Curriculum Vitae - Capt. Bret C. Gilliam

 

President of OCEAN TECH

(1971 to present): a marine and diving consulting company. Projects include contracts for engineering, design, operations systems, risk management, vessel brokerage, and staff placement in a wide variety of situations in the diving and shipping/yachting business as well as serving as an expert witness for civil litigations and the U. S. Marine Corps in general court martial proceedings.

 

Underwater photography for illustrative, advertising, promotion, scientific, military, government agencies, commercial diving, and survey applications. Samples of published articles and photographic work available. Company originally formed in the U.S.Virgin Islands in 1971; currently based in British Virgin Islands since 1988.

 

Publisher and Editor of Fathoms (2001-2005), Scuba Times (1992-1999), and DeepTech (1996-1999) magazines. (Sold in 2005 and 1999)

 

Senior Editor Emeritus for Diving Adventure magazine (2005 to 2009)

 

Contributing Editor for Diver (2005 to present), Journal of Diving History (2007-present), Tech Diving Magazine (2010 to present), Unterwasser (1994 to present) Fifty Fathoms (2012 to present) and Undercurrent (1980 to present).

 

Seminar and lecture presentations throughout U.S. and internationally. Expert witness appearances in over 340 cases since 1973 for plaintiff and defense litigation. References available. (see attached Legal Case File List)

 

Founder and President of International Training Inc. (d/b/a/ Technical Diving International (TDI), Scuba Diving International (SDI), and Emergency Response Diving International (ERDI), diving certification agencies), headquartered in Topsham, Maine with offices in Canada, England, Australia, South Africa, Egypt, Hong Kong, Korea, Israel, Sweden, Italy, France, Spain, Taiwan, Switzerland, Japan, Norway, Thailand, Germany, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Singapore. Founded company in 1994, sold in Feb. 2004.

 

President and CEO of DiveSafe Insurance Inc., specialty medical program for divers, corporation formed 2000. Sold Feb. 2004.

 

President of G2 Publishing Inc., publishers of Fathoms magazine, established 2001, sold May 2005.

 

Other Past Positions:

Contract consultant to UWATEC USA Inc., manufacturer of precision diving instruments, gauges, computers and rebreather systems 1994-2000.

 

Vice President and CEO 1996-1998. Instrumental in taking company public for $44 million dollars U.S. in 1997.

 

Publisher of Deep Tech Journal magazine (1996-99) devoted to technical diving exploration and expedition editorial themes. Sold company to Petersen Publishing December 1998.

 

Chairman of the Board of Directors: National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) 1994-95, an international dive training certification agency, headquartered in Montclair, California. Restored firm to profitability, increased domestic and international sales, introduced 15 new color texts, video, and CD-ROM products. Elected to two successive four-year terms to Board of Directors by NAUI membership, 1992-2000. Also served continuing role as Vice Chairman. Retired 1998.

 

Senior Editor: Rodale’s Scuba Diving magazine 1992-1995, 1999-2001

 

1994: Editor & Contract photographer for Mosby-Lifeline as part of $3.5 million dollar contract to produce educational video and textbooks for diving instruction. Managed all phases of project from conception to location shooting and final edit including book layouts. Shot primary still photography for all texts including stills for video package. Coordinated all talent, models, production and film crews on locations in Florida, Caribbean and California. Client: National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI)

 

Contract Photographer: Provided all photography for two inter-active computer-based training CD-ROM format diver education series for Top Hook Inc.: 100,000 total units in both entry and advanced curricula. Contact value for Top Hook Inc.: $750,000.00

 

1991-96: Five book projects under contract for Watersport Publishing, NAEMT, and GBP Publishing Inc.

 

Editor of Advanced Diving Journal and Scuba Times magazines

 

Technical Editor for Rodale’s Scuba Diving magazine

 

Contributing editor/feature writer: Sub Aqua Journal, Discover Diving, Sources, IANTD Journal, Scuba Times, Sport Diver, Ocean, Sea, Undercurrent, In Depth, AquaCorps, Aquanaut, Deep Tech, Diver, Aquanaut ,Yam (Sea), Dive USA, Fish Eye, Outside, Wired

 

1990-1992: President of SEA VENTURES LTD.: Retained to develop operations and business plans for foreign investor group to form new dive/cruise shipping company with 250-foot vessel to accommodate 60 to 80 passengers in Caribbean. Prepared all original business offerings, conducted ship selection search and surveys, designed all national test marketing and advertising including all photography, and coordinated investment development funds. Had full authority and discretion with regard to all investor relations and funds disbursement. Handled all relationships and liaison with foreign government officials for ship visitation, berthing, crewing, and agency affairs.  .

