PADI CD-12138. Send E-Mail to Al.

He is a PADI Course Director, the highest instructor certification in diving. Al goes back to the days of PADI ITCs prior to the development of the IDC. He is a PADI Specialty Instructor in 22 areas. Al is from a small town outside of Atlanta, GA, called East Point. He comes from a long line of Southerners ( family history and family tree are available ) Al is an Eagle Scout. He graduated from Georgia Military Academy ( now called Woodward Academy ). He was on the swim team that won the State Championship all 4 years he was there. They also won the Southeastern and Southern Swimming Championships. Al has a BS degree in Microbiology from the University of Georgia and MA degree with honors from the University of South Florida in Microbiology. Al has won research honors and awards and has published numerous papers in scientific journals as well as features in diving publications, and holds several US Patents (4,136,486 and 4,160,038 and 4,214,008 ). He has presented state-of-the art papers at international scientific meetings. He was a member of the famous East Atlanta Freedivers, a spearfishing club made up of 6 shooters in Atlanta, GA. The club was Georgia State Champion, Southeastern US Champion, and Southern Champion in the 60's and early 70's. Al was the Grand Champion for several years ( 1965-66-67 ) in the Southeastern Council of Skindiving Clubs competitions in speed swims in scuba and mask, snorkel and fins, u/w navigation, etc. Al is a published underwater photographer and his underwater video has been used in TV commercials. His underwater photographs are used in many diving related web sites. He is a PADI/Medic First Aid Instructor Trainer ( Al was an Instructor for Medic before they joined with PADI ). He recently was a speaker at the DEMA show, speaking on The Internet and Diving. Al is an American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor and CPR Instructor as well as an American Heart Association CPR Instructor. He is certified by DAN ( # 768 ) and PADI as an Instructor Trainer in Oxygen Delivery and First Aid and was awarded the DAN Oxygen Training Recognition Award in 1998 for training over 100 Oxygen Instructors. He is a TDI Advanced Nitrox Instructor ( # 393 ) as well as a PADI Nitrox Instructor Trainer. Al was trained by his friend, the late, great Shek Exley ( a true pioneer of Cave Diving ) as a Cave Diver ( NSS ). He is factory trained in the following regulator lines: Dacor, SeaQuest, TUSA, Cressi Sub, Mares, US Divers, Sherwood, Ocean Edge and Apollo. Al is certified by PSI in cylinder inspections (when they first started the program back in 1985). He is factory trained in the Visual Plus Cylinder Inspection technique. He was a pioneer in making the alternate air source standard equipment in the late 70's. Al is a licensed US Coast Guard Captain ( Master - 50 ton license ) and is a skipper of the dive boat Giant Stride. He was one of the very few ever awarded the prestigious PADI Instructor Merit Award in 1982 ( only 12 were ever issued ). He holds the SSI Platinum Pro 5000 Award - the most prestigious in all of diving. Al is an Instructor with the Handicapped SCUBA Association ( # 62 ). He is a DAN Instructor Sponsor. Al is a group leader on our international trips. He has traveled to many of the worlds most exotic dive locations since the 1970s. He is a member of Phi Sigma - Biological Sciences Honor Society and Sigma Xi - National Research Honor Society. He is listed in Who's Who in the South and Southwest, Who's Who in Finance and Industry, Who's Who in Technology Today, and Personalities of the South. He is a Past President of the University of South Florida Sarasota Chapter Alumni Association and past National Board Member. He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. Al started diving in 1963 and has over 14,900 dives logged. He was twice selected Kiwanian of the Year by his club. Al is also a web site designer and developed this web site. Al is the Course Director for PADI IDC's at Walker's Cay in the Bahamas. He spends his spare time growing exotic plants, fruit trees and orchids and playing with his dogs and cats. He donates considerable time and resources to various charities such as MDA, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and many others.