About Us
Instructors
CAPTAIN RAY BLACK, FOUNDER/CEO
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Capt. Ray Black began his diving career 24 years ago serving in the USMC/USN. After an Honorable discharge, he continued his career as a commercial diver working in all aspects of commercial diving. Capt. Black Founded Commercial Diving Academy in 1995, his goal then and still today is to produce certified World Class divers and to prepare them with necessary skills needed and sought after in the Industry today. Capt. Black holds qualifications as: Bell/Saturation Diving Supervisor ADCI, Bell/Saturation Diving Supervisor Peru, Unrestricted Surface Supplied Diving Supervisor DCBC, 100 Ton Unrestricted Operator License USCG, Technical Diving Supervisor SDI/TDI, Underwater Welding Specialist/Speciality Welds UK, Air/Mixed Gas Supervisor DWTC, Public Safety Diving Instructor ERDI, NAUI Course Director, NASE College Director and PDIC Instructor.
SAFETY-EDUCATION-INTEGRITY
GRANT HIBBARD, INSTRUCTOR
Mr. Hibbard started diving in 1975 and began his commercial career with the U.S. Navy in 1983. Mr. Hibbard’s class was the “last class of copper and brass”- The last class the USN trained in the MK-V diving helmet of old as portrayed in the movie “Men of Honor”. Mr. Hibbard has earned his living in the field ever since, logging over 7000 + hours diving and has extensive experience in salvage and underwater construction. Mr. Hibbard is an expert in ships husbandry and has specialized in military vessels. Mr. Hibbard has held the title of Diver, Dive Supervisor, Project Manager, Operations Manager and Vice President of Diving Operations in various companies. Grant is a Mixed Gas Diving Supervisor with the ADC and is an Unrestricted Surface-Supplied Dive Supervisor with the DCBC .
WALTER JOSLYN, INSTRUCTOR
Mr. Joslyn retired from the U.S. Navy in 1990 after 23 years of service as a First Class Diver and Diving Officer. During his Navy diving career his jobs included heavy underwater salvage, diving instructor at both Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center and Naval School of Diving and Salvage. Mr. Joslyn also qualified as a Master Training Specialist, Life Support Systems Certifications Officer, QA Officer for Diver Life Support Systems and HEO2 diving supervisor. Walt is an Unrestricted Surface-Supplied Diving Supervisor with the the DCBC, a Dive Medic (DMT) and Hyperbaric Technology (CHT) Instructor with the National Board of Diving Medicine and Hyperbaric Technology (NBDHMT).
After retiring Mr. Joslyn has worked as a Hyperbaric Chamber Operator, commercial rigger, crane inspector, and repair technician. He is now returning to what he loves.being an instructor.
VINKO KOTESKI, INSTRUCTOR.jpg)
Mr. Koteski started diving in 1987 as a Diver in the Yugoslavian Navy. He left the Navy in 1989 and worked as a commercial diver for Irix, a Commercial Diving and Construction company. Vinko fabricated concrete forms for docks and pilings, worked in electrical power plants and installed underwater pipelines for municipal water delivery systems. He also worked for the Macedonian Government excavating a 4000 year old underwater archeological site. Mr. Koteski has performed underwater salvage operations and opened Kaneo Diving in 1998, a recreational scuba instructional school. Mr. Koteski has worked as a Commercial Diver in: Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and the United States. He speaks English, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Slovenian, and Macedonian. Vinko is an Unrestricted Surace-Supplied Diving Supervisor with the DCBC a NASE Master Instructor, SDI Instructor Trainer, NAUI Instructor and a SSI Instructor.
MICK PARKINSON, INSTRUCTOR/STORE MANAGER
Mick comes to the Commercial Diving academy after having served in the Royal Navy for 25 years as an R.N. An avid recreational diver, Mick has been diving since 1985. He currently holds Instructor status with the following agencies: British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC Advanced Instructor), SSI DiveCon Instructor, NASE Master Instructor, NAUI Instructor, SDI Instructor Trainer, Handicapped Scuba Diving Instructor and a PADI Dive Master. Mick’s passion is diving safety and to this end he holds the following Instructor Certifications with DAN, AED, O2 for Divers, O2 for Aquatic Injuries, Hazardous Marine Life Injuries. Recently Mick became a DAN Diving Emergency Specialist. Mick is also a BSAC Advanced Lifesaver, Diver Rescue Specialist and a Practical Rescue Management Instructor. Mick recently completed his Pharmacy Technicians diploma, Veterinary Technicians diploma, and has a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and Abnormal Psychology.