 

1990: Corporate Manager/CEO and Master of 142 foot $14.5 million motor yacht P’zzaz. Provided all crew positions and management of vessel during extended renovation and refit in south Florida shipyard. Redesigned three phase electrical distribution load centers, marine electronics package, overhaul of main diesel engines and generators, reverse osmosis plants, refitting of stabilizers, extensive air conditioning and refrigeration modifications, interior redecoration and setting up vessel for prolonged European cruising and Atlantic crossing. Following re-fit, operated vessel throughout southern Florida, the Bahamas and delivered to Bermuda at conclusion of contract. Vessel selected in 1990 as one of the “Top Ten Luxury Yachts In the World”.

 

1987 to 1990: Vice President of Diving and Marine Operations: OCEAN QUEST INTERNATIONAL as member of Senior Executive Staff. Initial projects included consulting on acquisition of 500-foot 18,000 ton cruise ship and its five-month extensive refit and modification in Singapore shipyard. Vessel Ocean Spirit was designed as the world’s only dive/cruise ship to enter the recreational market offering sport diving for up to 360 passengers in the western Caribbean routes including the ports of Cozumel & Cancun, Mexico; Turneffe & Lighthouse Reef Atolls in Belize; and Roatan & Guanaja in the Bay Islands of Honduras. Annual sales approximately $22 million.

 

Preliminary projects included the design and construction of a high speed, high volume compressed air filling system with the capacity to fill up to 1000 scuba cylinders per hour, design and construction of ten 32-foot custom fiberglass diesel dive boats to be deployed from the ship (with built-in tank filling manifolds); consultation on design of rolling gantry crane constructed to launch and recover the dive boats, hire and train the diving operations and medical staff, senior officers and department heads and coordinate crew services with Norwegian placement firm. Total crew, officer and senior staff complement: 212 persons. Passenger capacity: 360+ persons.

 

Wrote all operations and safety manuals, developed the training programs for ship’s staff and crew; and designed and refitted a multi-place multi-lock recompression chamber facility for installation aboard ship. Provided all photographic work for company’s national advertising and marketing campaigns; provided photographic exhibits for ship interior decor and giant photo-murals as primary art in public rooms and salons.

 

Served as senior officer aboard Ocean Spirit and directly supervised all staff including diving operations and recompression chamber/medical facilities. In addition to regular bridge and maneuvering duties as Senior Officer, was actively involved with all phases of the diving program including captaining different dive boats, serving as the recompression chamber treatment Supervisor, averaging over 600-900 dives personally yearly, providing all passenger diving lectures for orientations and safety procedures. Developed the first scuba certification programs in Accident Management and Recompression Chamber Operations for sport divers; and implemented the first Dive Computer certification program. In the first year of operation, the combined diving of passengers and staff produced 77,680 dives. This was the largest sport diving operation in the world.  Company sold for $26 million September 1990.

 

1985-1987: Master during exploration voyages aboard private yacht Encore following sale of V. I. Divers Ltd. Atlantic coast of U. S. from Maine to Florida, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos Islands, Caribbean Islands, Central and South America.

 

1977-1985: Founder and President of AMF Yacht Charters, luxury motor yacht fleet charters in Caribbean, Bahamas, Meditearranen, and New England. Fleet included 13 vessels ranging from 110-feet to 380-feet. Sold company 1985

 

1973-1985: Founder and President of V. I. Divers Ltd., St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands. Dive resort, retail center, dive vessel fleet operation, commercial diving division, scientific diving support for research and saturation diving projects, film industry support division for television, movie, and documentary location productions, publishing division, forensic accident consultant for diving/vessel/watersports incidents for V. I. Territorial Court and Federal Court, expert witness in civil and criminal litigation. Sold company 1985.

 

1971-present: Founder and President of Ocean Tech, consulting company with contracts for scientific, commercial, military, yachting/shipping, and sport diving clients worldwide.

