DEMA Calls for Nominations for the 2013 Reaching Out Awards

Deadline to Submit Nomination Forms is 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, April 19, 2013

 

DEMA is honored to request nominations for the 2013 DEMA Reaching Out Award, asking the Diving Industry to submit the names and qualifying information of those Industry professionals who have made a significant contribution to the sport of scuba diving.

 

Each year DEMA recognizes Industry professionals who are “reaching out” in some special way to improve the sport for everyone; those who help develop techniques related to their special areas of expertise. Areas of contribution from past Diving Industry nominees have included photography, training, equipment design, publishing, travel, retailing, water safety, exploration and science. For details about nomination requirements and selection criteria review the 2013 Reaching Out Award Nomination Form. All nominees must have been active in the Diving Industry for a minimum of 10 years, and made a significant contribution to the sport of scuba diving.

 

Since it was first presented in 1989, the Reaching Out Award recognizes those who belong in the Industry's HALL OF FAME. These are the leaders and heroes of our sport. They are the ones who have helped make Diving what it is today. Some have greater name recognition than others, but each is, in his or her own way, as important to the development of Diving as any other.

Diving Industry Professionals Gather to Strategize Future Growth at Latest 2020 Vision Session

DEMA Hosts 2020 Vision Session in Affiliation with DEMA Show 2012 to Continue Gathering Recommendations for the Future of the Diving Industry

 

What is the most productive way to grow the Diving Industry? Would the greatest benefit be derived from attracting younger divers? Or would there be more potential for growth by reaching out to those participating in other active lifestyle sports? Or perhaps increasing the image of the diving professional as a career path? These are just a few of the ideas arising from discussions at DEMA’s latest 2020 Vision brainstorming session, conducted during DEMA Show 2012. 

 

Conceived as a means by which DEMA Member input could help steer the direction of the Industry and Association, information from the DEMA 2020 Vision Sessions are part of the strategic planning process used by DEMA’s Board of Directors. Ideas and priorities from these brainstorming sessions help the Board understand the needs of Members on the ground. It is from these sessions that ideas such as the owner and employee health insurance program and the worker’s compensation insurance program, both open to DEMA Members, originated. 

 

2020 Vision sessions were conducted in several locations during 2011 and 2012 and additional sessions are planned for 2013. At the most recent 2020 Vision Session, held in affiliation with DEMA Show 2012, participants brainstormed how the Industry can achieve key action items from earlier Vision Sessions in 2011 and 2012:

• Sell the "Diving Lifestyle" along with dive travel
• Support & develop professional retailers and their staff
• Create various benefits for retailers, including health insurance and other benefits
• Adapt to new media and use social media
• Make dive travel easier
• Put the "edge" back in diving - make it more exciting
• Promote to a younger audience
• Create a positive first experience for divers
• Provide a local purpose to dive after certification (Promote and use "local diving")

Interestingly, some new ideas arose from this latest brainstorming session, including: reducing barriers to entry, finding more ways to collaborate, using celebrities to get media attention and more. DEMA encourages all Industry professionals to review the brainstorming notes from these sessions and develop their own thoughts to share with us:

• At a future 2020 Vision Session (details coming soon)
• By emailing us at 2020Vision@dema.org

If you have any questions regarding these or future sessions please contact us at 2020vision@dema.org or (858) 616-6408.

Pools Must be in Compliance with New Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Requirements by January 31st 2013

In 2012, the United States Department of Justice issued an extension on the compliance date for the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design for existing pools and spas provided by state and local governments and by public accommodations. The new deadline was set for January 31, 2013 and is rapidly approaching.

 

In order to help eliminate misinformation and provide ample opportunity to comply, DEMA submitted comments on behalf of the Diving Industry during 2012 in favor of delaying the initial March 2012 deadline date for certain requirements of Titles II and III of the ADA. “We believed an extension of the compliance date was necessary to allow for clarification of the requirements and allow impacted Industry businesses to budget and plan for any necessary changes,” commented Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA.

 

According to the Department of Justice, existing pools must be in compliance with the new requirements as set forth by the changes within the ADA Standards for Accessible Design by January 31^st, 2013. Industry professionals using pools in stores and any public facilities are advised to review the new requirements for pool entry and exit, compliance date details, and refer to the ADA website for additional information on immediate compliance with the regulations.

Generate New Business For Your Retail Dive Center by Participating in 2013 Be A Diver Pool Tour Stops

Eight Events in Quarter 1 Alone Provide Opportunities for Retail Dive Center Participants from New York to Missouri

Since it first came into existence more than 10 years ago, the Be A Diver Pool Tour has traveled throughout the U.S. enabling potential new diving customers to try scuba diving in the warm, safe confines of a four-foot deep swimming pool under professional supervision. With 2013 just beginning, the Pool’s schedule is already filling up and 2013 promises to be another productive year for both the Pool and local retailers who participate at pool tour stops.

Since 2000, the Be A Diver Pool has brought the interactive diving experience to thousands of onsite participants at hundreds of indoor and outdoor venues as well as millions of at-home viewers and publication readers through media coverage from across the United States. Pool Tour stop locations are carefully selected using solid consumer research indicating which of the many events across the US already attract potential customers who fit the same prosperous demographic profile targeted by the diving industry. The Be A Diver Pool utilizes effective cross-marketing strategies to bring in new divers to participating stores, thus helping to grow the Diving Industry. Equally important is the tremendous amount of media attention the Be A Diver Pool generates in the local area and nationally. Participating DEMA Member stores often have the opportunity for their businesses to appear on television and in print as a result of their participation.

Each Pool stop is coordinated by DEMA’s “Big Wave” Dave Reidenbach, Retail Membership Manager, in coordination with local DEMA Member Profesional Dive Centers. By working at a local Pool stop, retailers in the area have the prime opportunity to provide a memorable first-time experience to potential new divers and customers. John Wilkins, owner of Rex Diver Center, Inc. participated in the Pool stop at the Norwalk Boat Show in 2012 and was able to “make a professional impression on thousands of attendees.” In addition, he indicates that, “learning to scuba was part of the many television ads leading up and through the boat show,” providing additional exposure to potential customers. Thanks to participating in his local pool stop last year Wilkins signed up multiple participants into the following weekends’ dive class and went away with a list of leads for future classes.

As Wilkins and many other retailers have experienced, the Pool is often a potential customer’s first diving experience and the introduction they need to develop a lifelong passion for the sport. The Be A Diver Pool already has eight confirmed stops in Quarter 1 of 2013 with many more being confirmed for the rest the year and throughout the country.

Retailers who are interested in participating in a scheduled pool stop or who may be aware of an event with potential for attracting new divers are encouraged to contact DEMA’s Pool Tour Coordinator, “Big Wave” Dave Reidenbach at (920) 205-3657 or bigwavedave@dema.org. There are also a variety of different sponsorships available to those interested and detailed information about the various sponsorship packages available can be found in the Be A Diver Pool Prospectus or by contacting Dave Reidenbach.