BRIAN IMHULSE, INSTRUCTOR
As a graduate of Commercial Diving Academy, Brian Imhulse began his career as an inland diver. Brian continued his career by working in the field of welding inspection. As an employee of a large engineering firm, Brian traveled nationally and internationally performing inspections on bridges, stadiums and multiple structural steel construction projects. Brian is an AWS Certified Welding Inspector, an AWS Certified Welding Educator, a NACE Coatings Inspector, an ACI Concrete Inspector, and has training and experience in multiple NDT practices. Originally from Cincinnati, OH, Brian attended Miami University and Xavier University. Brian is currently CDA's Welding Program Director.
MIKE MERCHANT, INSTRUCTOR
As a graduate of Commercial Diving Academy in January of 2004, Michael Merchant began his diving career on the oil rigs of the Gulf of Mexico. He has also done many inland dives, but his favorite work is offshore, where he specialized in flange-ups, NDT, and riser clamps. After four years of diving, he came back home to Jacksonville to further his career as a dive instructor, focusing on underwater burning and pipeline projects.
TRAVIS ALLINSON, INSTRUCTOR
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Mr. Allinson is a former US Marine and served 1987 thru 1990 with deployments throughout the Pacific Rim. He began sport diving in 1988 in Okinawa Japan which lead him to his interest in commercial diving. In 1995 Mr. Allinson began his commercial diving career in the Gulf of Mexico with McDermott Underwater Services. He than continued his career with Oceaneering International and became an ROV Pilot and Mechanical Technician. 1999 he expanded his diving knowledge to the inland diving market working for Sea Tech Marine; A diving company with expertise in all types of inland diving: Construction, Power Plants, Ships Husbandry, Inspection etc. In 2004 Mr. Allinson became a dive superintendent for Resolve Towing and Salvage and was part of sinking the Ex-USS Oriskany as part the State of Florida and the US Navy’s artificial reef project. As well as managing hurricanes Katrina and Rita clean up efforts through out the Gulf States. Travis is an Unrestricted Surface-Supplied Diving Supervisor, an SDI/TDI Instructor trainer and a NAUI Instructor.
DICK GURSKE, INSTRUCTOR
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Mr. Gurske has been diving for over 50 years. Dick began his career in the US Navy
graduating from the Navy Salvage Diving School. While serving in the military, Dick worked in Asia with a ROK frogman team and the US Army Corp of engineers performing harbor clearance operations. After completing his military service, Dick moved back to the Midwest and began his commercial diving career. He has extensive experience in both inland underwater construction and offshore salvage. He has held positions as job
superintendent, diving superintendent, master diver, and barge superintendent. Dick
designs and builds magnetometers and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) in his spare
time.
DREW DAVIS, INSTRUCTOR
For the past decade, Drew has balanced his time between the diverse worlds of commercial and recreational diving. Drew started his diving career as a scuba instructor in 1995. He decided to advance his training in 1997 and enrolled in school to certify as a commercial Diver. Drew worked for Underwater Construction Corp. as a lead diver. He performed ECCS Suction Strainer retro-fits for Nuclear Power Plants. Drew also worked offshore performing oil rig maintenance, hull surveys, topography surveys, inspections and emergency call outs for welding repairs. Drew currently divides his time between teaching commercial divers and scuba leadership-level courses at CDA's Deep Water Training Center.
MIKE PARKS, INSTRUCTOR
Michael Parks served in the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman for 15 years. He has worked as a Paramedic for 11 years. Michael has directed EMT-B Courses, Paramedic courses and holds his instructor certifications in ACLS, BLS, PALS and PHTLS. Mike has audited courses such as TNCC, Wilderness EMT, Cold Weather Training, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Confined Space and Hazmat Technician. He currently works as a FF/Paramedic at Mayport Fire and Emergency Services as well as teaching at Commercial Diving Academy.
