Our Staff - Southern Indiana Scuba

Our Staff

Mark

Director of Training

SSI Master Instructor, PSI-PCI Instructor, Hydrostatic Re-Test Operator, Master Regulator Repair Technician, SSI Platinum Pro 5000 Instructor 2019 Recipient, SSI Platinum Pro 5000 Diver 2018 Recipient

“I have been involved with diving for over 35 years, seen many changes. I got hooked on scuba by watching Sea Hunt, Flipper, when they were not in re-runs. To this day, my greatest moments in diving is introducing a people to the underwater world. My favorite place to dive in the outer banks of Belize. It is the second largest barrier reef in the world, second only to Australia.”

Kim

President

“I’ve been certified for over 25 years and have enjoyed many different dives. My favorite place to dive are the outer banks of Belize. I also enjoy diving Roatan, Honduras with Anthony’s Key Resort. I certified a year after Mark and we’ve enjoyed diving together ever since.”

Katie

SSI Mermaid Instructor & Assistant Instructor

Katie has always been immersed in the scuba industry, following in her diving parents’ fin strokes since she was little. Naturally, Katie became our first official Mermaid Instructor with SSI!

Grace

PSI-PCI Visual Cylinder Inspector, SSI Assistant Instructor, Sales Rep

“I remember I was a little scared my first time diving in the ocean, but as soon as I got under the water there was no turning back! My husband Curt and I started diving in 2017 after he beat cancer. We decided to live our best lives and scuba is a big part of that. I love helping people learn about all kinds of things, but I also enjoy my alone time creating miniatures. Curt and I also enjoy traveling, camping and visiting our grandchildren.

Curt

SSI Assistant Instructor
and PSI-PCI Visual Cylinder Inspector

“I always wanted to scuba dive but it was not until I beat cancer that my wife Grace and I decided not to wait on our dreams any longer. I enjoy the peace and tranquility of being under the water especially when you can hear whales singing. I really enjoy helping others learn to dive so they can explore the underwater world too.”

Eric

SSI Assistant Instructor

“I have been diving since the mid 1990’s.

My favorite memory is the BSA trip a couple of years ago in Key Largo with Mark, Casey and I. We swam upon the Goliath Grouper that came face to face with Mark. Of course none of us brought a camera with us to capture the moment.

My favorite diving area is the Caribbean. I have been to Jamaica several times and love diving on the reef. I want to dive across as many of the Caribbean islands as possible.

My favorite thing about diving is it brings a group of diverse people together to share an awesome experience exploring the underwater world. I have met so many different people from across the world while diving that have now become friends. We now try to coordinate our vacations when we can to see each other and dive in new locations. My children are now getting to experience diving and making new friends, too.”

Ken

SSI Open Water Instructor, SSI Specialty Instructor

Ken became Open Water certified in 2003 and was a vacation diver since then. “I have dived in the Caribbean and southern Florida. I wanted to become a professional in 2020 after retiring from the US Army so I could share my passion of diving and the love of the oceans.” Ken enjoys the ecology and preservation of our underwater world and planet. In addition to teaching all the skills needed to be a safe diver, Ken’s favorite courses to teach are ecology classes, which help educate divers to help restore and preserve the reefs.

Scott

Technician, SSI Assistant Instructor

PSI-PCI Cylinder Inspector, Hydrostatic Re-Test Operator, ScubaPro Repair Technician

JIM

SSI Advanced Open Water Instructor

“I am the Aquatics Director for Columbus Parks and Recreation. I have been diving for 10 years. My wife, Carla, was certified through SIS. She encouraged me to get certified since I was an aquatics director, and so I could be her dive partner. I have dove in the Dominican Republic and many sites in Florida. One of my favorite dives though was recovering a 1,700lbs sculpture, ‘Skopos’ lost in White River during the flood of 2008 in Columbus. I love being an instructor because I get to share my experiences and introduce people to the underwater world!”

KYLE

SSI Assistant Instructor

Kyle has been Open Water certified since 2001, and his favorite place to dive was Blue Springs Quarry – before it closed. With hundreds of local dives under his belt, Kyle has dedicated his free time to learning the workings of the dive industry and pursing his SSI Assistant Instructor and Training Specialist ratings. Since becoming a dive professional, Kyle has been to the Bahamas and the Florida Keys, experiencing his first ocean dives of many to come.

Paul

SSI Assistant Instructor, Search and Recovery Diver

“Discovered diving in 2003. My favorite dive sites so far have been Padre Nuestro, the east side of the Dominican Republic, and the historical wrecks in Lake Michigan – BRRRRRR! I have heard rumors that some local dive sites hold some shiny surprises. Have had many good dive partners and look forward to meeting many more.”

Rick

SSI Assistant Instructor, Compressor Services and Repairs Technician

In 1983, Rick was given a choice between a marine biology/volcano geology class or a scuba class – he realized after enrollment that he took the wrong class! Years later after his studies in Hawaii in marine biology and volcano geology, Rick submerged himself in the underwater realm for scuba certification in 2002 with Mark at Southern Indiana Scuba. His very first post-certification open water dive, he parachuted down on the Florida Keys’ Winch Hole on several sharks, witnessing the beauty of the reef’s smartest, oldest predators. His 3rd open water dive, he watched a hammerhead shark take a bite out of an eagle ray! Mother Nature didn’t deter him though, and in awe of these beautiful happenings on the reef, Rick kept diving for many years to come. His love for the water didn’t stop at the reef – he has been on many maintenance dive jobs and object recoveries in much less pristine conditions, and along the way he picked up his Assistant Instructor rating with PADI, crossing over to SSI in 2018. Rick is a well-rounded and experienced diver, as well as an expert handyman.

Thomas

SSI Assistant Instructor

“I’ve been diving since 2015. I initially got into scuba diving for the chance to meet new and interesting people and go to the exciting places that not very many people get to go, to see the underwater world. One of my favorite places to go scuba diving is Roatan at Anthony’s Key Resort in Honduras. My favorite local dive trips to go to are Pennyroyal in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Mermet Springs in Illinois, and Bonne Terre Mine in Missouri. I like to soak up all the knowledge that I can about scuba diving and help others out and pass on What I’ve learned to others.”

Kate O

Kate

Media & Marketing

Kate is an SSI Open Water certified scuba diver with a passion for diving. She discovered her love for diving in 2021 and is working towards SSI Master Diver; she is also PSI-PCI certified.