DEMA-Sponsored Educational Sessions from DEMA Show 2019 Now Available Online

Did you miss out on valuable educational opportunities provided as part of the DEMA-Sponsored Education Package? DEMA-Sponsored Education covers a wide spectrum of topics to expand your business and career. Select sessions from DEMA Show 2019 are now available for purchase from DEMA.org.  Learn more and purchase access to the recordings today!

REVIEW SESSIONS

Alert - NOAA Proposes Changes to Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) proposes to expand the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) boundary, update sanctuary-wide regulations, modify and establish new marine zones, update marine zone-specific regulations, and revise the sanctuary’s non-regulatory management plan. NOAA has issued a Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) on FKNMS.

According to NOAA, the existing FKNMS Sanctuary regulations, marine zones, and management plan activities designed and implemented in the mid-1990s are no longer sufficient to ensure long-term resource protection and ecosystem function integrity into the future.

DEMA has been a supporter of the National Marine Sanctuaries since the 1990s and was heavily involved with the creation of FKNMS. DEMA has supported the reauthorization of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, testifying before congress in support of the Act and the need to permit access by non-consumptive activities such as recreational diving, reminding government and management that recreational divers, more than anyone else, see first-hand the conditions of reefs, and that diving is not an inherently “extractive” activity that depletes resources such as coral or reef fish.

Since the 1990s, DEMA has been the recreational diving community’s voice for the Sanctuary Programs and is now seeking your help in continuing to express the need to protect these valuable natural assets while maintaining diver access to the Sanctuary areas.

Please provide comments on the proposed Sanctuary changes by going to the Federal eRulemaking Portal, www.regulations.gov. Use docket number NOAA-NOS-2019-0094.

For those local to the Florida Keys and South Florida, the sanctuary will hold its final public meeting and accept oral comments on December 10:

Islander Resort
82100 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, Florida

Join us at Dive in Day at the Florida Capitol

Each year DEMA sponsors "Dive in Day" in Tallahassee, FL, giving local DEMA Members the unique opportunity to showcase their diving-related products and services, and promote issues that are important to the scuba diving industry. This year's Dive in Day is on January 21, 2020. 

Florida’s 160 legislators, the Governor and his staff, and hundreds of Florida visitors will be at the Capitol during the day. DEMA has reserved the courtyard and first floor of the Capitol building to give DEMA Members and Florida-based dive businesses an opportunity to showcase Florida’s recreational diving operators. 

In addition to displaying products and services, DEMA is asking the members of our Industry to meet with legislators to discuss issues relevant to the Florida diving industry. For those interested in bringing attention to issues critical to the Industry in Florida, on request, DEMA will arrange a time for you to meet with your state Senator or Representative and provide you with information that will help you discuss these important topics. You can take advantage of this opportunity and participate with DEMA’s Public Policy efforts in Florida, by calling Emily Bolde at (850) 201-5224 or by email at ebolde@lawfla.com. Meeting YOUR Representative or Senator can focus attention on a variety of issues that affect the scuba diving industry, such as shark finning, the future of the goliath grouper, spiny lobster, environmental issues, and others. DEMA will also distribute relevant information to legislators (and Capitol visitors) which include the size of the diving industry in Florida and its importance in jobs, tourism, and the economy with a focus on the economic benefit of Florida dive businesses and the protection of sharks and their vital role in the marine ecosystem. 

This year’s Dive in Day at the Capitol will be Tuesday January 21st, 2020. 

If you are interested in exhibiting, we suggest you bring simple and inexpensive table-top displays that include brochures, videos, product information, handouts and other materials to attract interest from the public and lawmakers. EXHIBIT SPACE IN THE CAPITOL BUILDING IS FREE but is limited, and available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

SPACE IS LIMITED! PLEASE RSVP BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON JANUARY 1, 2020. 

To RSVP or for more information about Dive in Day at the Capitol, please contact Emily Bolde, at ebolde@lawfla.com or (850) 201-5224 (office). We look forward to seeing you there! 

Amy Lee Honored as DEMA’s 2019 Wave Makers Award Recipient

** Announcement Made at the 2019 DEMA Awards Party **

The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association is pleased to announce that Amy Lee is the 2019 recipient of DEMA’s Wave Makers Award. The announcement was made at the DEMA Award’s Party on November 15, 2019. The celebration was held to honor the 2019 Wave Makers Award finalists and 2019 recipient, as well as to celebrate the careers of the 2019 Reaching Out Award Recipients.

