On behalf of Audigy and the entire hearing care community, it saddens me to inform you that our dear friend, Rich Burba, has unexpectedly passed away. We’re absolutely heartbroken. Heartbroken for his wife, Linda, for their family, and for all those whose lives he touched in the inimitable way he did with everyone he encountered. He was an undeniable example of a person who cared, who listened, who mentored, and, in my personal experience, loved those around him unconditionally. We all felt that love. And now is the time for us to give that love back to all those who are missing Rich right now.
There are few people in our industry who are more dedicated to patient care than Rich was. He might have had a finance-focused career in his past (Rich was a former VP of Finance for a Fortune 200 company), but, in practice, Rich’s heart and soul were dedicated to his patients. Were you a patient with no way of getting to the practice? No problem. Rich would be the first one to give you a ride.
He was involved in nearly every aspect of the practice—its operations, financials, human resources, marketing, and IT, precisely so Linda could focus her efforts on delivering great patient care. They were a team. And their teamwork was as infectious as it was admired. Rich was more than a colleague. More than a member of our organization. He was a friend, an advisor, and a mentor to so many of us. To put it more plainly, he was family.
We will all miss his influence, his guidance, and his sense of humor. But, to put it even more simply, we will just miss his presence. Rich and Linda are the most loyal personal friends I have ever had. He and Linda helped us transform Audigy from an idea to a reality. They believed in us. We believed in each other. Rich was the biggest advocate of our whole Audigy family. That support doesn’t always come easy, and his, it seemed, was effortless. We all felt it—Audigy staff, peers across the membership, industry folks, everyone. That’s who he was. And the generosity of his spirit is a reminder to all of us of who we can all be if we choose to.
To Linda, their friends and family, their team, and their patient community, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. You have our unconditional support. And to Rich, thank you for being who you were, and thank you for influencing the lives of so many in the manner you did. We were lucky to have you, and we’re better for having known you. We should all be so lucky.
Wishing you all peace,
Brandon M. Dawson, CEO, Audigy Group
Click on the links to read Rich’s obituary or to leave a tribute.
I wish I had the pleasure of knowing this man. I did not. I did however have the honor of witnessing an amazing tribute to his life given at Audigy’s Team Summit event yesterday. The pictures shown, the words spoken, and the overall atmosphere of the room that day will forever be with me. This man has changed my personal and professional goals and I can only hope to have half the impact on others as he has had. I would like to wish my condolences to his wife and family and to let them know that this beloved family member of theirs will go on to impact the lives of others for years to come. God bless and peace be with each of you.
Rich will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by many.
What a lovely tribute and right on. Rich supported all of us and helped guide us when we needed it!! Especially in the early days of Audigy when no one believed in us!!! The industry laughed at us and called us (sorry) “dumbasses”. Well, Rich had the idea of us all wearing big buttons that said “YES, I am a dumbass”…all of those who said that about us could not see the vision, but Rich did and he never waivered. He shared his knowledge and gave his full support from day 1! Rich was fiercely loyal and supportive. Blessed for the time we had with him. Still trying to come to terms with the idea that we can’t sit down with him and have a glass of champagne and talk about the future. He will be missed but will live on through the lessons he taught and the caring love that he showed all of us.