Teaching
all levels of PADI courses and building up an extensive knowledge
of the local dive scene, Matt became Operations Manager in 2003,
quickly developing the Resort into a 5 Star Instructor Development
Center.

During this period he worked
alongside some of the region’s leading Course Directors
giving him a unique insight into various teaching styles within
PADI IDC's.

Boasting a wealth of teaching
experience throughout the PADI System, Matt has conducted over
60 PADI IDCs and countless more MSDT Prep & Internship programs,
certifying over 1,000 PADI Professionals.
He has also certified over
1,500 PADI diver level students.
As well as boasting over 6 years management experience
with one of Thailand's premier scuba diving operations, Matt has
18 Instructor Trainer Specialty ratings as well as being an EFR
Primary, Secondary and Care for Children Instructor Trainer.
Matt is also the only Koh Tao Course Director to attend the 3
Day 2005 PADI Business of Diving
Seminar's, an exclusive PADI Developmental program aimed at the
industry's business leaders.
As Crystal
grew in popularity, Matt employed an Operations Manager and moved
into a new position, concentrating more on the business side,
answering e-mails, devising new marketing strategies as well as
new educational initiatives such as the introduction of the Environmental
& Conservation curriculum and Technical
diving at Crystal.
He continues
to spearhead the Instructor Development Programs at the school
working alongside fellow PADI Course Directors Kenji Takahashi
& Justin Mayers.

In 2008, after
5 years of hard work both Matt and Crystal began to receive recognition
from within the industry. Invited to the Asia Dive Expo in Singapore
as a guest speaker at the "Business
Solutions for the Future" conference hosted
by PADI Asia Pacific Matt was also on hand to receive the prestigious
"Diver Training" award
on behalf of Crystal Dive Resort who became the first, and to
this point only Koh Tao based dive operation ever to win an award
at the PADI Members Awards.
Crystal
were also finalists in the "Marine
Environmental" award & the "Instructor
Development" award becoming the first Dive
center ever to receive three nominations at one ceremony.
2009 has continued
along the same lines as 2008. In January Crystal Dive won the
Project AWARE Worldwide Environmental Achievement Award, presented
annually by Project AWARE a nonprofit environmental & conservation
organization.
Then in May
PADI CEO Drew Richardson visited Koh Tao for the first time to
present Matt with the 2009 PADI Asia Pacific Members Diver Retention
award. This award recognizes a dive centers success and popularity
in retaining student divers due to high levels of training standards
& service.
Crystal also
received several finalist nominations becoming not just Koh Tao’s
most awarded Dive Center but also Thailand’s.

Matt has also
been recognised at Instructor Development level this year receiving
the Platinum Course Director rating for the third time in succession.
He now belongs to an elite group worldwide that have received
this accolade three years in succession and currently the only
Platinum PADI Course Director on Koh Tao.
| MATT'S
QUALIFICATIONS |
.PADI Course
Director
.EFR Primary, Secondary and Care for Children Instructor Trainer
.Reef Check Trainer
.Marine Resource Management (MRM)
.BSAC Advanced Instructor |
.
| INSTRUCTOR
TRAINER |
. |
.Enriched
Air Nitrox
.Deep Diver
.Search & Recovery
.Navigation
.Night
.Underwater Videography
.Underwater Photography
.Digital Underwater Photography
.Equipment Specialist
.Wreck Diver |
.Diver
Propulsion Vehicle
.AWARE Fish ID
.Multi Level
.Underwater Naturalist
.Whaleshark Awareness Specialist
.AWARE Sea Turtle Specialist
.Emergency Oxygen Provider
.PADI Oxygen Provider Instructor
.Dive Center Employee Instructor |
.
| AWARDS
& DIPLOMAS |
.Conducted
first EVER PADI
IDC in India – Andaman Islands Nov/Dec 2009
.PADI Asia
Pacific Diver Retention Award Winner 2009
.PADI Asia
Pacific Diver Trainer Award Winner 2008
.Project
AWARE Environmental Achievement Award 2008 & 2009 (Worldwide)
.PADI Asia
Pacific Marine Environmental Award Finalist 2009
.PADI Asia Pacific Outstanding Business Award Finalist 2009
.PADI Asia
Pacific Instructor Development Award 2008 Finalist
.PADI Asia Pacific Marine Environmental Award 2008 Finalist
.PADI Platinum Course Director Award 2006, 07, 08, 09
.Business of Diving Conference 2005 - Phuket
.Course Director Update 2006 - Singapore
.Course Director Update 2007 - Bangkok
.Course Director Update 2008 – Singapore
.Course Director
Update 2009 – Bangkok
.Course Director
Update 2010 - Phuket
.Business Solutions & Lifestyle Conference 2008 –
Singapore |
click
HERE
to read an open letter from Matt >>
|