The Wave Makers Award was first introduced in 2017 and aims to recognize professionals who have been working in the industry for five years or less and have made a significant contribution to the industry during that time. The Wave Makers Award encourages the Industry to support a culture that fosters innovative thinking and encourages engagement with the association and industry by new professionals.

The finalists for the 2019 Wave Makers Award included:

• Rosemary Ciotti, Adaptive Diving Association
• Mike Johnson, Solstice Productions
• Amy Lee, Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF)
• Nicole Zelek, Superdive Scuba

2019 DEMA Members selected Amy Lee as the 2019 Award recipient by viewing and voting for the finalist of their choice, based on the biographies and short videos that the finalists submitted. 

AMY LEE is REEF’s Trips Program and Communications Manager. Through all aspects of her work, Amy strives to merge her passions for diving, communication, science, and travel. Amy is always looking for ways to inspire new divers and young people interested in the oceans, and she strives to make ocean science accessible and fun.

In her role at REEF, she organizes, plans, and promotes trips to dive destinations world-wide through REEF’s citizen science Volunteer Fish Survey Program. In addition to managing this eco-diving travel program, she is a REEF Trip Leader, where she enthusiastically shares her passion for marine life and encourages participants to become engaged in ways that will make their diving truly count. She serves as one of REEF’s primary mentors to young professionals participating in the Marine Conservation Internship program. In her spare time, Amy has served as a contributing writer for several publications including: Alert Diver Magazine, Scuba Diving, Earth is Blue, and the 2nd edition of the popular Lionfish Cookbook.

Amy views diving as more than just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle—and she strongly believes that as an individual, you make a difference for our oceans.

DEMA congratulates Amy Lee for her hard work and passionate service to our Industry and looks forward to seeing the contributions she will continue to make throughout her career.

The Author’s Corner at DEMA Show

Ever dreamt of meeting and talking to your favorite authors, hearing about their exploits and encounters, and purchasing your own signed copies of their books? Now you can at DEMA Show 2019 with the Author's Corner, taking place in DEMA Central, Booth 1561. Meet with the following authors during their scheduled times below:

MEET JON COON
Ghost River

Wednesday, 12:00-12:30 PMThursday, 12:00-12:30 PMFriday, 12:00-12:30 PM

Book Description:Gabe Jones is not like most underwater criminal investigators―he talks to the dead and the dead talk back. In this crime-thrilling suspense novel, Gabe dives into a watery world of crime and corruption as a paranormal experience helps him uncover the grisly truth of his partner’s death.

After losing his trooper partner Charlie in a recovery dive, Gabe Jones is not prepared for what he discovers when he attempts to investigate the scene of Charlie’s death. In the mirky waters of the Florida panhandle, Gabe questions his partner’s departed spirit and uncovers an underwater graveyard, along with a dire warning that more deaths are coming if he doesn’t stop the killer. In a race against time, the underwater spirits lead him to the incriminating evidence he needs to expose the killer. But when his investigation is discovered, he puts Charlie’s family at risk. Will he have what it takes to outwit his adversaries, save Charlie’s daughter, and expose the killer, all while navigating the tumultuous waves of relationships he finds himself in above water?

MEET AL HORNSBY
Face to Face: Up Close with Mother Nature

Friday, 3:00-3:30 PM

Book Description:Face to Face - Up Close with Mother Nature is a collection of wildlife author and photographer Al Hornsby's most exciting underwater and topside wildlife encounters, as captured through his camera and words. Organized into The Americas; Africa; and Asia and the Pacific sections, the color and B&W images, most shot at very close range, feature sharks, whales, crocodiles, grizzly bears, leopards, cobras and many more of nature's most lovely and exciting creatures. Key photographs are accompanied by Al's first-person impressions of the encounters that led to the images, which share his feelings and emotions during those oft-times intense, face-to-face moments. According to the author, "For the big animals - big carnivores in particular - it's my hope the book's images and real-life stories can show that their fearsome reputations as 'blood-thirsty man eaters' are the products of myth and too little real information; that they are instead majestic and beautiful, usually too timid or wary to be approached at all, and even if they show interest in us, it's generally merely simple curiosity. This aside, they play critical roles in virtually all our planet's ecosystems, and they need to be protected. Hopefully, Face to Face can do its small part in communicating just what is at stake should we ultimately fail to adequately respond."

