Staff

Mr. Dame has been dispensing hearing aids since 1982 and was first licensed in the state of Georgia, working in Thomasville and Valdosta. In October, 1984, he became licensed in Florida, working in Tallahassee. In March, 1986, he joined Hearing Centers of America, based in Clearwater, FL and managed the store located in the Sarasota Square Mall for three (3) years. In November, 1989, the opportunity to own his own practice presented itself.  Thus, in November, 1989, he moved his family to Panama City, FL and purchased Gulf Coast Hearing Centers, Inc.. The past 20+ years has brought many wonderful experiences and the pleasure of helping thousands of hearing impaired individuals lead a more satisfactory life.

Mr. Dame, who is a Florida native, graduated from Florida State University in 1973 with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business, specializing in banking and finance. The next two years were very rewarding while serving as a missionary in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Once back in the states, Mr. Dame became employed by the state Comptroller and worked as a bank examiner and later a securities analyst. In the spring of 1982, he entered the hearing aid industry through the urgings of a family member and has been heavily involved ever since. In 1991, Mr. Dame became Board Certified through the National Board Certification for Hearing Instrument Sciences. Over the years, Mr. Dame has attended hundreds of hours of continuing education to stay abreast of the latest in hearing aid technology. Digital hearing aids are becoming the standard for the industry and require constant training to obtain the knowledge necessary to properly program and adjust these instruments to the patients needs. Mr. Dame served on Hearing Centers of America's Advisory Board for two years, and served for seven (7) years as Director of District 1 for the Florida Society of Hearing Healthcare Professionals, Inc. Mr. Dame is also a member of the Panama City Lions Club and is a past-president.

Mr. Dame is a member of the following professional organizations:
-Florida Society of Hearing Healthcare Professionals, Inc.
-International Hearing Society

Outside of the office, Mr. Dame enjoys spending time with his wife, six children and eight grandchildren;  church assignments; golf and gardening.

Tim Smith has been dispensing hearing aids as a licensed  Hearing Aid Specialist since July 2006.  He was raised in Panama City and has attended Gulf Coast Community College.  He is married to Erika Dame Smith and they have three children.  Tim manages the Mary Esther office located at 217 Page Bacon Rd., Unit 1.  Tim's outside interests include coaching his children in football and baseball and riding his motorcycle.

Erika and her husband, Tim make a great team in our Mary Esther office.  Erika has been around the hearing aid business all her life and has worked previously for her father Jim Dame in the Panama City office.  Erika manages the front office, making appointments, servicing hearing aids and catering to patient needs while waiting on the Specialist.