DEMA Board of Directors to Meet in San Diego, CA for Face-to-Face Board Meeting on March 4th and 5th

DEMA Board of Directors to Meet in San Diego, CA for Face-to-Face Board Meeting on March 4th and 5th

DEMA’s Board of Directors will meet on March 4th and 5th to welcome the newly elected members of the DEMA Board of Directors and strategize ways to help grow our Industry and maximize DEMA’s benefits for Members. Topics for discussion will include DEMA Board Policies, governance recommendations & changes, an initiative to grow the Industry, 2015 budget review and Committee planning.

Day one of the Board meeting will begin with the election of Board Officers from among the current Board Members. With officers in place for the year, the Board will approve reports from past and completed activities as part of the “consent agenda.”  For March, the consent agenda will include:

• November 2014 Board Meeting Minutes
• Post DEMA Show 2014 Summary
• 2014 Year-End Membership and Programs Update
• 2015 Legislative Update
• Social Media Evaluation
• Retailer Resource Committee Report
• 2014 Year-End Financial Summary and Manufacturer’s Fund Report
  

Following approval of the consent agenda, Tom Ingram, Executive Director will set the tone with proposed goals for the year, leading into discussions about DEMA governance recommendations and a broad US initiative to grow the number of diving participants over the next few years. Later in the day, Ingram will present proposals for new Board policies to strengthen the Association. The Board of Directors will also review the 2015 budget. Once all other agenda items from day one are addressed, the Board is scheduled to consider new Committees and potential Committee Chairs.

Day two of the Board of Directors Meeting will allow Committees to start planning their work for the year. Each Board Member can volunteer to work in various Committees based upon their areas of expertise and interests. Committees are tactical and the goals of Committees include creating new ideas, improving current programs and benefits, clarifying or resolving pending issues and soliciting feedback from Industry stakeholders.  Once data and other information is gathered, the details are provided to the Board at large to aid in strategic decision-making.  Additional Committee information is available online.

After final discussion and approval of the budget and programs, the Board of Directors will address any new business and conclude the afternoon of Thursday, March 5th. More information on DEMA’s Board of Directors and Bylaws is available on the DEMA website. Complete minutes from past Board of Directors Meetings are available to current DEMA Members from the Member Dashboard of www.dema.org. Future 2015 meeting dates will be confirmed during March’s meeting.

DEMA Opens Official Hotel Block for DEMA Show 2015 in Orlando, FL

DEMA Opens Official Hotel Block for DEMA Show 2015 in Orlando, FL

**Block Offers Exclusive Savings and Benefits for DEMA Show 2015 Attendees and Exhibitors at the Rosen Centre Hotel**

DEMA Show 2015 will be here before you know it and DEMA wants to help Dive Industry professionals keep their planning efforts on track for this year’s annual trade-only event for the Diving Industry.  Start your planning for the Show, taking place November 4-7 in Orlando, FL, by booking your room reservation in the DEMA Show Hotel Block, featuring exclusive exhibitor and attendee rates and benefits.

Once again, DEMA Show will feature the Rosen Centre Hotel as this year’s Host Hotel.  The Rosen Centre is conveniently located directly across from the South Hall of the Orange County Convention Center – home to DEMA Show 2015.  Those booking in DEMA’s block at the Rosen Centre will receive complimentary internet, complimentary access to the Fitness Center, free parking and special hotel restaurant discounts all at the special DEMA Show rate of $175 per night* (weekday and weekend).  For those looking for optional accommodations, other specially-priced DEMA hotel block rooms will also be offered at the Hilton Orlando for $184/night* and the Days Inn for $92/night* (*plus state and local taxes).

Due to the close walking proximity to the South Hall from all of the 2015 DEMA block hotels, regular shuttle bus service WILL NOT be provided, but limited ADA accessible shuttle bus service will be offered during Show days for all three DEMA Block hotels upon request.

A SPECIAL CAUTION!  DEMA would like to caution attendees and exhibitors to be wary when booking accommodations through unauthorized third party vendorsclaiming to work with DEMA Show.  These unauthorized vendors are often room “pirates” and though they typically offer what appears to be a lower rate than the official block rate, room reservations may be offered at significantly lower quality and may not be available for the duration of your planned stay.  In addition, cancellation polices with these “pirates” are often harsh and unforgiving, resulting in loss of fees or other penalties. Booking within the official DEMA Hotel Block also allows DEMA to negotiate exclusive rates for DEMA Show attendees and exhibitors.  Help DEMA keep your hotel costs down for DEMA Show by booking within DEMA’s official hotel block.

Tom Ingram, DEMA Executive Director, Earns Certified Association Executive Credential

DEMA has announced that Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE®) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). The CAE is the highest professional credential in the association industry.

To be designated as a Certified Association Executive, an applicant must have a minimum of three years experience with nonprofit organization management, complete a minimum of 100 hours of specialized professional development, pass a stringent examination in association management, and pledge to uphold a code of ethics. To maintain the certification, individuals must undertake ongoing professional development and activities in association and nonprofit management. More than 4,000 association professionals currently hold the CAE credential. The CAE program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

ASAE is a membership organization of more than 21,000 association executives and industry partners representing 9,300 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world. With the support of the ASAE Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession, and provides resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. For more information about ASAE, visit www.asaecenter.org.

DEMA Introduces 2015 Board of Directors

The results of DEMA's 2015 Board of Directors Election are in! Members of DEMA's 2015 Board of Directors include the following individuals:

A1-Manufacturing
Scott Daley, Body Glove International
Mike Hollis, American Underwater Products*

A2-Diver Certification and Training Agencies
Tom Leaird, Scuba Educators/PDIC International
Kristin Valette, PADI*

A3-Dive Publishing, Media, Consulting and Non-Retail Service Providers
William Cline, Cline Group Advertising, Inc.*
Dan Orr, Dan Orr Consulting*

A4-Retailers
Darcy Kieran, Divers Direct*
Werner Kurn, Ocean Enterprises, Inc.

A5-Travel & Resorts
Stuart Cove, Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas
Tim Webb, Caradonna Dive Adventures*

*New/Re-elected members

In accordance with the DEMA Bylaws, Directors serve three-year terms. Additional information on DEMA's Board of Directors and Bylaws is available online.  The election was conducted by CPA firm, Gray, Proctor & McMannis, based in Newport Beach, CA. All A-category DEMA members who had joined or renewed their DEMA Membership for 2015 by 1/9/15 were eligible to vote in this election. The final vote count is available for DEMA Members who are logged into the Members-Only Dashboard of www.dema.org.

Congratulations to all of DEMA's Directors!  In the coming weeks, the Board will meet to conduct officer elections, form committees and select individuals to chair them.  Contact us at toll free (800) 862-DIVE (3483), (858) 616-6408 or info@dema.org if you have any questions or are interested in serving on one of the DEMA Board committees. Additional Committee information can be found online here. Thank you for your continued support!