DEMA- Understand the deficit of ETHICS of what we are dealing with

[cerich]

Many of you are aware that I have been critical of DEMA for quite some time.

Today I want to present to you something that is happening NOW that may help some people to understand EXACTLY what we are dealing with.

The other day, I learned that Ty Sawyer has moved on from his position at Sport Diver (wish him well), what really caught my attention is that Ty was a DEMA BOD member and we hadn't heard a peep from DEMA on the issue.

I posted this thread (http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/scuba-industry-news/357687-dema-bod-ty-sawyer.html) Here on Scubaboard. My position is pretty clear.

Today I had forwarded to me a press release from DEMA that was send late last night (which is strange, as a DEMA member I should be getting emails from them). The press release is as follows

Attention: DEMA Members

Date: November 1, 2010

Re: RECENT CHANGES TO THE DEMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

DEMA is announcing today that Ty Sawyer's seat on the DEMA Board of Directors was vacated effective October 13. Ty's expertise has been beneficial to the DEMA Membership while serving on the Board over the last five years, and his assistance was vital in the recent updating of the Be A Diver website. Ty's 2010 contributions have included serving on the Nominations Committee and as Chair of the Media Committee.

When a DEMA Board seat is vacant, DEMA's Bylaws allow for the remaining Director in the same stakeholder group to assume the seat with the longer of the two terms, provided the Director is eligible to continue service under established seven-year term limits. DEMA extends congratulations and thanks to Neal Watson, who has agreed to continue his Board service in the A-3 category until the close of the 2012 DEMA Board elections, rather than to conclude his Board service at the end of this year.

Although the DEMA Board of Directors may fill a vacancy by appointing a DEMA Member voting delegate within the appropriate stakeholder category to the vacant Board seat, the DEMA Board has determined that instead, DEMA Members should vote to fill the vacancy in the upcoming election, beginning December 15, 2010. The final slate of candidates for the Board elections will be announced at the end of November and will include nominated and write-in candidates from the five DEMA stakeholder groups.

Well....certainly LEGAL under the DEMA bylaws. Let's examine some details

Ty left the DEMA BOD effective Oct 13th. I assume he gave the board some notice...but even if he didn't the facts will speak for themselves.

You can read the DEMA bylaws and easily see that spirit of the allowance for an existing Director to fill a seat is for continuity and so the association doesn't have to hold a special election for every circumstance where a Director may leave.

The decision to extend Neal Watson's term is however COMPLETELY BOGUS, UNETHICAL and SLIMY


Ty was gone the 13th of October, DEMA is ALREADY RUNNING A ELECTION!!!!!!!! In fact writes in were still open until the 15th of October! (From DEMA 10/5: Deadline for Write-In Nominations is Friday, October 15, 2010)

If DEMA has bothered to announce that Ty was leaving the MOMENT they were made aware of his departure they could have notified the association members and announced that there were TWO vacancies in the media category and encouraged you to write in a second choice. Instead the choose the backroom over open elections and sunshine, they effectively hide that Ty is gone until after the write in period is over and extend a current director for a FULL two years!

The last paragraph of the DEMA press release is complete misdirection as the write in deadline has already passed!



The bottom line, they were presented with an opportunity, one choice was simple and ethical with the best interests of the industry they proport to represent.. communication with the members and opening up the board to new blood. The other choice was to sit on Ty departure, follow the letter versus the spirit of the bylaws and keep the membership in the dark. They chose the later:depressed:

Was it a coincidence that only a couple days after it was posted publicly here on Scubaboard that DEMA finally "came clean" and told the membership that Ty left and they are extending Neal's term?

This whole thing stinks to high heaven, I know it, they know and it now you all know it.

That is the parasitic and underhanded nature of the ETHICALLY and MORALLY BANKRUPT DEMA that is supposed to look out for the dive industries best interests. Is this REALLY why we fund them?

 

[theduckguru]

DEMA is an industry group with voluntary membership. Its clear from the posts on this site that significant portion of the membership is dissatisfied. Maybe its time for you and some others form a new scuba industry group. Even if you fail, you will likely effect the changes in DEMA you desire.

 

[cerich]

DEMA is an industry group with voluntary membership. Its clear from the posts on this site that significant portion of the membership is dissatisfied. Maybe its time for you and some others form a new scuba industry group. Even if you fail, you will likely effect the changes in DEMA you desire.

In truth..I agree somewhat. I was persuaded a while back by many of my industry peers to work towards effecting change within the framework of DEMA. We gave it the old college try The minute however we stopped exerting pressure on DEMA to reform (and indeed while we did all they did was obfuscate and maneuver in the dark) they return to crap like this. It's not acceptable.

We fund them, they are supposed to represent the collective best interests of the dive industry thru their own best efforts. By that standard it is a EPIC FAILURE.

We (the dive industry) started them, we fund them and we should now stop them.

 

[cerich]

IN ADDITION, NEAL WATSON has not had a show in over two years and to my knowledge has no plans to have one,so in short

NEAL SHOULD NOT QUALIFY UNDER MEDIA ANYHOW!

