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FALL 2016
DIVE SLATE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
more user friendly. DAN’s impact
and influence in recreational diving
and beyond is stronger than ever
before.
Harry Rodgers
is a “fish head” —
he’s been an avid angler, aquarist
and diver since he was a kid. He’s
also an expert in insurance.
What goals do you have for DAN,
and what initiatives are you
most excited about?
Beyond seeing DAN be the leader
in dive safety and the No. 1 service
provider for divers who encounter
problems, I want to see DAN’s efforts
promote a renewed interest in diving,
particularly among young people. If
we can keep the sport safe and take
care of divers, that helps diving grow.
I’m really enthusiastic about the new
professional liability program— it’s
a natural extension of our safety and
risk-management efforts.
Bill Anlyan,
former vice
chancellor of the University of
North Carolina at Wilmington
(UNCW), was very involved in the
school’s marine science program.
What are some highlights from
your time in diving and at DAN?
Many of my best underwater
experiences involve
Aquarius Reef
Base
. UNCW ran
Aquarius
, and
we would host researchers from
around the world. Learning from
them and seeing what they were
working on are experiences I
wouldn’t trade for anything.
My time at DAN has likewise
been inspirational. The subject
matter — diving, safety, science,
the marine environment — is
inherently interesting, and everyone
at DAN is so committed to the
mission. During meetings we are
always asking ourselves, “How do
we make diving safer?”
Doug Stracener, J.D.,
is a solo
private attorney and scuba instructor
who also teaches motorcycle
safety classes for the Louisiana
Department of Public Safety. He
works with law enforcement and
public safety dive teams and has
been accused of being a collector of
instructor certifications.
What is DAN’s role in the dive
industry?
My predecessor on the board, Dick
Long, told me to constantly ask
myself, “What have we done today
to save divers’ lives?” In the dive
industry there are multiple agencies
with competing interests, but DAN
is like the United Nations — we try
to stay out of the politics and be a
resource for everybody. DAN exists
to save divers’ lives; everything we
do is geared toward that.
AD