Heil Sound, makers of the famous Golden ZimmComm Microphone, have transferred ownership from the founder and his wife. I have had the fortune to talk with Bob Heil about the model PR 20 microphones. He was intrigued by the fact that we use them to interview farmers and all kinds of people involved in agribusiness around the world.

Heil Sound, the Fairview Heights, Illinois-based manufacturer of professional microphones, has announced the successful transfer of ownership from Bob and Sarah Heil to current President and CEO, Ash Levitt, and Director of Operations, Steve Warford. Sarah Heil has retired, but Bob will continue to do outreach work and product design within the amateur radio space under the title Founder and CEO Emeritus.

When discussing the transition, Heil said, “My life has been about achieving great sound, whether on the concert stage or in the amateur radio world. I’ve watched Heil Sound go from a regional sound company to a world-class microphone manufacturer. This company has been my passion but it is time for me to step aside. There is no better team to carry the company forward than Ash and Steve, and I have the utmost confidence in them.”

We wish Bob and his wife all the best. Their microphones have been used to conduct thousands of interviews over the years. If you have been interviewed by us then you are a member of the ZimmComm Golden Mic Club, a special group that includes U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture, global company CEOs and farmers of all commodities.

Two people are responsible for our choice in using this microphone and especially the gold color (a special edition). Steve Mays, who I worked with at Learfield Communications mentioned them to me and Tom Slunecka, Minnesota Soybeans, coined the Golden ZimmComm Microphone name. Here’s a big thank you to both of them for what has been one of the best equipment decisions we’ve made.