MEET BRANDI MUELLER
The Airplane Graveyard: The Forgotten WWII Warbirds of Kwajalein Atoll

Friday 2:00-2:30 PM      

Book Description:Extraordinary images, never before published in book form, of the forgotten American WWII Airplanes at the bottom of the Kwajalein Atoll lagoon, from award-winning underwater photographer Brandi Mueller.

At the end of WWII, around 150 American airplanes, all veterans of the Pacific war, were dumped in the lagoon of Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. A master diver and superb underwater photographer, Brandi Mueller has dived to depths of 120 feet to capture rare images of these forgotten war birds, many looking as if they could still take off and return to the war-torn skies at any moment.

Encrusted in coral, these haunting aircraft are now home to a colorful array of tropical Pacific marine life, including fish, turtles, and even the occasional shark. Discover the stories of these historic aircraft, their heroic role in the Pacific Theater of WWII, and how and why they ended up here.

In The Airplane Graveyard, Brandi takes you below the ocean’s surface to discover the forgotten remains of Douglas SBD Dauntless, Vought F4U Corsair, Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, Curtiss C-46 Commando, Grumman F4F Wildcats, Grumman TBF Avengers, and an astounding eleven PBJ-1 Mitchell Medium Bombers. The haunting images are accompanied by a text that includes a historical account of the aircraft by military historian Alan Axelrod.

MEET STEVE ZAZULYK
The Ring Finder - How To Make A Profit With Your Metal Detector

Wednesday, 3:00-3:30 PMThursday, 3:00-3:30 PM

Book Description:
Ring finding is one of the most exciting and fascinating hobbies for today's metal detectorists. And if you know what to do, it can be quite lucrative. Written by professional treasure hunter and accomplished ring finder, Steve Zazulyk, this book will walk you through how to take an enjoyable hobby and turn it into a profitable gratuity-based service. Beginners to well-seasoned detectorists will learn what equipment to use, which techniques work best, and how to distinguish the sound of gold from other metals. You will be equipped with the knowledge to navigate through each situation, from advertising your service and growing your client base, to locating the ring, capturing the "moment," and receiving your gratuity. This book is a great resource for the soon-to-be treasure hunters and for those wanting to expand their ring finding skills.

DEMA Announces Diving Community Champion Awards Recipients

** Diving Community Champion Awards will be presented during the DEMA Membership Meeting held at DEMA Show 2019**

DEMA is proud to announce the Diving Community Champions Honorees for 2019!

Congratulations to 2019 Diving Community Champion Award Recipients:

2019 Platinum Winner: ScubaRadio (Overboard Entertainment, Inc.)

ScubaRadio is a radio talk show with a diving theme and provides the forum to connect divers and listeners over stories about the perfect dive, destination, or encounter with some amazing sea creature. ScubaRadio covers all aspects of diving, including the best dive sites, dive gear, live-aboards, shark diving, and much more. Every week thousands of listeners are tuning into ScubaRadio via radio stations scattered throughout the US.

2019 Gold Winner: Save Our Leatherbacks Operation

Save Our Leatherbacks Operation (S.O.L.O.) started in 2002 and first focused on the critically endangered Leatherback Sea Turtle. Working on a remote nesting beach in Papua, Indonesia, in partnership with a local subsistence village, S.O.L.O. met its goal to significantly increase this sea turtle’s hatching rate.  More recently, additional marine environmental projects within S.O.L.O.’s foundation structure have focused on clean up campaigns which have spawned more local community activity to help reduce marine litter.

2019 Silver Winner: Deep Sea Valkyries

Founded in 2014, Deep Sea Valkyries utilizes recreational scuba diving as an alternative form of therapy to injured veterans as a method to combat veteran suicide and enhance lives post-service. The veterans who participate in the program show a marked improvement in their quality of life and mental health. Since completing the program, past participants have gone back to school, given back to their community and other veterans through volunteer work, checked themselves into inpatient programs to get clean of the myriad of medications prescribed by the VA, and most importantly, continued to dive.

A complete list of finalists and their nomination submissions can be found online here.