 

[friscuba]

Do we know when Ty, or Scuba Diver gave notice, or DEMA took notice and realized he couldn't serve. If it was months in advance, then they had time to put together an election for his spot. If the realization that Ty would have to step down was essentially "effective immediately", there was 2 days to make the announcement and get a write in movement going.

The DEMA "press release" was e-mailed to me by DEMA, although only last night. I'm not sure if they're allowing write in nominees at this point, or if that was effectively shut off on the 15th of October. Let's face it, 2 days is virtually no time for what you're wanting to have occurred.

Voluntary organizations always have their communication issues, as well as making decisions many in the membership disagree with. The decisions made were within the bylaws apparently. It seems to me, if you want to change things, the best way to do so would be to get involved, get yourself nominated for the next available seat, and fight to change it from within. Or, you could start your own industry group as another mentioned earlier. Until there's other alternatives, DEMA is about all we got. I suspect they're doing what they can for the industry to the best of their abilities.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

BULL SHIITE! DEMA is doing everything it can to disenfranchise small manufacturers and kill local diving. THeir focus is on resorts, travel, and for the time being anyway cheap quick certs. Hopefully the new BOD member representing agencies will be able to affect some change there. Why is the be a diver campaign not promoting anything but tropical places that newbs who do not buy gear like drysuits, tanks, bcs, regs, etc. Why are they not showing quarries and coldwater diving that really supports the very people they "claim" to represent- the equipment manufacturers? Why are no DEM shows held in the NE or NW? Vegas for chrissakes? There is some great diving off NY/NJ. NC/SC. Seattle. Even LA. I'm sure they could find a place where the unions would not screw the exhibitors for an outlet or a table but they won't. DEMA needs to change it's name to DTA- Dive Travel Association. That is who they are really supporting now.

 

[The Chairman]

If memory serves, Ty announced his departure from Bonnier (Sport Diver & Scuba Diving) at the very end of September on Facebook. In fact, I think it was September 30th, 2010. I was manning the DEMA Dive Pool at the AARP convention here in Orlando and there were a curious number of events that glued this into my memory. Kind of ironic in retrospect, but I am not at liberty to divulge them.

Chris noticed that he was not on the BOD list for DEMA and called me and I encouraged him to call DEMA. Also, I called Neal after seeing this post and Neal encouraged me to have Chris call him, which I did and even gave him Neal's number.

 

[cerich]

Do we know when Ty, or Scuba Diver gave notice, or DEMA took notice and realized he couldn't serve. If it was months in advance, then they had time to put together an election for his spot. If the realization that Ty would have to step down was essentially "effective immediately", there was 2 days to make the announcement and get a write in movement going.

The DEMA "press release" was e-mailed to me by DEMA, although only last night. I'm not sure if they're allowing write in nominees at this point, or if that was effectively shut off on the 15th of October. Let's face it, 2 days is virtually no time for what you're wanting to have occurred.

Voluntary organizations always have their communication issues, as well as making decisions many in the membership disagree with. The decisions made were within the bylaws apparently. It seems to me, if you want to change things, the best way to do so would be to get involved, get yourself nominated for the next available seat, and fight to change it from within. Or, you could start your own industry group as another mentioned earlier. Until there's other alternatives, DEMA is about all we got. I suspect they're doing what they can for the industry to the best of their abilities.

If it was with immediate effect or with notice, the fact remains they held back the news for just shy of 3 weeks, extending it beyond when we as members could submit write in candidates.

If our marketing association can't manage effective and timely communication to the members...then they are in the wrong field of work. The question is really are they not capable of doing so or unwilling? Those seem to be the two choices their actions support, neither is acceptable.

A voluntary organization comprised solely of volunteers certainly always have as you pointed out "communications" issues, however DEMA is MOST CERTAINLY NOT a entirely volunteer organization. The DEMA BOD has on hand a FULL TIME PAID staff. So again there is no excuse.

Your point regarding getting involved is a canard, one that seems to get frequent use. I have, many others I know have volunteered to assist (unless it is manning a try dive pool, them you want us little people) and have been turned away. The whole "get nominated" is a farce. I can easily prove that.

To your last sentence. I don't believe that to be true. If it is true...well then the problem is even bigger than I envisioned.

 

[cerich]

If memory serves, Ty announced his departure from Bonnier (Sport Diver & Scuba Diving) at the very end of September on Facebook. In fact, I think it was September 30th, 2010. I was manning the DEMA Dive Pool at the AARP convention here in Orlando and there were a curious number of events that glued this into my mind. Kind of ironic but I am not at liberty to divulge them.

Chris noticed that he was not on the BOD list for DEMA and called me and I encouraged him to call DEMA. Also, I called Neal after seeing this post and Neal encouraged me to have Chris call him, which I did and even gave him Neal's number.

two weeks notice...how many dive industry insiders can we reach with two weeks to do so Pete?

 

[The Chairman]

I am not sure that this is when he stepped down from the BOD, Chris. I know it's when he departed Bonnier. As far as I can tell, Ty is still pursuing media.