Dispenser of the Year Award

Each year, the Texas Hearing Aid Association honors one of its members with the coveted THAA Dispenser of the Year Award. The award is given to the licensed hearing aid specialist who practices the highest standard of ethics when serving the hearing impaired of Texas.

Dispenser of the Year Nominations

Nominations or self-nominations for Dispenser of the Year are closed. Check back for more information about nominations for the 2024 Dispenser of the Year Award.

Qualifications

1. Minimum of 5 years dispensing in Texas as a fully licensed dispenser.
2. Must be a member of THAA.
3. Has never received a disciplinary action from a state licensing agency.
4. Has performed at least one of the following volunteer services or achieved one of the following professional accreditations:
1. Served the hearing impaired in some volunteer capacity—locally, nationally, or internationally.
2. Served on the THAA Board of Directors or an association ad hoc committee.
3. Served or currently serves on the TDLR Advisory Board or the former DSHS Licensing Committee.
4. Serves or has served as a TDLR Proctor/Rater for the state licensing exam.
5. Maintains National Board Certification (BC-HIS) or ACA.

2023 Dispenser of the Year

Denise Kopecki, BC-HIS, Owner, Texan Renew Hearing Center

Denise Kopecki, owner and licensed Board Certified Hearing Specialist, is a graduate of Sam Houston State University and National Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences from International Hearing Society. Denise is a lifelong Texan and grew up in the Houston area and relocated to New Braunfels area in 2009. Denise spent the beginning of her career in the hearing industry assisting 16 hearing center locations across Texas and Arkansas. She quickly rose to being a trainer for hearing centers in Texas and became Nationally Board Certified in Hearing Sciences in 2015. Denise is an active member of the International Hearing Society, Texas Hearing Aid Association, as well as an Ambassador for the Seguin Chamber of Commerce and Vice President for the Guadalupe County Senior Center. When she is not caring for patients she is the mother to Sarah and Shelby. Denise is active with her church, First United Methodist Church of New Braunfels, and been on leadership for many years of Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) as well as help start a local chapter of National Angels to support foster families.

2022 Dispenser of the Year

Dusty Potter, BC-HIS, Owner, Amplify OMS/Ear Level Marketing

A second-generation hearing instrument specialist, Dusty Potter has been connected to hearing care most of his life. After being a music major and restaurant manager, Dusty entered the hearing care field in 2001 serving as an apprentice under his mother. He opened his first practice in 2007, growing that business to a peak of 22 locations. It was during this time that he became frustrated with his options of management software and decided to create his own, Amplify OMS. Dusty later released Amplify OMS to a limited number of other practices in 2019. In 2021, Dusty reduced the size of his dispensing practice to his location in Wichita Falls, Texas, and two satellites. This enabled him to concentrate on Amplify OMS and his digital marketing and web development business, Ear Level Marketing. In summer 2022, Dusty released a new marketing automation platform for hearing care practices—amplifyCRM Pro. Dusty resides in Wichita Falls along with his wife, Janet. The couple have three boys—Aiden, Logan, and Keegan. In his spare time, he plays bass and guitar in several local bands that can be seen around the Wichita Falls area.

Past Dispenser of the Year Award Recipients 

Saleem Assaf
Gary Haun
Lance Brooks
Steve Carpenter
Chris Czop
Larry Farris
Ken Haesly
Carla Hoffman
Paul Jay
Barry Kienholz
Rep. Tracy King
Curtis Martin
William McCrae
Ben Norris 
Jesse Rangel
Amy Trost