DEMA’s objectives in creating this program include recognizing DEMA Member companies who are giving back to their communities and society through recreational diving and making these community efforts known to the general public.  DEMA Members could view the nominees and cast their votes through DEMA.org.

The Diving Community Champion Awards will be presented during the DEMA Membership Meeting held at DEMA Show 2019 on November 14, 2019.

DEMA Launches Mentorship Program

Just in time for participants to meet face-to-face during DEMA Show, DEMA is launching a new Mentorship Program.  Any current DEMA Member may participate in this program designed to help diving industry mentors and mentees learn from each other.

This Mentorship Program epitomizes DEMA’s Mission; to bring businesses together to grow the diving industry worldwide and celebrates the wealth of mentoring experience available in the company of DEMA Members.

Mentoring is a proven way to provide learning and development to both parties.  In the diving industry, many new professionals are seeking ways to navigate a career path in the industry that allows them to make a living while embracing a unique lifestyle. Seasoned diving professionals understand the need to adopt a succession plan for the industry that brings in new and excited professionals with great ideas and unique skills.  Veterans of the industry can help guide new professionals through many of the obstacles they may encounter on their professional journey, while these veterans also learn new skills in the areas of technology, social media, and more.

The Mentorship Program was conceived, in part, by the DEMA “Emerging Leaders” Task Force established at the beginning of 2019.  Working for more than five months on the logistics and administration of the program, this group of new professionals helped develop criteria based on the needs of those coming into the industry, and knowing that seasoned professionals are also interested in making sure the diving industry survives and thrives in the future. 

Mentees in the program are DEMA Members who are “new professionals” in the industry, regardless of age.  “New professionals” are defined as those who have been professionals in the recreational diving industry for five years or less. Any qualified DEMA Member new professional can apply to be a mentee if they are willing to participate within the structure and rules of the program.  Not all those who apply will be immediately matched.

Mentors are any DEMA Member volunteer from any of DEMA’s stakeholder groups, willing to serve within the structure and rules of the program. Through DEMA’s Mentorship Program Committee, selected mentors will be matched to mentees based on the interests and goals of both.  Owing to the matching process, not all those who apply will be immediately selected as mentors.

HOW DOES IT WORK? The process is simple: Mentors and mentees complete an application and submit it to DEMA’s Mentorship Committee for review.  All applicants are invited to the inaugural luncheon at DEMA Show, where the program will be introduced.  The Mentorship Program begins following DEMA Show 2019. 

INTERESTED? Download DEMA’s Mentorship Participation Handbook and apply online to participate as a mentor or mentee. Selected participants are required to commit to the rules of the Mentorship Program, but there are no fees to DEMA for applying or participating.  Applicants should plan to attend the inaugural luncheon conducted at DEMA Show on November 16, 2019 from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.

Start Planning for DEMA Show with the Mobile App

Enhance your DEMA Show experience with the DEMA Show 2019 Mobile App, now available for download! Look-up Exhibitors, create your own schedule, connect with other Attendees and MUCH MORE!  The DEMA Show 2019 Mobile App is a native application for iPad, smartphones (iPhone and Android), a hybrid web-based app for Blackberry, and there's also a web-based version of the application for all other web browser-enabled phones.  If you already have the DEMA Show Mobile App with the 2018 app open, go to settings and tap "Exit to Show List". Choose DEMA Show 2019 then tap download.

GET THE APP

Voting Now Open for the 2019 Wave Makers Award

Voting for the 2019 Wave Makers Award is now open to DEMA Members! The Wave Makers Award aims to recognize professionals who have been working in the industry for five years or less and have made a significant contribution to the industry during that time. 
 
The deadline to vote is 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time on November 8, 2019. 
Learn more about the nominee finalists and cast your vote today!

Vote for the 2019 Diving Community Champion Award

DEMA's new Diving Community Champion Award recognizes DEMA Member companies using diving to benefit their communities and the public. Nominations have been submitted and now it's YOUR turn to vote! The deadline to vote for the business YOU think deserves to be honored as this year's Diving Community Champion is 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time on October 18, 2019. The Diving Community Champion Awards will presented during the DEMA Membership Meeting held at DEMA Show 2019 on November 14, 2019.

