ear canal. That tube has a miniature speaker on the end—improving hearing without the “full ear” feeling of custom units.
So if you, a family member or friend is experiencing hearing loss, a visit to Dale is in order. You don’t need a referral and the hearing test is free. Do it today. Call him at 952-938-5020, or stop at 32 10th Avenue South—you’ll be glad you did.