 

1971-1972: Manager of Diving Division for Sport and Commercial Diving for Virgin Islands Industrial Gases (VIGAS), St. Croix

 

1971: Diving Supervisor for Vocaline Air Sea Technology (VAST Inc.) with contracts to U.S. Navy for filming projects with fast attack Navy submarine projects, Caribbean. Ship service aboard Vast Explorer and AVR-3241 along with assignments to Navy vessels. Top Secret security clearances. Developed and implemented special procedures for deep untethered divers, early nitrox usage, and accelerated decompression techniques.

 

U.S. LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS

U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Officer's License as Master (includes endorsements for Steam, Motor, and Auxiliary Sail as well as Passenger Trade). This License will cover 45 years of continuous service until next issuance.

 

Homeland Security/TWIC security credentials issued as Maritime Officer

Additional Licenses: (Unlimited tonnage and Ocean Master licenses from Bahamas, Panama, and Liberia, non-current since retirement)

 

TWIC credentials (security clearance ID), Dept. of Homeland Security

 

Pilot, single engine aircraft

 

Submersible pilot, Perry and Kittredge vessels to 3000 fsw depth

 

Scuba Instructor/Technical/Medical Credentials:

Technical Diving International, (TDI) #0001

Scuba Diving International, (SDI) #0001

Emergency Response Diving International, (ERDI) #0001

(all highest levels for above agencies, Founder & Lifetime Member)

National Association of Underwater Instructors (Instructor Trainer) (NAUI) #3234L

Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) #5929

National Association of Scuba Diving Schools (NASDS) #0893

Undersea Photographers Instructor Association (UPIA) #0102

American Nitrox Divers Inc. (ANDI) #0031

Professional Diving Instructors Corporation (PDIC) #5367

International Association of Nitrox & Technical Divers (IANTD) #0051

Technical Deep Air (#0007), Trimix (#0008) (IANTD)

 

Visual Inspector of Scuba Cylinders (NAUI) #V1249

 

Hyperbarics International, Recompression Chamber Supervisor #0693

Emergency Oxygen Administration/Field Management of Diving Accidents

(Int’l Board of Underwater Medicine)

Diver Medical Technician Instructor Trainer through:

Int’l Board of Underwater Medicine (IBUM)

Emergency Medical Field Supervisor (IBUM), (ISAM), (APCA)

(Int’l Board of Underwater Medicine, International Society of Aquatic Medicine, American Professional Captain’s Ass’n)

 

Affiliations and Memberships:

National Association of Diver Medical Technicians, Charter Member

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society

American Academy of Underwater Sciences

South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society

American Professional Captain's Association, Charter Member

DAN (Divers Alert Network)

International Society of Aquatic Medicine, Lifetime Member

The Explorers Club, National Fellow

Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences Fellow

The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA), Charter Member

International Board of Underwater Medicine, Charter Member

The Boston Sea Rovers

Historical Diving Society, Lifetime Member

National Geographic Society

Academy of Marine Sciences & Undersea Research, Who’s Who Citation

Academy of Underwater Arts & Sciences, NOGI Recipient

 

PROFESSIONAL BOARD POSITIONS

President and Board Chairman: Ocean Tech, 1971-present

President and Board Chairman: The Diving Legacy Foundation, 2006 to present

Founder, President and CEO: International Training Inc. (TDI, SDI, ERDI) 1994-2004

Founder, President and CEO: DiveSafe Inc.  2000 to 2004

Founder, President and CEO: G2 Publishing Inc./Fathoms Magazine 2000 to 2005

Vice President and CEO: UWATEC USA INC. 1996-99

Founder, President: Tech Publishing Inc. 1996-99

Member of the Board of Advisors to Rodale's SCUBA DIVING magazine 1992-2001

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) 1994-95, two-term Board Member 1992-2000; (Vice Chairman 1992-94, 1996-97)

Member of the Board of Directors of the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD): Vice President 1991-1994

Member of the Board of Directors of the International Underwater Foundation 1992-95

Vice President, CEO & Director of Ship Operations: Ocean Quest Int’l 1988-1990

Founder, President and CEO: V. I. Divers Ltd., 1973-1985

Founder, President and CEO: AMF Yacht Charters Ltd., 1977-1985

Founder and Chairman, Diving Legacy Foundation, 2005 to present

Board of Advisors, Historical Diving Society (Asia), 2014 to present

 

SYMPOSIA PRESENTATIONS

Florida Academy of Trial Lawyers Conference

International Conference on Underwater Education

American Academy of Underwater Sciences Conference

Our World Underwater

Beneath The Seas

International Underwater Film Festival

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Scientific Conference

Duke University Conference on Multi-Day Repetitive Diving sponsored by DAN, AAUS, NOAA, IDC