LOG IN & VOTE NOW

Captain Spencer Slate and Armand “Zig” & JoAnn Zigahn to Receive DEMA’s 2019 Reaching Out Award

** Honorees to be Recognized at the 2019 DEMA Awards Party **

 The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association is pleased to announce that Captain Spencer Slate and Armand “Zig” & JoAnn Zigahn are the 2019 Reaching Out Award recipients and the newest inductees to DEMA’s Hall of Fame. The Dive Industry will celebrate at the 31st annual DEMA Award’s Party, taking place in Orlando, FL on November 15, 2019, to honor these recipients and reveal this year’s recipient of the Wave Makers Award. Join us at this year’s 80’s inspired eveningas we honor these outstanding members of the diving community.

First presented in 1989, DEMA’s Reaching Out Award honors members of the diving community whose significant contributions to the sport have elevated the industry on all levels. This year’s recipients will be joining an extraordinary list of distinguished past Honorees.

CAPTAIN SPENCER SLATE has spent over forty years dedicating his time and resources to grow the sport of diving. During his career, he served as the Scuba Training Director of the Jacksonville, Florida YMCA Scuba Program and the National Chairman of the YMCA Scuba Program, as well as on the BOD of NAUI.  “Slate” later moved to Key Largo and opened Captain Slate’s Dive Center which is still in operation.

Always community minded, Slate is founder and past president of the Florida Association of Dive Operators and served on the local Advisory Committee for the Tourism Development Council.  He served 28 years on the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce, where he was chair three times. Slate also served on the original Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Committee that mapped out the new Florida Keys NMS for the entire 2900 square miles of the keys, ensuring by his work that Keys Charter Boat Dive operators would continue to have diver access to the entire sanctuary. Slate also spearheaded the Spiegel Grove artificial reef project in the keys.  The Grove was sunk in Key Largo on May 2002 and at the time became the largest shipwreck sunk for diving.

In 2004, Slate was inducted into the International SCUBA Diving Hall of Fame for his leadership in pioneering dive resort safety operations for stores, boats and crews worldwide.

Captain Slate continues to be a community leader in his local and international diving communities. His efforts have helped grow the sport and ensure our underwater world will be accessible and enjoyed by generations to come.

ARMAND “ZIG” AND JOANN ZIGAHN have dedicated their careers and lives to improving the sport of scuba diving through what is today, forty-four years later, thought by many to be the largest consumer oceans exposition, dive and travel show in America: Beneath the Sea. The auspices of Beneath the Sea supported the Zigahns' extensive efforts to educate the public and expose young people to careers in the aquatic sciences.

Since the start of the show, the Zigahns have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to assist in launching and continuously supporting many of the environmental organizations well known today. For thirty-three years, Ocean Pals and their program - education through art - has worked with international and national schools providing ocean-themed curriculum and offering incentives to schools and children to participate. Their Marine Careers Day program, held annually for the last thirteen years at Beneath the Sea, has helped expose young people to the potential careers in the diving industry. Adding to this totemic support of diving’s future; they continuously raise money to provide eighteen student scholarships and grants each year.  In the early 2000s, the Zigahns contributed to the creation of a large aquarium for the education, engagement, and distraction of the seriously ill children who populate the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center. Involving young adults from the Sea of Tomorrow Society (a group of up and coming divers involved with the Beneath the Sea show) they annually pledge the support necessary to sustain the dynamics of this demonstrated aid to the healing process.

The Zigahns' life work has touched the lives of many throughout the international diving community while providing countless opportunities for young people. Such efforts encourage others, create visions, stir the blood, and bring new members into the diving community.

DEMA congratulates Captain Spencer Slate and Armand “Zig” & JoAnn Zigahn for their exemplary, life-long service to our Industry.

Join the industry in celebration of the 2019 Reaching Out Award recipients at the DEMA Awards Party! Get your tickets when you register for DEMA Show as prices will increase after October 14th and are only available while supplies last. Additional information about the 2019 DEMA Awards Party including ticket pricing and event details are available on the DEMA Show website. For sponsorship opportunities and VIP reserved seating for tables of 10, please contact Colleen Vasquez at colleen@dema.org. 

