MADISON – Since 1940 Beltone has been a trusted company helping people hear well. Local Beltone owners, Zach and Robin Watson, have now brought the brand to Madison with their newest office at 151 Hughes Road.

The new office opened last month, but the Watson’s are no strangers to Madison. They are Madison residents with two children. Their daughter, Hadley, graduated from Bob Jones High School in 2017 and their son, Jace, is a junior at Bob Jones.

Zach began his career as a state of Alabama licensed hearing aid practitioner with Beltone in 2002 for Hal and Linda Hames. He started out working in their Decatur and Florence offices.

In 2004 Zach and his family moved from Florence to Madison so he no longer had to commute.  He managed the Huntsville Beltone office and a new office in Scottsboro once a week.

In 2007, Zach and his wife purchased the Madison and Jackson County territories, and he became board certified in hearing instrument sciences.

Three years later, in 2010 the Watson’s expanded to Marshall County with an office in Albertville.  They now operate a service center in Albertville, full time office in Huntsville on Bob Wallace Avenue, a part time office in Scottsboro and their newest office opened August 1 in Madison.

The Watson’s motto in their offices is to always provide a warm welcome with a friendly smile.  “We strive to provide a caring and family style atmosphere,” said Robin Watson. “We are proud to continue the tradition of Beltone being founded as a family business.”

The Watsons say they plan to continue that heritage while in Madison and hopefully leave a legacy of helping people to live their best life by hearing better with the best, Beltone.

The Beltone legacy began in the 1930’s when Sam and Faye Posen recognized the need for personalized and miniaturized hearing aid technology.

As a way to help a friend with hearing loss, Sam knew that the hearing aids of that time could not offer the individualized hearing capabilities that he had in mind. He wanted the individual to hear the music of life come through “as clear as the tone of a bell.”

By 1940 Beltone was open for business in a modest building in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Today, it remains the trusted brand for quality products and care among its patients.

“We have stayed loyal Beltone dispensers due to the quality and research in their products,” Zach Watson said. “Many other places sell several brands of hearing aids.  At our offices you will only find, in my opinion, the best in hearing aids available.  By only selling Beltone I can assure clients that I know our product line inside and out.”

He said their motto says it all, “Beltone is your community’s hearing partner, Beltone is right beside its clients every step of the way on their journey to better hearing.”

The Watsons offer hearing tests and wax impaction checks for free.

“You can see what’s in your ear on a large monitor,” Watson said. “In over these 17 years I have seen many things in ear canals besides wax.  Let your imagination wonder. It’s quite interesting.”

“I love how the technology has evolved,” Robin Watson added. “Hearing aids aren’t the big style from the past that my great grandparents wore.  They don’t look like small bananas on the ear anymore.  Now we have styles that are so discreet most people wouldn’t even see them.  I also remember theirs whistling when I hugged them.  That is something that has also changed. I tell patients they will be able to give whistle free hugs.  No more issues with feedback.  An even more amazing recent upgrade is the Amaze hearing aid.  They are rechargeable. So no more fumbling with tiny hearing aid batteries.”

Beltone also does whatever it can to support the community. It is currently holding a canned food drive.

Canned foods are now being collected for two local food banks, Manna House and Rose of Sharon Soup Kitchen, and can be dropped off in Madison on Thursday and Friday and at the Huntsville location Monday through Friday.

“We will give a free pack of hearing aid batteries to hearing aid wearers of any brand or a complimentary hearing exam to non-hearing aid wearers,” Watson said.

They are also giving away a free hearing aid to a deserving member of the community through the Beltone Hearing Care Foundation.

The Beltone Hearing Care Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, donates hearing instruments to those in need of hearing help who may otherwise be unable to access it. Both individuals and organizations are eligible to receive assistance from the Foundation through direct community nominations by Beltone staff or network members.

Nominations can be emailed to hearwithrobin@gmail.com or dropped off at your local Beltone office by Dec. 1.

Beltone Madison is open by appointment on Thursday and Friday.  The office’s patient care coordinator is local Madison resident Leigh Pearson.

You can call 256-722-5299 for an appointment or more information, or go to www.loc8nearme.com/alabama/madison/beltone-hearing-aid-center-of-madison-al/5457041/

The Madison office is located at 151 Hughes Road, Unit C.