The Boston Sea Rovers

Underwater Canada

Sea Space

International Society of Aquatic Medicine Conference

Australian Technical Diving Conference

DAN Conference on Diving Computers

DAN Conference on Nitrox Diving

Unterwasser Diving Conference (Germany)

YAM (Sea) Diving Conference (Israel)

Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA)

DAN Diving Fatality Conference

Academy of Underwater Arts & Sciences

London International Dive Show

Technical Diving Conference

AquaCorps TEK

Scuba Diving Resource Group Conference

International Training Leadership Conference (TDI & SDI)

Virgin Islands Civil Defense/Ocean Search & Rescue

National Park Service/Franchise Watersports Standards & Procedures

Upper Midwest Scuba & Adventure Show

Israel Diving Safety Conference

Santa Barbara Underwater Film Festival

Tabernacle Theater Speakers Forum Series, Martha’s Vineyard

Academy of Underwater Arts & Sciences

 

AWARDS, HONORS AND CITATIONS

Governor’s Citation For Heroism (attempt to save victim from shark attack) 1972

Two Commendations from U.S. Coast Guard for Lifesaving and Rescue, 1977, 1979

Recipient of Outstanding Contribution to Diving award from NAUI, 1979 and 1998

Commendation from NBC Television for 1983 America's Cup Filming

Election to Who’s Who in Scuba Diving by Academy of Marine Sciences & Undersea Research 1993

Fellow National member of the Explorers Club 1993-current

Publishing Academy Grand Prize for Feature Ocean Journalism 1996

SSI Platinum Pro 5000 Diver Honors 1998

Publisher of the Year In Diving Media 2002

Medal of Excellence for Honors in Education Beneath The Sea 1997,1999, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013

International Prize For Diving Journalism 2003

Diver of the Year Beneath the Sea 2004

Hall of Fame, Beneath the Sea: inducted 2004

Election to Who’s Who of the World Diving Community Diving Almanac 2008

Legend of the Sea, Beneath the Sea, 2004-2013

Elected to Sterling Divers Hall of Fame 2010

NOGI Award for Sports/Education from Academy of Underwater Arts & Science 2012

AUAS Diving Hall of Fame inducted 2012

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms History of Diving Diving Pioneer

 

PUBLICATIONS

Frequently published author and photographer with work appearing in most diving media and international magazines with diving/underwater themes including the following:

 

SKINDIVER, OCEANS, UNDERSEA JOURNAL, SPORTDIVER, NAUI NEWS, SOURCES, TIME, LIFE, SEA FRONTIERS, BVI ISLANDER, SKY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, VIRGIN ISLANDER, DISCOVER DIVING, TRAVEL WEEKLY, VOGUE, OUTSIDE, PLAYBOY, SCUBA TIMES, FISHEYE VIEW, SEA SECRETS, AQUANAUT (Germany), MARIAH, ADVENTURE TRAVEL, PACIFIC DIVER, CRUISE MAGAZINE, TIME-LIFE BOOKS, GEO, NEW YORK TIMES, LE PLONGEE (France), UNDERCURRENT, WOMEN'S HEALTH & FITNESS, ADVANCED DIVER JOURNAL,  SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, OCEAN (Germany), DEEP TECH JOURNAL, POPULAR SCIENCE, POPULAR MECHANICS, RESPONSE, NAUTICA (Brazil), IMMERSED, DIVER (Australia), TIMES-MIRROR PUBLISHING, DIVE TRAVEL, DIVE REPORT, DIVER (Canada), YAM (Israel), ASIAN DIVER, FATHOMS, DIVERS, SOUTH PACIFIC UNDERSEA MEDICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL (Australia), THE ROBB REPORT, NEW ZEALAND DIVER (New Zealand), AARP, The Magazine, MAINE BOATS & HARBORS, DIVING ADVENTURE, DIVER (Canada), UNTERWASSER (Germany), SEA PANACHE PARTNERS, NORTH ROAD RECORDS, NAUTICA, DOWNEAST, JOURNAL OF DIVING HISTORY,  DIVING & HYPERBARIC MEDICINE JOURNAL, DIVERS ALERT NETWORK (DAN), AMERICAN ACADEMY OF U/W SCIENCE, TECH DIVING MAGAZINE (Egypt), OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC (Asia), WATERSPORTS PUBLISHING, BLANCPAIN FIFTY FATHOMS BOOK SERIES

 

Regular contributor to technical and medical professional publications on subjects of diving instructional technique, protocols for accident management, research in computer and dive table comparisons, deep diving and inert gas narcosis, shipping operations, technical equipment data, and training methodology. Over 100 magazine cover shots as photographer. Author or contributor to 68 books and technical manuals; 1200+ published articles.

