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Letter from the CEO
Dear Member of the SpeechEasy Community:
It is with great pride that we bring to you the second issue of 'Let's Talk,' the newsletter created to keep you informed on what's happening within the SpeechEasy community. We hope you find it of interest, and welcome any comments you may have.
The first quarter of 2005 has been a productive one. We have achieved several goals as a part of our ongoing efforts to expand the availability and awareness of the SpeechEasy device.
Our first goal - to expand the international availability of SpeechEasy - was achieved recently, when our international marketing and distribution company, SpeechEasy International, LLC, signed an agreement with Interton. Interton, a German-based manufacturer of quality hearing devices, will custom assemble and distribute SpeechEasy in 34 nations throughout Europe. The agreement will allow speech therapists in Europe to make SpeechEasy available to their clients, who previously had to travel to the United States to be fitted for the device. We are excited about forging a new strategic partnership with Interton, and are please that we are expanding the availability of SpeechEasy internationally.
Our second goal - to increase the awareness of the SpeechEasy device in the United States - continued on January 21, when Good Morning America aired a feature story on Amanda Cowles and her experience with stuttering. Amanda, who had just been fitted for her device, was selected as a part of the National Outreach program to provide selected applicants to receive from 60-100% reimbursement on the purchase of a SpeechEasy device. Amanda's appearance on Good Morning America provided her and her SLP, Rebecca Snyder, an opportunity to share with America the challenges she has experienced as a result of her dysfluency. Her touching story has helped bring an increased awareness to the general public about the affects of stuttering on someone's life, and is another step in our dedication to helping educate the world about the importance of finding a way to increase fluency for those who stutter.
An important part of our business model is our ongoing effort to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information on the long-term efficacy of the SpeechEasy device to the stuttering community. Last fall, we announced that Dr. Larry Molt, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication Disorders at Auburn University, has launched a long-term efficacy study of the SpeechEasy device. As a part of the study, more than 40 candidates will be evaluated by Dr. Molt and his team, in an effort to track and measure fluency levels of SpeechEasy users. Measurements of the experimental group will be conducted at one month, three-month, six-month and one-year intervals. Dr. Molt is an ASHA Board Recognized Fluency Specialist and coordinator of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Special Interest Division on Fluency and Fluency Disorders, and on the Executive Board of the International Fluency Association. We highly anticipate the results of Dr. Molt's study, and will continue to identify opportunities to provide additional data that will help determine the long-term value of the SpeechEasy device.
In our last newsletter, we told you about Sean Anderson -- a member of the SpeechEasy community whose life-changing experience with enhanced fluency resulting from his device unfortunately was cut short due to his untimely death. Inspired by his mothers desire, despite her loss, to donate Sean's device to another young user, we launched the Sean Anderson Memorial Scholarship. As of February, we are in our first full year of identifying the first recipient of this annual award, which is one of our in-the-ear, top-of-the-line SpeechEasy devices, as well as related fitting costs. The recipient will be chosen from a pool of applicants who meet the scholarship criteria, including being a Florida resident (as was Sean) who is between the ages of 9 and 15. We are excited to award this scholarship in Sean's honor, and we will keep you informed on our results as they unfold.
Just a reminder: SpeechEasy is now participating at many state Speech & Hearing Association annual conferences. Speech Language Pathologists that are SpeechEasy dispensers are expressing enthusiasm about attending these conferences, which feature a SpeechEasy booth and information about the device.
We also continue to make progress on the launch of our National SpeechEasy Community, which will be a grassroots effort to provide opportunities for SpeechEasy users to connect with each other as well as to share, support, provide feedback and input into new product development decisions.
Thank you for your continued participation and support. We look forward to keep you up-to-date on our continuing developments in 2005.
Best Regards,
Darwin Richards
CEO, Janus Development Group, Inc.
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