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aPRiL/MaY 2014 Macon Magazine i 79 Carol Roobin Bashuk Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences Beltone Hearing Aid Centers 478.743.1452 | www.BeltoneCentralGA.com Erin Office Park, Ste. 24-C | Dublin, GA 31021 5008 10th Avenue, NE | Eastman, GA 31023 686 First Street | Macon, GA 31021 1776 N. Jefferson St., Ste. E | Milledgeville, GA 31061 for your very best hearing Carol Roobin Bashuk HOW DID YOUR CAREER PATH LED YOU TO YOUR CURRENT PROFESSION? As a student at University of Florida, I became interested in the Speech Pathology curriculum. I really enjoyed the required Audiology course with my inspiring professor, Dr. Kurtzrock. I became intrigued by my time in the hearing clinic doing hearing evaluations using several hearing instruments for the patients to try. After I finished my masters in Audiology at the University of Georgia, I went to work for Drs. Pennington, Griffin and Stevens where I started their hearing aid program. It was a very gratifying feeling to know that we were actually helping our patients to hear better. In 1980, after about 5 years of being in charge of the hearing aid dispensing program at the physicians' office, I decided to open my own office. WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES? Learning new technology and becoming an expert in fitting the new technology that Beltone's research and development department is designing has been a great and rewarding challenge. I was extremely fortunate to have been approached by Beltone to join the Beltone Network in 1994. With that choice, the company name changed to Carol Roobin Bashuk Beltone Hearing Aid Centers. Beltone has been accepted as the most trusted name in hearing health care among adults 55 years old and older. WHO INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST TO PURSUE YOUR CAREER GOALS? The support, understanding and encouragement from my family lifted me to transition from employee to business owner. In 1984, we moved to a larger location on First Street, and within a few years we opened offices in Dublin, Milledgeville, Warner Robins, Eastman, Cordele, Americus, Albany, Tifton and Thomaston. In 1998, I was blessed with having twin girls, and we made the decision to downsize the company. My sister, Gayle Bullington, who worked for our company for over 20 years, has the Beltone offices in Cordele, Americus and Albany. Our Warner Robins location is now owned by another specialist, my nephew Richard Bullington. We have been fortunate in having longevity with excellent Hearing Instrument Specialists. This has been a wonderful compromise between family and business. WHAT IS MOST REWARDING ABOUT YOUR JOB? Helping our patients hear and understand so much better in a caring, professional and trustworthy environment. Seeing a patient moved to tears of joy after having an instrument programmed specifically for them is most gratifying. When a patient comes back to our office smiling and telling us about being able to hear their grandchild's soft voice and understanding their sweet conversations, it gives us a feeling of great pride. Now, with the technologically advanced instruments that Beltone has introduced, we are able to provide our patients better hearing and understanding when they are in quiet as well as noisy background environments. Beltone was the first in the hearing aid industry to develop the tiny receiver-in-the-ear hearing instruments that are wireless and Bluetooth which utilize Beltone's exclusive 2.4GHz technology to send clear sound from your TV, stereo, PC, phone, iPod and more, directly to your hearing aids – at home or on the go. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? I look forward to continuing to enjoy the flexibility that I have gained through growing my business. Years of hard work and working with great patients make it possible for me to enjoy work and life! ADVERTISING | WOMEN IN BUSINESS