![]() ![]() The 52-year-old company develops, manufactures, and distributes hearing aids through the Audibel, NuEar, MicroTech, AudioSync, and original Starkey brands. It lists its employee numbers in the 1001 to 5000 range on LinkedIn. Starkey operates 21 facilities and conducts business in more than 100 markets worldwide. "His operational acumen and successful performance in several roles at Starkey contributed substantially to Starkey's growth from $60 million to $800 million during Guggenberger's tenure," the suit says of the plaintiff. Guggenberger had reported to Ruzicka for the entire 29 years that he worked for the company. In the ensuing months, Ruzicka started planning for his future after Starkey when he recognized that the company "might not renew his employment contract" in 2016, the suit says. Ruzicka had refused in December 2014 to promote Austin's stepson, Brandon Sawalich, president of Starkey's U.S. The suit describes a hostile working environment at Starkey, maintaining that company founder Bill Austin routinely lashes out and yells at employees. Guggenberger is demanding more than $11 million for alleged breach of contract, defamation, and unpaid wages. ![]() "He needed the security and health benefits provided by his agreements with Starkey to care for his family, including his autistic adult son," it adds. Guggenberger had signed a 13-year employment contract with Starkey in December 2014, according to the suit. Guggenberger acknowledges an email exchange with Ruzicka about a startup, but maintains in the suit that he made no formal plans to leave. ![]() Starkey dismissed seven other employees, including the plaintiff, former Starkey operations vice president Keith Guggenberger, claiming that Guggenberger had planned to leave Starkey for a competitor started by Ruzicka, the suit says. Starkey (Eden Prairie, MN) axed its president, Jerry Ruzicka, in September after Ruzicka refused to promote company CEO Bill Austin's stepson, according to the lawsuit, filed in Minneapolis. That's what a recently fired executive alleges in a lawsuit filed last week against global hearing aid developer and manufacturer Starkey Laboratories Inc. Starkey's former operations vice president, Keith Guggenberger, accuses his former employer of spying on him, defamation of character, and breach of contract. ![]()
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