President's Slate
December 2023

Happy holidays to all!

I hope you all were able to enjoy some downtime and time with family or friends over the Thanksgiving break. 

Speaking of family and friends, it was great to see so many old friends, and members of my professional “family” in New Orleans.  It was a busy week with two days of AAUS Board of Directors meetings, another successful DSO Orientation, followed by three days attending the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) tradeshow.  While walking the show floor we tried to meet and thank as many of our vendor sponsors as possible, while also looking for new sponsors for the coming year.  We had some fruitful discussions and will continue to pursue mutually beneficial partnerships in the months to come.

After a few days of somewhat regular work, it was nice to have a few days off to rest, recharge, and reflect on the past two years.  The Academy has made great strides in the last few years, and we are on track to do so into the coming years under the direction of our incoming President, Jessica Keller.  I look forward to finishing my time on the Board with a year in the role of Past President, chairing the Nominating Committee and attending Board meetings and trying to tie up some loose ends that required more time than I could commit to while serving as President.  I really appreciate the feedback I have received and want to thank everyone for their support and patience. 

First off, I want to thank all of the Board members who have helped guide our Academy through an interesting and challenging period.  You have stepped up to serve the Academy and dedicated many hours to grinding out the work required to run the various committees you’ve chaired as well  as the general business of the Board.  I appreciate all of the viewpoints that have been presented in our discussions.  The years of experience and variety of perspectives you represent have made this a very productive Board.

I also want to thank the committee volunteers who have played such a big role in doing much of the leg work that needs to be done each year to keep our Academy on track.  From reviewing Diving Safety Manuals to vetting statistics submissions, to arranging and conducting Accreditations, and recognizing the contributions of our award winners, and much more.  The hours that they give to the Academy are vital and greatly appreciated. 

My biggest thank you of all goes to our Operations Manager, Heather Albright.  I would argue that Heather knows our Academy better than anyone.  She has more direct contact with you all than any board member and runs the administrative side of our organization with both skill and grace.  I learned, possibly a little too late, to ask for her thoughts and ideas on how particular decisions would impact the Academy and our members, and her insights were invaluable.  We try to recognize her contributions at every opportunity, but it rarely feels like enough.  Please join me in thanking her the next time you see or speak to her.

I hope everyone can finish the year off on a high note both professionally and personally.  New years usually bring new goals and opportunities. Let's all try to do a bit better, help others do more, and most important, dive more often.  Happy Holidays and see you in 2024.

Jim