KayPENTAX to Receive ASHA Award

Guest authored by Leslie Glaze, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

KayPENTAX will receive a Distinguished Service Award on November 16, 2007, at the annual Honors and Awards ceremony of ASHA’s national convention in Boston. This special tribute is granted to an individual nonmember or organization that has made “significant contributions to the professions of speech-language pathology and/or audiology.” The award recognizes KayPENTAX for five decades of achievements that support speech-language pathologists, scientists, teachers, and students, based on three nomination criteria: consumer advocacy for professionals, innovative research and development in instrumental measures of communication, and service to ASHA.

Following are excerpts from the nomination packet:

Consumer advocacy for speech-language pathologists

“From the point of instrument sale through the life of the equipment, KayPENTAX is committed to helping speech-language pathologists use these tools competently in clinical or research settings. Diane Bless explains: ‘What makes their contributions unique is their mission to translate research from bench-to-bedside . . . as seen in databases incorporated into KayPENTAX instruments, website summaries of relevant literature, and educational workshops to help practitioners understand the theoretical underpinnings, clinical implications, and artifacts of available technology.’ Their technical support includes self-study tutorials, semiannual newsletters, and hands-on training workshops with guest faculty to provide in-depth guidance on instrumental applications, including protocols, calibration, and analysis routines. Celia Hooper asserts: ‘They are not just the vendors of instrumentation . . . they are THE professionals to call for technical support or to find other researchers who may be of help.’ By supplying both the clinical instruments and the technical expertise, KayPENTAX has significantly expanded the speech-language pathologist’s scope of competent practice.”

Research and instrument development in speech, voice, and swallowing

“KayPENTAX is the international leader in research innovation and productivity in the field of speech, voice and swallow measurement for basic science and clinical applications. Their tools have not only improved our ability to measure these processes, they have also informed our understanding of physiology and enhanced our speech-language pathology classrooms, clinics, and labs. As Ray Kent describes, ‘KayPENTAX has assiduously queried scientists on how its products are used and how they can be improved . . . the company has become an important ally in research on speech, voice, and swallowing.’ Moreover, KayPENTAX has contributed generously to speech science research by investing in technology whenever it is likely to add important knowledge about speech and voice production, even if there is limited likelihood of strong future commercial profits (e.g., high-speed laryngeal imaging, videokymography, and palatometer). As Robert Hillman notes, ‘The installation of these systems in a few academic centers has served to greatly advance our knowledge about the mechanisms associated with normal and disordered voice production.’ ”

Service to the profession and ASHA

“For over 30 years, KayPENTAX has sponsored internationally acclaimed speech or phonetic research; their recent record of corporate generosity also extends to ASHA, ASHFoundation, and Special Interest Divisions 3 (Voice) and 13 (Swallowing). KayPENTAX participated in the ASHFoundation’s early technology conferences and, as Nancy Swigert relates, ‘KayPENTAX has long been a strong partner of ASHA . . . I can’t remember an ASHA convention when KayPENTAX was not highly visible in the Exhibit Hall.’ Indeed, KayPENTAX has been a major exhibitor at every ASHA national convention since 1988, every ASHA Health Care Conference, and every Division 3 or 13 pre-convention workshop. Since 2005, KayPENTAX has brought an internationally recognized interdisciplinary scholar to the ASHA convention for the annual KayPENTAX lecture in Upper Airway Science. In summary, KayPENTAX has been a steadfast consumer advocate, an interdisciplinary research partner, and a continuing education benefactor in ways that greatly exceed expectations for relationships between vendors and consumers. As Christy Ludlow summarized, ‘Their contributions to our science and our profession cannot be overstated.’ ”