Instructor Bios
Donald W. Fast – Lead Instructor
Don has over 25 years experience in the diving and the NDT nuclear inspection fields, and is the most tenured instructor at The Ocean Corporation. He has inspected oil and gas structures from the Gulf of Mexico to the Chin San Nuclear Plant in the Republic of China. He has guest lectured on underwater NDT to various professional organizations; and in 1990, Don was invited to USSR Academy of Sciences to give a lecture on American Nondestructive Testing procedures. He is currently a member of the British Institute of Nondestructive Testing (BINDT) Underwater Nondestructive Testing Working Group. He is a member of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) Americas deepwater sub–commitee. It was through Don’s diligent work that The Ocean Corporation was the first dive school in the United States to issue the IMCA surface supplied diver and bell diver certification cards. Don is a guiding force in the development of international diver training standards through his membership in the International Dive Schools Association (IDSA). Don’s certifications include: Basic Scuba Diver; Advanced Scuba Diver, Rescue Diver, & Divemaster; Scuba Instructor (NAUI); Scuba Instructor (PADI); Scuba Instructor Trainer (NAUI); Association of Diving Conractors International Surface Supplied Diver, Nondestructive Testing (NDT) (consists of Ultrasonic Level I & II, Liquid Penetrant Level I & II, and Magnetic Particle Level I & II); Visual Welding Inspection (NDT); Underwater Still & Video Photography (NDT); Radiographic Film Interpretation (NDT); Eddie Current Level I & II; Advanced Ultrasonic Flaw Sizing (NDT); Offshore Safety & Survival (Texas A&M University); Level III UT, MT, PT, ASNT; Hazardous Materials Training, Ecological Safety Services.
James Haynes
Jim began his diving career at The United States Navy School of Deep Sea Diving, where he became proficient in air and mixed gas diving. He has also attended The Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diver School, United States Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal School and various US and foreign military specialized dive training courses. Jim earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Nebraska and a Master of Science in Education from Harrington University. A former member of the Marine Technology Society, the Royal Society (England), the Royal Institute of Navigation (England) and the Institute of Navigation (USA), Jim’s accomplishments include: Certified Scuba Instructor (NAUI); Certified Master Scuba Instructor (PADI); Course Director for NAUI & PADI Instructor Training Courses; Scuba Instructor Trainer (NAUI); Operations Manager/Diving Supervisor, Shaffer Diving Company, Freeport, Texas; Guest instructor, Commercial Diving School, Ft. Bovisand, Plymouth, England; Co–developer of curricula and syllabi for “Offshore Safety and Survival Course” at Texas A&M University (now an industry standard, meeting IMO & SOLAS requirements, used by major offshore contractor); American Society of Non–Destructive Testing (ASNT) certified level I in Magnetic Particle and Dye Penetrant; Consultant to the record setting high altitude surface supplied mixed–gas diving operation (7000 ft. altitude, 237 ffw depth) by Acadiana Diving Company.
Ronald Foreman
Ron has 29 years of diving experience, more than 40 years as a welder and is a 1982 graduate of The Ocean Corporation. Ron’s training as a welder began with a high school vocational program and continued during his 22–year Navy career. While in the Navy, Ron became a certified welder in silver brazing, high–pressure plate, high–pressure pipe and submarine pressure hull, and was a Naval Instructor for eight years. Ron also served as the Safety, Environmental and Hazmat Officer for eight years. Ron’s qualifications include: Emergency Care Attendant with the State of Texas for the Channelview volunteer Fire Department; First Aid and CPR with the American Red Cross; NAUI Advanced Open Water Scuba; ADCI Surface Supplied Air Diving Supervisor. Ron has been the Underwater Welding Instructor and Safety Manager for The Ocean Corporation for the last twelve years and for the most recent five years of that time has also served as the Assistant Training Director.
Ray Spillers
Ray is proficient in all aspects of commercial diving, with more than 30 years of experience and on–the–job training. Ray has performed shallow air dives, deep mixed–gas dives, required underwater tasks as well as having international experience in project management and supervisory responsibilities. He has worked on offshore sites and has a vast array of experience with inland diving projects. Ray’s work has taken him to all parts of the world including the Gulf of Mexico, South East Asia, the North Sea, the Caribbean and the Persian Gulf. He was the 1980–1984 Superintendent of Diving Operations in Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, while working for Lagoven, a subsidiary of PEDEVESA–Petrleo D Venezuela. Additionally, Ray has been the sole proprietor of his own inland diving company and, as such, performs all functions associated with operating the business. Ray’s certifications include: U.S. Navy School of Mine Warfare; U.S. Navy trainer of explosive handling and demolitions; Coastal School of Commercial Diving; Texas State Highway Department’s “BRINSAP” bridge inspection certification; American Seaman’s Ticket; Panamanian Seaman’s Ticket; and formerly held explosives licenses in the states of Texas and Louisiana.