 

POSITIONS IN PUBLISHING:

Past Contributing Editor to SCUBA TIMES, DISCOVER DIVING, TECHNICAL DIVER, AQUA-CORPS, RODALE'S SCUBA DIVING, OCEAN, SEA, IANTD JOURNAL, SPORT DIVER, SOURCES, DEEP TECH, SUB-AQUA JOURNAL.

 

Contributing Editor for Diver (2006), Journal of Diving History (2009), Tech Diving (2009) and Undercurrent (1985) magazines to present

 

Senior Editor Emeritus for Diving Adventure magazine 2006 to 2009

 

Publisher and Editorial Director of Fathoms magazine 2001-2005

 

Co-Publisher: Deep Tech Journal and Scuba Times 1992-1999

 

Principal Photographer for all training texts and ads, International Training Inc. 1994-2005, contributing photographer 2006-present

 

Senior Editor for Rodale’s Scuba Diving magazine 1992-95; 1999-2001

 

Senior Editor and Publisher of DeepTech magazine 1995-1999

 

Senior Editor of Advanced Diving Journal 1992-1999

 

Principal Photographer USVI Dept. of Tourism for Print Media ads 1975-1985

 

see detailed list of recent publications, books and papers as attached

 

FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECTS

Primary and support systems with wide variety of film productions and photo work:

 

Columbia Pictures, Paramount, Cousteau Films, Home Box Office, Cinemax, Warner Brothers, Sea-Cam Films, American International, Travel Channel, Discovery, Eye On L.A., Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, TODAY, Good Morning America, Playboy Channel, NBC, Good Day, CBS, David Letterman, ABC, Mosby-Lifeline (Times Mirror), Lightship Film and Video, Red Sea Film Productions, International Training, National Geographic Explorer BBC, Nautica Clothing, Al Giddings/Ocean Images, R.E.M. Films, Eclipse TV Productions, U.S. Virgin Islands Dept. of Tourism, Bermuda Dept. of Tourism, Greengage Advertising, The Tonight Show, Encore Productions, Ocean Quest, North Road, Austin Music Artists, Tawali Resort, (Papua New Guinea), Bilikiki, (Solomon Islands), Dive Damai, (Indonesia), Truk Odyssey, (Micronesia), Peter Hughes Diving, Sea Hunter Fleet, (Costa Rica), Fathoms Magazine, Diving Adventure, Into The Deep, Wreck Diving Exploration, Beneath The Sea, Boston Sea Rovers, Our World Underwater, Sea Space, Virgin Islands Bar Association, V.I. Charter, Yacht Association, Greengage Associates, Island Films Co. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, International Training Inc.

 

ACTORS/ACTRESSES/MUSICIANS/COMMENTATORS/AUTHORS-photo work:

Burt Lancaster, Michael York, Barbara Carrera, Lauren Hutton, John Wayne, Cliff Robertson, Maureen O'Hara, Robert Shaw, Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, Emmylou Harris, The Greatful Dead, Steve Goodman, John Denver, Waylon Jennings, The Band, David Mallett, The Rolling Stones, Jonathan Edwards, Richie Havens, Chad Mitchell, Tom Rush, Wheatfield, Dan Fogelberg, Harry Belafonte, Hoyt Axton, Graig Bickhardt, Bob Marley, Willard Scott, Stan Waterman, Peter Benchley, Walter Cronkite, Boyd Matson, Robert Urich, Mike DeGruy, Al Giddings, Jacques Cousteau, Philippe Cousteau, Matt Biondi, Tony  Bennett, Shawn Colvin, Grace Eden Young, Livingston Taylor, Kate Taylor, John Pousette-Dart, Pure Prairie League, Don Campbell, Dave Bromberg, Bob Dylan, Al Kooper, Jesse Colin Young, Jim Messina, Guy Clark, Jesse Winchester, Pattie Boyd, John Sebastian