New Leadership at HSF
Amanda Womac

The Hearing and Speech Foundation has a new board of directors that will help accomplish our goals of being a world-renowned research and training facility. Leading this new board is Alan Boeckmann, recently retired CEO and still Chairman of the Board of Fluor Corporation.

Alan Boeckmann was first introduced to the Hearing and Speech Foundation because a childhood fever left his son with a profound hearing loss. John Berry and the Hearing and Speech Foundation provided his son with expert care and treatment; and he has gone on to live a nearly normal life, graduating from college and being the commencement speaker at his graduation.

Because of his experience with the Foundation, Boeckmann has dedicated his life to helping provide the gift of sound to the hearing impaired. Now, he’s taking it a step further by becoming the chairman of the new board of directors for the Foundation.

“The Hearing and Speech Foundation has always been successful in East Tennessee, but forming a national board will allow us to reach a broader audience and further the organization’s efforts,” said Boeckmann. “The benefits of our initiatives will, in return, allow for an even greater level of care and treatment locally.”

“The endeavors and accomplishments of the Hearing and Speech Foundation have grown tremendously since the organization’s founding in 1981. Now we’re taking the foundation to the next level by forming a strong board of key players who can serve as national ambassadors for this important work,” said John Berry, owner of Blount Hearing and Speech Services and co-founder and CEO of HSF.

The Hearing and Speech Foundation’s new board of directors with titles is as follows:

• Alan Boeckmann, Board Chairman
  Boeckmann is the recently retired CEO and still Chairman of the Board of Fluor Corporation.
• John S. Berry, Board Member
  Berry is the owner of Blount Hearing and Speech Services and co-founder and CEO of the Hearing and Speech Foundation. He is a world-renowned expert in the application of the Verbal Tonal method of treatment for the hearing impaired.
• Roma Y. Renfro, Treasurer
  Renfro is a former teacher for the deaf.
• Cathy Ackermann, Board Member
  Ackermann is the president and CEO of Ackermann PR.
• Dr. Gerald W. Gibson, Board Member
  President Emeritus Dr. Gerald W. Gibson served as president of Maryville College from 1993 to 2010.
• Dr. Joseph E. Johnson, Board Member
  President Emeritus Dr. Joseph E. Johnson was president of the University of Tennessee from 1991 to 1999.
• Avis A. Phillips, Board Member
  Phillips is founder, owner and president of Avisco, Inc. Mrs. Phillips and her husband, Ted Phillips, also own Phillips and Jordan.

Boeckmann is no stranger to the nonprofit world. At the beginning of June, Boeckmann was honored by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) at the organization’s Annual Southwest Great Futures Chairman’s Dinner. A National Trustee of the BGCA for many years, Boeckmann received the Southwest Region’s Chairman’s Award in honor of his work championing America’s youth.

In addition to his service as the chair of the board of directors for the Hearing and Speech Foundation and a BGCA National Trustee, Boeckmann has been involved in numerous community organizations during his professional career, including United Way.

Boeckmann played an active role in the global fight against corruption helping the World Economic Forum create and institute the Partnering Against Corruption Initiative, a multinational task force charged with establishing benchmark business principles and leveling the playing field through collective action with other companies, governments and civil society.