Kirk MacLean
Kirk has been a PADI certified diver for more than 35 years. He earned an Associate Degree in Water Utilities Operations from New Mexico State University in 1980. Kirk spent 16 years in municipal utilities operations and holds utility operators certifications in both New Mexico and Texas. An accomplished diver, Kirk obtained his Advanced (NAUI), Rescue (NAUI/PADI) and Divemaster (NAUI/PADI) certifications in 1985 and became a NAUI Instructor/Trainer in 1989; in 2009 he received his NAUI recognition pin for 20 years of service. Kirk became a YMCA Silver and SLAM Instructor in 1996 and a YMCA Instructor Trainer/DAN O2 Instructor in 1998, and in the same time frame served as the State Coordinator for Texas for the YMCA Scuba Program. Highlights of Kirk’s diving career include: 11 years of high altitude diving, Great Lakes shipwrecks and Caribbean dives. Kirk is an avid underwater photographer and videographer.
Gary Tiedt
Gary is a 1993 alumnus of The Ocean Corporation who joined the staff as an instructor in May of 2002. He is a certified NAUI Scuba Diver with more than twelve years of experience in Deep Air, Mixed Gas, Salvage, Underwater Construction and NDT Inspection. He has worked for various employers including Subsea International, the U.S. Army (inspecting for stress cracks on helicopter airframes) and several dive companies in the greater Houston area.
Tom Andersen
A long–time diver, Andersen joined the team at The Ocean Corporation in 2001. Tom’s diving experiences have taken him to several exotic and far–flung places, from California, Mexico, and the Caribbean, to Europe and the South Pacific. He is the founder of Island Divers, L.L.C. of Galveston, Texas. A NAUI Instructor Trainer 18235, Tom has a number of instructor certifications, including: NAUI Technical Nitrox, Decompressions Procedures, Helitrox, TDI Semi–Closed Rebreather and SSI Advanced Open Water Instructor. He has earned the following diver certifications: NAUI Open Water, ANDI Safeair Diver, NACD Full Cave Diver and NAUI Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver (Prism).
Steve McGowne
Steve is a 1987 graduate of The Ocean Corporation. He has employed his skills as a nondestructive tester around the world before returning to join the instruction staff in 2005. He has experience with all phases of inspection, including project management. Steve has worked in the aerospace and construction industries, as well as the petro chemical and power industry. His areas of expertise include several client–specific NDT requirements, in addition to MT, PT, UT, VT, AE, RT and ET. He has provided NDT instruction and training on four continents, and is the 2010 Career Colleges and Schools of Texas (CCST) “Teacher of the Year”.
Bruce Hager
Bruce is a March 1983 alumnus of The Ocean Corporation who joined the staff as an instructor in March of 2007. Bruce holds certifications in Commercial Diver Training, Level II Magnetic Particle and Level II Ultrasonic NDT Inspection methods. He is a certified First Responder, Operations Level Technician for HAZMAT Response Teams. Bruce has made hundreds of safe dives, both inland and in the Gulf of Mexico.
Thomas Rose
Tom has more than 10 years of experience in Nondestructive Testing, as an inspector, examiner and instructor. Tom obtained his education and training at the Center for Naval Engineering in: Visual, Magnetic, Penetrant Inspector Training; Ultrasonic Inspector Training; Radiographic Inspector Training; Instructor Certification; and NDT Examiner Certification. He joined The Ocean Corporation as an instructor in 2010.
Lloyd Kelley
Lloyd is a 2002 alumnus of The Ocean Corporation who also holds an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science Electronics Technology from the Electronics Institute. His skills include: troubleshooting; heavy equipment operation; drafting and design; ultrasonic testing; eddy current testing; and various avionics systems, in accordance with FAA regulations. Lloyd returned to The Ocean Corporation as an instructor in Nondestructive Testing/Inspection, in 2010.
|
|
Request Your FREE
Catalog and DVD.
Catalog and DVD.