DEMA Board of Directors to Meet in San Diego, CA on August 15th and 16th

DEMA’s 2019 Board of Directors will meet on August 15th and 16th in San Diego, CA. The Board will focus on discussing ways the Association can continue to bring businesses together to grow the diving industry worldwide. Topics for discussion will include DEMA Show; proposed 2020 programs; how DEMA can serve the needs of its members and the industry; and more.

Day one of the Board meeting will begin with the Board approving reports from past and completed activities as part of the “consent agenda.”  For August, the consent agenda will include:

• DEMA 2019 Dashboard
• Q2 Financial Summary and Manufacturer’s Fund Report
• Go Dive Now Update
• DEMA Show 2019 Update
• Litigation Update
• Public Policy Report
• Diving Community Champions Award Update
• Board Seat Nominations and Election Update
• MSI Update
• PMI: Purchasing Managers Index

Following approval of the consent agenda, the Board will discuss matters on the regular agenda including the 2019 and 2020 DEMA Shows, proposed programs for 2020, and other relevant topics. Day one will conclude with the Board covering any consent agenda items that require further discussion.

Day two will provide the Board Members with a review of DEMA’s annual financial audit as well as time to discuss a budget for the 2020 programs approved during the previous day. The Board of Directors Meeting will conclude on the afternoon of Friday, August 16th after any new business has been addressed. 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. The next Board of Directors Meeting will be held on November 11th in Orlando, FL

DEMA Launches DEMA Show 2019 Sales Appreciation Program

DEMA is excited to announce the launch of the DEMA Show 2019 Sales Appreciation Program. This program will provide participating Attendees with opportunities to have DEMA pay $100 toward their purchases actually made during the four-day DEMA Show.

Any DEMA Show Attendee making wholesale or travel purchases of at least $500 during DEMA Show are encouraged to participate. By providing a copy of their detailed printed wholesale or travel invoice from the DEMA Show Exhibitor/vendor to DEMA Central, they will be entered into drawings for DEMA to pay $100 toward their purchase directly to the vendor. Attendees may enter as many DIFFERENT invoices as they like during the Show, but each entry must be for a minimum of $500. 

DEMA Show Exhibitors are encouraged to take orders and close sales during the 2019 Show so they can provide this opportunity to their Attendee-customers.  All Attendees registered for and attending DEMA Show 2019 are eligible to participate.

Each day of the Show, DEMA will conduct four drawings from the actual invoices collected and pay the Exhibitor on the selected invoice $100 directly on behalf of the Attendee. Winners may be selected more than once for different invoices.  All entries by Attendees must be for orders taken or sales actually closed during DEMA Show 2019. 

For questions or additional information about the DEMA Show 2019 Sales Promotion, click here.

Rewind Back to the 80’s at the 2019 DEMA Awards Party

The dive industry is coming together at the 31st annual DEMA Awards Party taking place November 15, 2019 to honor the 2019 Reaching Out Award recipients and to reveal this year’s recipient of the Wave Makers Award. Join us at this year’s 80’s inspired evening which will take place at Hard Rock Live Orlando.  Get ready for a night full of acid washed jeans and teased hair as we celebrate with friends, business associates, and industry peers! Mark your calendar for an evening of entertainment and celebration!

First presented in 1989, the Reaching Out Award honors leaders in the diving community whose significant contributions to the sport have elevated the industry on all levels. Areas of contribution have included equipment design, exploration, photography, publishing, retailing, science, training, travel and water safety. This year’s recipients will be joining an extraordinary list of distinguished past Honorees.

The Wave Makers Award was first introduced in 2017 and aims to recognize professionals who have been working in the industry for five years or less and have made a significant contribution to the industry during that time. The Wave Makers Award encourages the Industry to support a culture that fosters innovative thinking and encourages engagement with the association and industry by new professionals.

Get your tickets today when you register for DEMA Show as prices will increase after October 14thand are only available while supplies last. Additional information about the 2019 DEMA Awards Party including ticket pricing and event details are available on the DEMA Show website. For sponsorship opportunities and VIP reserved seating for tables of 10, please contact Colleen Vasquez at colleen@dema.org.  

