DEMA Welcomed Back Deep Ambitions Career Fair at DEMA Show 2013

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Career Fair Strived to Increase the Number of Youth Who Enter the Dive Industry

As an addition to DEMA Show 2013, held November 6-9, 2013 in Orlando, FL, DEMA brought back their Deep Ambitions Career Fair. The objective of the career fair was to expose local youth to career options affiliated with the marine environment and to provide those on the verge of choosing a career path with additional options involving diving. The Career Fair was a huge success with over 150 students from two local schools attending the two-day event.

“DEMA realizes that encouraging the younger generation to get involved in diving is vital to the future of the Industry, its business and the marine environment,” commented Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA. “Hosting a Career Fair at DEMA Show was a wonderful way to energize teachers, expose students to a host of positive career role models, tie academic skills to people who actually use them and involve parents and the community in recreational diving as well as in their child’s school. We will continue to host Career Fairs in the future that will give students a forum wherein they can learn more about the opportunities affiliated within the marine environment and diving.”

The two-day Career Fair involved students participating in two full days of experiential learning about the underwater world and the opportunities related to diving careers. Brian Zollweg, father to one of the middle schoolers who attended the Career Fair, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity for his son and how the Fair " was a really inspiring and educational experience for him... He is in Boy Scouts and is now interested in earning the BSA Scuba award and merit badge." High school students were even given the chance to try diving in the Be A Diver Pool right on the DEMA Show floor. Members of the Be A Diver staff were on site at the Pool to provide assistance to the students, and provide a memorable first-time experience.

DEMA would like to thank Industry influencers Martin Stepanel, Rogest, Wyland, the staff from Infinite Scuba and REEF and Reefmakers for volunteering their time to interact and educate the students about the underwater environment.

DEMA will continue to host Career Fairs throughout 2014, as a source for students interested in exploring their aquatic career options in greater depth. For more information visit www.dema.org.

2014 DEMA Board of Directors Election Begins December 13, 2013

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All Category “A” Members are Requested to Review the Candidate Information Packet and Vote During the Official Voting Period 

DEMA’s upcoming 2014 Board of Directors election will take place during the period starting December 13, 2013 and ending January 31, 2014. All Category “A” DEMA Members who pay their 2014 dues by the official date of record, 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on January 10, 2014, will be eligible to vote in this election and current 2013 Members are strongly encouraged to renew their dues for 2014 immediately in order to participate. All Category “A” Members will receive a Candidate Information Packet and Official Election Ballot via US mail. The Candidate Information Packet can also be viewed online. 2014 Members can vote online once voting is activated beginning December 13^th.

DEMA's 2014 Board of Directors Election candidates are:

Category A1 – Manufacturers, Distributors and Affiliated Field/Sales Representatives:

• Scott Daley, Body Glove International (incumbent)
• Richard Hill, Catalina Cylinders

Category A2 – Diver Certification and Training Agencies, and Affiliated Field/Sales Representatives:

• Tom Leaird, Scuba Educators/PDIC International (incumbent)
• Jeff Seckendorf, Unified Team Diving

Category A3 – Dive Publishing, Media, Dive Industry Consulting, Associations & Non-Retail Service Providers:

• Bonnie Borkin, Bonnier Corporation – Dive Group (incumbent)

• Matt Weiss, Divephotoguide

Category A4 – Retail Distribution of Diving Goods & Services:

• Werner Kurn, Ocean Enterprises, Inc. (incumbent)

Category A5 – Dive Travel Provider or Resort:

• Stuart Cove, Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas
• Ronny Roskosch, Active Scuba Divers

Category “A” DEMA Members must pay their 2014 dues by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on January 10, 2014 to be eligible to vote in this election. DEMA encourages Members to consider each candidate carefully and to vote for the candidate in each category that meets industry needs as perceived by the individual Member. Members can refer to the DEMA Office at the number or email below, or the DEMA Bylaws for any questions regarding voting procedures,   For membership information please contact membership@dema.org or (858) 616-6408.

In accordance with the DEMA Bylaws, Directors serve three-year terms. The following Board members will continue to serve through 2014:

Category A1 – Manufacturers, Distributors and Affiliated Field/Sales Representatives:

• Stephen Ashmore, Tabata USA, Inc. (TUSA)

Category A2 – Diver Certification and Training Agencies, and Affiliated Field/Sales Representatives:

• Jeff Nadler, PADI Americas

Category A3 – Dive Publishing, Media, Dive Industry Consulting, Associations & Non-Retail Service Providers:

• William Cline, Cline Group Advertising, Inc.

Category A4 – Retail Distribution of Diving Goods & Services:

• Darcy Kieran, Total Diving-Montreal Scuba

Category A5 – Dive Travel Provider or Resort:

• Jenny Collister, Reef & Rainforest Dive & Adventure Travel

For more information on DEMA's Board of Directors and Bylaws visit www.dema.org.