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Garry G. Gordon, MS, a longtime advocate for recreational audiology and industrial hearing conservation, has released Recreational & Industrial Audiology: The Next Profitable Frontier, a new book designed for hearing care professionals who wish to look beyond the traditional clinic setting for future growth. Drawing on decades of work in hearing protection and prevention, Gordon argues that recreational and industrial audiology can be both professionally rewarding and financially meaningful for practices—offering new ways to serve patients, protect hearing before damage occurs, and build relationships in workplaces, music venues, shooting sports, and other high-noise environments.
The new book draws on Gordon’s decades of work in hearing conservation, recreational hearing protection, collaboration with manufacturers, and professional education. Rather than focusing solely on hearing aids and diagnostic services, Gordon argues that audiology is increasingly positioned to play a larger role in preventing hearing damage, supporting auditory performance, and serving people where noise exposure commonly occurs.
Garry Gordon, MSThis is not a crisis story — it’s an opportunity story. The demand already exists. The challenge is knowing how to reach it with credibility, strategy, and proven systems.
As noise exposure continues to affect people in work, leisure, and everyday environments, the book makes the case that audiologists and hearing care providers can expand their relevance by becoming more involved in industrial hearing conservation programs, recreational hearing protection, tinnitus management, and emerging smart-hearing technologies. Gordon points to settings such as factories, aviation, shooting sports, music venues, and trade shows as areas where hearing expertise can be—and needs to be—applied outside the traditional clinic.
The book is written as a practical guide rather than a traditional academic text. It includes short parables, field-based observations, “words of wisdom,” and actionable takeaways intended to help professionals translate broad industry changes into concrete business and clinical opportunities. Topics include:
Gordon’s message arrives during a period of continued change in hearing healthcare, including the growth of retail hearing care, over-the-counter hearing aids, AI-enabled products, and consolidation across parts of the industry. In that environment, he suggests that prevention-focused and performance-oriented services may offer audiologists a way to diversify their practices while addressing needs that are already present in the marketplace.
The book is expected to be of interest to audiologists, hearing instrument specialists, manufacturers, educators, safety professionals, retail hearing organizations, and industry leaders seeking new ways to reach consumers and workers before hearing damage becomes disabling.
Gordon is the founder of E.A.R. Inc. and has been involved in developing large-scale hearing care systems, including the National Ear Care Plan, one of the early nationwide hearing healthcare networks. His work has influenced hearing protection and prevention programs in the United States and internationally.
Recreational & Industrial Audiology: The Next Profitable Frontier is available for $80 through Amazon, E.A.R. Inc., and other major platforms.