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Christopher Richardson |
NAUI #17055
109 Jacob Court
Forsyth, GA 31029
404-579-7631 Cell
478-994-3446 Office
404-420-2775 Fax
Click To Email |
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Return To Candidates Main Page
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Biosketch
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Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Chris served in the Canadian Armed
Forces from 1984 to 1995 serving on surface ships and submarines, served in the
1991 Gulf War, with NATO and with the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces.
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Chris brings broad diving industry experience to NAUI. He has been a successful
retail store manager, major brand equipment manufacturer's representative, and marine
industry expert providing diving support for large "mega-yachts" over 100 ft. Chris
first became a NAUI instructor in 1994, taught scuba diving in Tobermory, Ontario,
and Grand Cayman, and is now an active NAUI Course Director In the Southeastern
United States.
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Chris currently is the Sales and General Manager of EDGE and HOG gear, a start up
diving equipment company.
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Position Statement
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NAUI is what has allowed me to enjoy a productive career in the Dive industry. Now,
with an accumulated dozen years of full time dive industry experience it is time
to give back to NAUI. I have worked as an independent instructor, dive retail store
instructor and manager, resort instructor, Territory Sales manager for major brands,
NAUI Caribbean Territory Manager and now as the general manager for EDGE Scuba.
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NAUI needs to be active in assisting and being a spokesperson for our members to
the dive industry on important issues like Grey Market goods, changing technologies
and economic conditions.
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NAUI should offer a free and formal networking and communication system between
our members. Encouraging mutually beneficial interactions between NAUI members is
vital to our long term success.
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As a NAUI Technical instructor and Course Director, I have been dismayed by the
lack of clarity in our technical programs... I would recommend and lobby for “Intro
To Tech” being a requirement for entry into NAUI Technical Training. I would campaign
for Ice Diving to be returned to the “recreational” curriculum and that a new “Technical
Ice Diving” course is introduced. I would also recommend that Helitrox gas choices
be brought in line with standard practice among technical divers.
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I would recommend “international advisory councils”; these councils would be comprised
to reflect the stakeholder members in NAUI. (Retail facilities, Independent Instructors,
and Academic). To provide the BOD with concerns and advice on a regular basis.
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BOD Election Questions
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1. What is the greatest challenge facing NAUI and the scuba industry today and,
as a Board Member, how would you recommend NAUI respond to this challenge?
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There is no “one greatest challenge” that NAUI faces. The association and the industry
have a multi faceted battle to fight. With a general economic slowdown that is impacting
consumers’ willingness to spend; this is troublesome for the dive industry that
had never fully recovered from the 2000-2001 slowdown and increasing margin pressure
thru technology. In addition we lack enough instructors to meet the current demand!
NAUI needs to more closely work with our members, be they Retailers, Independents
or Academic and fine tune our programs to fully meet their needs and thus the need
of potential NAUI divers.
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2. Why do you believe that becoming a NAUI Instructor offers promising professional
career opportunities and what do you do to promote this belief to your students
and within your diving community?
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I am proof, it isn’t a belief! I left the Canadian Forces and pursued a career in
Diving with an NAUI Instructor card in pocket. For 13 years I have supported myself,
and quite well. My NAUI Instructor card and subsequent appointment as a NAUI Course
Director have been key to my success.
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3. As an international association, NAUI Instructors and dive
leaders operate in
many parts of the world, each with it's own unique needs and cultural perspectives.
As we continue to grow, how will you as a member of the board represent and support
all of our members worldwide?
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This is actually something I feel strongly about. I am not an American, but I live
in the United States. I am deeply aware that internationally the NAUI HQ is often
perceived as US-centric. As a NAUI BOD member I would encourage the membership and
the board to truly embrace our “INTERNATIONAL” status. I would consider it a priority
to always consider the activities of the board as having international impact, not
as “looking after the needs of the American market”.
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