Slate Announced for 2020-2023 DEMA Board of Directors Election

** Deadline to Petition for a Write-In Candidate is 9/2/19**

The candidates for the 2020-2023 DEMA Board of Directors are: 

• Category A1 – Manufacturers, Distributors and Affiliated Field/Sales Representatives:
  
  • Chuck Fultz, Innovative Scuba Concepts, Inc.
• Category A2 – Diver Certification and Training Agencies, and Affiliated Field/Sales Representative:
  
  
  •  Tom Leaird, Scuba Educators International
• Category A3 – Dive Publishing, Media, Dive Industry Consulting, Associations & Non-Retail Service Providers:
  
  •  William Cline, Cline Group Advertising, Inc.
  • Michael Johnson, Solstice Productions
  • Ronny Roskosch, Diving Industry Pro Consulting
• Category A4 – Retail Distribution of Diving Goods & Services:
  
  •  Bill Cole, Sea Experience
  • John Miller, Texas Dive Center Inc

• Category A5 – Dive Travel Provider or Resort:
  
  • Steve Weaver, Dream Weaver Travel

DEMA Members interested in running in the 2020-2023 Board election can still be included on the ballot by becoming write in candidates. For further details and deadline information interested Members should complete the Board Election Write In Nominee Request.   

NOTE: Write-in candidates and those petitioning for them must be current 2019 DEMA Members AND must be renewed for 2020 by the date of record for the election.

For membership information please contact membership@dema.org or (858) 616-6408. In accordance with the DEMA Bylaws, Directors serve three-year terms.  More information on DEMA's Board of Directors and Bylaws is available on DEMA.org.

DEMA Launches Diving Community Champion Awards

** Showcasing the Recreational Diving Community to the Industry and Public **

The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) has launched the Diving Community Champions Awards Program to recognize the good works of DEMA-Member companies and showcase the recreational diving community to the general public.  All DEMA-Member companies are eligible to submit a nomination to recognize other DEMA Members, and honorees will be recognized at the Annual Membership Meeting taking place on November 14, 2019 during DEMA Show 2019 in Orlando, FL.

DEMA’s objectives in creating this program include recognizing DEMA Member companies who are giving back to their communities and society through recreational diving and making these community efforts known to the general public.  According to Member surveys, representing the diving industry to the public is one of the top five benefits requested by DEMA Members. 

According to Tom Ingram, DEMA President and CEO, “There are so many different ways that DEMA Members currently interact with and impact the general public, from helping to pass appropriate legislation to enacting protections for shipwrecks and aquatic life so all can see, that DEMA recognizes the obligation to promote Members who get involved with their communities, whether local, state, national or worldwide. Using social media, DEMA will also reach outside the immediate diving industry to showcase the good that Members of the DEMA family do for everyone.”

Nominations for the Diving Community Champion Awards are open now, until August 30th.  Nominations can be submitted by any current DEMA Member company, and nominees must be current A-class DEMA Members.  For more information and to submit a nomination, click here. 

DEMA Calls for Nominations for the 2019 Wave Makers Award

**Finalists and 2019 Recipient to be Honored at 2019 DEMA Awards Party in Orlando, FL**

DEMA will once again recognize new professionals in the diving industry who are employed by (or own) a DEMA-Member business at the 2019 DEMA Awards Party! The Wave Makers Award was first introduced in 2017 and aims to recognize professionals who have been working in the industry for five years or less and have made a significant contribution to the industry during that time. The Wave Makers Award encourages the Industry to support a culture that fosters innovative thinking and encourages engagement with the association and industry by new professionals. Nominations for the 2019 Wave Makers Award will be accepted until Monday, August 5, 2019. All finalists will be recognized at the 2019 DEMA Awards Party where the final honoree will be announced.

Wave Makers are employees or owners of DEMA-Member businesses who have been involved as a professional in the Diving Industry for 60 months or less and who should be recognized for their contributions to the industry, a dive business and DEMA.  A complete overview of the criteria to qualify can be found here. Member professionals who have been active with DEMA by attending DEMA Show, serving on a committee or task force, or volunteering for the Go Dive Now Pool, or other activities related to DEMA, can qualify.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION in any of the following categories: Contribution to DEMA’s Mission, Providing Business or Community Service, or Contributing to Dive Industry Growth.

