Lonnie Sharp, NAUI 18314 Home: 3729 A Balboa Terrace, San Diego, CA 92117 Bus.: San Diego Divers, 11211 Sorrento Valley Rd., St. P, San Diego, CA 92121 Cell: 858.699.1985 Bus.: 858.458.1348 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Biosketch: Retired US Navy after 29 years of active service enlisting as an E-­‐‑1 (Seaman Recruit) and promoted up through the ranks to O4 (Lieutenant Commander). Assigned early in his career to leadership positions, at times overseeing up to 300 plus personnel both at sea and ashore Experienced staff officer, spending countless hours in both research and development of new systems, their applications, personnel training, and evaluation of subordinate commands performance defines his experience. Has served on NAUI’s Technical Advisory Board for many years and is currently serving on the NAUI Board of Directors since 2013 while acting as Chairman, BoD Training Committee. Growing up in a family business, Lonnie is no stranger to the art of managing and growing a business. Originally certified in 1971, Lonnie qualified as a NAUI Dive Master and Instructor in 1995/6 and has spent many years teaching diving through the recreational services of the US Navy. Now a dive store owner himself, Lonnie oversees diver training at all levels. He is qualified as a NAUI Course Director (Trainer) for both recreational and technical diving. His solid business and leadership background allowed him while acting as manager, to take one dive business to a new level of performance and profitability. Now, in partnership, his new business is showing success of over 30% growth in the first year and a 15% annual average. Recipient of two NAUI Outstanding Service Awards for support of NAUI Technical curriculum and support of NAUI leadership in the USN MWR diving programs. Position Statement: While serving as active duty Navy I met my Dive Instructor Mentor. He was NAUI to the core and instilled that same value and love of the agency in me. I am proud to say I am a NAUI Instructor. I wanted the best and found it, NAUI. My vision for NAUI looking at it as an Instructor, Course Director and continued Board Member is to hold strong that long standing NAUI presence as the best training agency available. Everyone seeking dive instruction should be aware of NAUI’s standing in the industry as the world’s leader, not only in training but in support of that training with the best course materials, the philosophy we all share as NAUI Instructors (would I allow this Instructor to teach my loved one), and our commitment to that philosophy. Throughout my Naval career, my tenure as a NAUI Instructor and now as a co-­‐‑owner of a dive business, I strive to be the best. I truly believe NAUI is the best and I like to think that we all share that responsibility in support of NAUI. We need to continue our increase in the market share and presence of NAUI globally and we must do this through demonstrated Quality and Professionalism. Our standards must continue to be recognized as the industries’ leader and “the one” for SCUBA Diver Training. I am up for the continued challenge, stated simply… I am not done yet! Answers to BoD Questions: 1. For the first time in decades NAUI and NSG are working in concert and placing a strong Strategic Plan into place. A large part of this plan is targeted at eLearning, online books and programs, electronic certification cards, and online IGs for the membership. The challenge now is getting the right design team to work and marketing this initiative. Once fully in place the continued growth and necessary updates with new and evolving information and technology will be much easier, quicker and cost effect in serving the NAUI Membership. Steps have been taken and the ground work is in progress for the 2016-­‐‑2017 years. Progress is amazing and it is a great time to be NAUI! 2. Recent alliances with both Divers Alert Network and Performance Free Diving International were big steps in the right direction with advances in the industry to better serve both our NAUI Membership and our current and future divers. This initiative was far reaching and well executed by all. Now, Marketing not only to the general diving public, but to our expansive membership is necessary to really take advantage of what is available and is absolutely key. NAUI needs to continue working a more focused Dive Resort presence. We still need resorts around the world to carry the NAUI logo. I believe we can really make a difference here by putting our quality difference out there where it counts with the full support of NSG as well. The Disney World affiliation some years ago continues to be one of the best, now we all simply need to continue that type of focus globally. As for training courses, I firmly believe we are on the right track with quality education and training and a focus on the right courses to meet public demand, without inundating our &P with the attitude of courses for bucks. We need to better market our “teach a loved one to dive” concept beyond just our membership. 3. The two biggest concerns I hear are the website and the quality of training, is it too much? The website was actually the first target by the newly appointed Executive Director, Dallas Edmiston. Big changes were necessary to bring the site up to new technology and the job has proved to be a very large challenge. We simply need to remain diligent and drive this necessary change in technology to fruition. The current BoD is very focused here and I see great things in the near future. The really hard part now is acknowledging that change of this magnitude takes time and patience. It needs to be completed as quickly as possible, but also and most importantly, needs to be completed correctly. The quality difference, can we regain our place in the industry? I firmly believe so and we do this not by lowering our standards simply to try and gain some market share, but by bringing our standards back. NAUI has always been present and played an integral role in most every milestone of diving history. We are not done yet!