Elections - Jeff Reid
Jeff Reid is the Dive Safety Officer at the Georgia Aquarium which is the world's largest aquarium. As the Diving Safety Officer/Manager of Dive Safety Programs, Jeff oversees the Dive Program, which includes over 200 divers. Jeff is in charge of dive training and safety, field diving, gear maintenance and oversees the Swim/Dive with the Gentle Giants Program which allows the public to enjoy diving with and learning about the various species in the aquarium including whale sharks and manta rays. In 2001 Jeff graduated from Diver's Institute of Technology in Seattle Washington and then moved to Dutch Harbor Alaska where he worked as a commercial diver for a marine salvage company before working at the aquarium. In 2005 Jeff began working at the Georgia Aquarium as a maintenance diver. Since then he has become experienced in scientific and technical diving. In 2008 he was promoted to Assistant Manager and the later that year to Manager and DSO overseeing all diving operations for the Georgia Aquarium. Since 2009 Jeff has also served as the Membership Director for the Association of Dive Program Administrators.
As the incumbent membership director I would like to throw my candidacy into the ring once again for the position of membership director. Over the past two years I have personally enjoyed getting to know all of the members better as well as bringing new folks into the group. I have a high level of commitment to the Board of Directors and the ADPA members and remain very active in the decisions we make that affect our organization, members, and ultimately our industry. It is most important to me that we are continually making things happen that are better for our members and better for our industry. I truly believe that I have, and will continue, if elected, to contribute in a positive and productive manner.
I see the ADPA as a young and somewhat undeveloped organization that has a lot of growth potential. It is exciting for me because as a member of the board at an organization at this stage a person can contribute in a lot of ways. Over the past two years I have increased the membership by around twenty five members, bringing our membership total from about fifty or so members into the mid-seventies which I am very happy about. I was also very proactive in the development of the membership levels which I feel does a number of good things. First, it gives a place for many new members that do not have a lot of experience. It also raises the bar for organizations in the industry to hire professional members and recognize our expertise. Lastly, it gives a home for many of our members who leave the industry but want to stay involved with the organization. These are all very important to me because I see the ADPA as more like a family than a professional organization with the benefits or both and the downfalls of neither. And as I want to grow the organization I do feel at some point it needs to stay a moderate size so we do not lose this dynamic.
My favorite thing about being the membership director is getting a call from a new or troubled DSO that wants to join the ADPA because they need help now! I enjoy being the person on the front line and getting them signed up and pointed in the right direction. I really feel helping our members find the support is the most important benefit of the ADPA. I would love to serve another term and will work hard to continue to serve the members and create positive benefits for the organization. So, please vote for me! Thanks.