The Wave Makers selection process for 2019 will be as follows:

1. DEMA Members nominate a potential honoree, using the established criteria. 
2. The Awards Committee reviews these nominees, narrowing the field to the top candidates.
3. The top candidates are notified and asked to create a one-minute video about what they envision for the future of the association and/or the diving industry.
4. The videos are then shared on social media, and DEMA asks members to view them prior to DEMA Show, and vote on DEMA.org for the Wave Makers winner for 2019.
5. Only DEMA Members can vote, as a log-in to the DEMA website and Member-only voting page will be required.
6. The top candidates and a guest are invited to attend the DEMA Awards Party at DEMA Show 2019. 
7. Each of the top candidates’ self-made videos will be played during the Party and the winner will be announced during the Awards celebration. 

Nominations are open now until Monday, August 5, 2019!  Finalists and the new professional chosen as the 2019 Wave Maker will be honored at the DEMA Awards Party being held on Friday, November 15, 2019 at the Hard Rock Live Coliseum in Orlando, FL. Complete DEMA Awards Party details and tickets will be made available soon on the DEMA Show website.

DEMA Show 2019 Registration is Now Open!

** DEMA Members, Register by October 14th to Save with Early Bird Rates **

DEMA Show’s online registration system is now open! Qualified Dive Industry professionals looking to grow their business and connect with Industry professionals can now register to attend DEMA Show 2019. Thousands of attendees from all over the world will come together for the Dive Industry’s only trade-only event, taking place November 13-16 in the West Halls of the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.  To register, visit the official DEMA Show website. While there, visitors can review exhibitor listings and booth locations using the interactive floorplan, book a room in the Official DEMA Show Hotel Block, and find information about Show features like DEMA-Sponsored Education and Exhibitor-Sponsored Seminars.

Attendees can choose from four different packages when registering: The All Access Package, Seminar Package, Exhibits Only and the Saturday-Only Immersion Pass.  Each package varies in price and opportunities.  You can view complete details on each by visiting DEMAShow.com. Current DEMA Members can save up to $175 on their DEMA Show All Access Package over the non-member rate when registering on or before the early registration deadline of October 14th. 

ACT NOW AND REGISTER TODAY! Visit DEMAShow.com for the latest details on DEMA Show education opportunities, Show-related activities, DEMA Awards Party, and other information as the Show approaches. To have DEMA Show news delivered directly to your email, exhibitors should subscribe to the Show’s Exhibitor Companion. Attendees are encouraged to subscribe to DEMAIL for important Show information, announcements, and Industry news. 

Volunteers Needed for Research Testing: DEMA Purchasing Managers' Index

DEMA is conducting a study to determine if collecting retail data in a confidential and easy-to-use manner is feasible. The study is referred to as a Purchasing Managers' Index, and specifically requests data from DEMA Retailer (A4-Category) Member store inventory buyers; the person most closely associated with maintaining store inventory. We are asking for volunteers to participate in a pilot-version of the program to determine if collecting this data is possible, and useful. Participation in this effort will help DEMA determine if appropriate data can be made available to DEMA members to help them understand their businesses, including business cycles and the health of the industry. The application deadline is Tuesday, May 28, 2019.

LEARN MORE & APPLY TODAY

DEMA Board of Directors to Meet for Conference Call on May 2nd

DEMA’s 2019 Board of Directors will convene during a conference call on May 2nd for the second Board Meeting of the year. Topics of discussion will focus on ways to help grow the Industry and maximize DEMA’s benefits for Members.

The Board meeting will begin by voting to approve the “consent agenda,” a Robert’s Rules of Order device used to obtain “general consent” intended to expedite approval of routine items. The Board is provided consent agenda items in advance of the Board Meeting, allowing them to study the documents in detail prior to the meeting, and permitting approval without additional discussion.  Consent agendas help the Board spend its limited meeting time discussing forward-thinking items; policy and strategic issues that demand its attention.

For May’s meeting, the consent agenda includes:

• DEMA 2019 Q1 Dashboard
• 2019 Q1 Financial Summary and Manufacturer’s Fund Report
• DEMA Show 2019 Update
• 2019 Q1 Membership Update
• 2019 Q1 Research Committee Minutes
• 2019 Q1 Public Policy Committee Report
• 2019 Q1 Emerging Leaders Task Force Minutes
• 2019 Q1 Go Dive Now Report

Following approval of the consent agenda, the Board will conduct a review of the current fiscal and membership year. The conference call will conclude with the Board covering any new business or consent agenda items that may require further discussion.

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. The next Board of Directors Meeting will be held on August 15th and 16th.