Evelyn Wiest-Kertz, M.S. CCC-A, started her pursuit into the field of audiology in high school.

She attended Butler High School and enrolled in the college prep courses. At the time, her mother, Elizabeth Wiest, worked as a nurse at the VA Hospital and set up an appointment for her to visit the speech hearing department.

This set into motion her enrollment to Indiana (Pa.) University and she received her bachelor of science degree and then went on to Clarion University of Pennsylvania for a master’s degree in Audiology.

She completed her clinical fellowship year at a Dr. Hughes & Karanjia’s office in Indiana, Pa., and became certified by the American Speech Language Hearing Association.

She was director of audiology for a larger PGH. ENT. Group and Elwyn Institute.

She then moved back to the Pittsburgh area and was an outside industrial consultant for Conway Industries.

In 1993, Kertz took a small business loan and went into private practice and started Wiest Audiology and Hearing Aid Center. Joseph C. Wiest, who already owned and operated Wiest Asphalt and Paving Inc., gave her this advice: Always treat people right and they will come to you, and if you make it the first year, you will make it.

In 2002, she again took a small business loan from Citizens National Bank and purchased Professional Hearing Aid Service Inc. from Lori McCory, AuD, and merged the two practices into one as Wiest Audiology and Professional Hearing Aid Service Inc.

Kertz is now in her 31st year serving the hearing impaired. Kertz is very grateful to the local communities that have helped her to grow and sustain her practice.

This article was submitted by Wiest Audiology and Professional Hearing Aid Service.