Unified Dive Industry Petition

[Rick Stratton]

As a former DEMA Board of Directors member, I feel a special responsibility to accurately portray my sediments on this issue. I believe that the current board members, some of which I have served with, are good and honest members of our industry. They are attempting to represent the group - our fragmented herd of cats we call an industry.

There are many issues here, the understandable frustrations of all the members with the hard economic times, the economic model changes that increased competition and the Internet has forced in our industry, the changes in the structure of sales forces within the industry and the changes in lifestyle of consumers. All this has affected the industy members, DEMA Association and the DEMA show.

As members of the Dive Industry, professionals who make our living either in part or all from the sport of diving, we need to work together - not against each other. We should consider this a call to action, to get involved and vote as members of our industry. This DEMA show is an important one. We need to turn and face our challenges. We can give important voices to the current Board of Directors. They have a responsibility to listen and act. As a professional, call, write your feelings or go to the show and tell them directly at one of the "feedback" sessions.

The current petition calls for the resignations of the board members. Who would run the associaton? I do not see this as a positive action step. The decisions that they made were radified by a vote of the membership. Did we get it right? Did everyone vote? Where we really paying attention? By voting now you can make a change.

The suggested changes, one member -one vote and voting within your industry segment are both very good ideas - in my opinion. I am also in favor of term limits. The board needs new ideas, energy and enthusiasm. Also, as a board member, I learned a lot about our industry, its history, and possible future. It took my view from 500ft to 5000ft -helped me see things differently. I think others would grow with that opportunity and so would the DEMA organization.

I believe that calling to question, respectfully, the decisions of our associations Board of Directors is our responsibility. These principles founded our country and I believe them to be true. Rick Stratton, Publisher - Dive News magazines

 

[Wookie]

Without the wakeup call, Rick, how are we to effect change. We voted on the term limits issue. The board didn't like the outcome, so they voted again. I voted the same way the second time as the first, but the outcome changed. Huh.

No one says the board is evil. The DEMA board is entrenched in maintaining the status quo. When one member is able to control the board through "purchased votes", which is allowed under the current system of voting, then the industry lobbying group (DEMA) is going to benefit the organization that controls it.

I say hell yes, throw the bums out. If we the industry think the bums were good for DEMA, then we'll re-elect them. They have the same ability to stand for re-appointment as Dick Long.

Frank

 

[Leadking]

Rick,

I was one of the Board members that the DEMA membership tried to recall in a meeting in Long Beach sometime in 1992/93. It was a long contentious meeting and we had a parliamentary procedure specialist brought in to control the meeting. The Board survived the recall by explaining in more detail what was going on at the time. I never had any ill feelings to those who tried to change things. They just wanted to be heard!

 

[MANTA III]

We voted on the term limits issue. The board didn't like the outcome, so they voted again. I voted the same way the second time as the first, but the outcome changed. Huh.

Frank, Real curious on the exact way the vote was taken twice. Can you clearly explain it to us? Some of us are not as clear as you are on this, obviously.:blinking:

 

[cerich]

Frank, Real curious on the exact way the vote was taken twice. Can you clearly explain it to us? Some of us are not as clear as you are on this, obviously.:blinking:

they asked us to comment online, they set up a forum. it was very obvious that of those that made commenst the majority wanted terms limits kept, then BOOM, the comments were down and gone and a vote using the "pay you play" vote system was put in place.

yes, three whole times they contacted the membership, in JULY. Can you say a busy month in the dive industry? Why did it NEED to be done then???? A obvious question...the anser lies in who got elected right away I'm afraid. It could and it should have waited.

PLUS- the freaking economy was tanking, the dive industry hurting. The DEMA BOD had NOTHING better to do with their spare tiume than worry about removing term limits??????????????????????? come on that stinks to high heaven.