Staff Page


Here at Scuba Unlimited we take great pride in being able to offer very small student-to-staff ratios.  We are able to do this by having a large number of Instructors and Divemasters available to help with all the classes we offer.  Whether you are the parent of a 10 year old looking for someone to guide your child as they start diving, you are 85 and want to knock scuba diving off your bucket list, you want to hone your rescue skills, or become a PADI Pro, we have someone who will be the perfect fit for you!  Our Instructors and Divemasters come from all walks of like and are ready to help you from the moment you call to schedule a class to the moment you finish your certification dives. Need some extra pool time or have additional questions? Just ask one of us!

Chip Wehmer

Certification Held: Open Water (1986), Divemaster (2001), Open Water Scuba Instructor (2006) 

Favorite Dive Site: Bonaire. It’s become a top 10 diving and dining destination.  Great opportunity to relax, enjoy some great diving and then enjoying some great food

Favorite Dive Critter: Octopus – They are always in stealth mode and when you happen upon one, it’s a chance of a lifetime to interact with them. 

How I support my SCUBA habit: That is a question everyone is dying to know!! Happy to own Scuba Unlimited.

INSTRUCTORS

Steve Allen

Certification Held: Open Water (1999), Divemaster (2003), and Open Water Scuba Instructor (2007) Master Scuba Diver Trainer (2019), IDC Staff Instructor (2021)

Favorite Dive Site: I’ve enjoyed every trip I’ve been on.  Each has its own beauty. I still have a lot of diving to do, so I can’t say I have a favorite one yet.  The best one, however, was diving the Vandenberg with my buddies and I being the only divers on the wreck.

Favorite Dive Critter: Sharks, any species, because they are sharks.

How I support my SCUBA habit: I am a water and wastewater chemist.

Jenn Dressler

Certification Held: Divemaster (2011), Rescue Diver (2009), Equipment Specialist (2010), Open Water Scuba Instructor (2021)

Favorite Dive Site: We took a trip in 2012 to Key Largo and got to ‘plant’ staghorn corals on the reefs in John Pennekamp State Park with the Coral Restoration Foundation.  Bringing the reefs back to life was incredibly rewarding, and getting to watch the sea life around you at the same time was amazing.

Favorite Dive Critter: I have always loved diving with sea turtles and with cephalopods.  You can sit in the water all day watching them dance and then suddenly they disappear.

How I support my SCUBA habit: I am a technician in savory applications R&D.

Tom Geygan

Certification Held: Master Scuba Diver Trainer, Emergency First Responder Instructor, Rescue Diver Instructor, Enriched Air Nitrox Instructor

Favorite Dive Site: Mary’s Place Honduras

Favorite Dive Critter: Whale Shark

How I support my SCUBA habit: I am an attorney specializing in immigration.

Jon Nonnenmacher

Certification Held: Open Water Scuba Instructor (2017), Spare Air Tech (2016), OTS Guardian Tech (2013), MARES Tech (2011), PCI/VCI/Valve Tech (2012)

Favorite Dive Site: Jupiter, FL is my favorite dive site out of Jupiter Dive Center. It is a small town next to a big town with little tourism. It has great drift and wall diving where you get to see schools of grouper and nurse sharks with the occasional sea turtle visit.

Favorite Dive Critter: Sharks are my favorite animal to see while on a dive. I am a shark conservationist at heart and love to see them thriving in their natural habitat. If I had to pick a favorite shark it would be an animal from the Newport Aquarium named the Sharkray were I help with the biologist train the shark by coming in through our acclimation pool and from there we can get blood draws, physicals, and even ultrasounds on our females. I have helped the Husbandry staff come up with a method to ease the stress of the shark while putting them into tonic immobility called “The Nonnenmacher method”.

How I support my SCUBA habit: I am the Lead Dive Safety Officer for the Newport Aquarium where I am in charge of planning the dives for the day, repair and service of any of the equipment the divers use, and most importantly making sure the divers are safe from the moment they walk through the door until they leave for the day.

Kelly Oborn

Certification Held: IDC Staff Instructor, Instructor TecRec Deep, Cavern, Gas Blender (nitrox/mix), Full Cave Instructor

Favorite Dive Site: Belize (Lighthouse Key)

Favorite Dive Critter: Seahorse 

How I support my SCUBA habit:  Retired High School Teacher, Oborn Consulting, LLC

Steve ‘Doc’ Oborn

Certification Held: Course Director, Instructor Training TecRec Deep, Trimix, Gas Blender (nitrox/mix), Instructor Trainer Emergency First Responder

Favorite Dive Site: Diepolder Cave Brooksville, FL

Favorite Dive Critter: Eagle Ray

How I support my SCUBA habit: Retired school superintendent, Current Lead Evaluator AdvancED School Accreditation worldwide, Senior Research/Consultant at Oborn Consulting, LLC

Ken Schnur

Certification Held: Open Water Scuba Instructor, Specialties include Deep, Cavern, and Nitrox.

Favorite Dive Site: My favorite dive trip is to Belize with its rich barrier reef.  It also provides the opportunity to explore tropical forests and Mayan ruins.

Favorite Dive Critter: My favorite dive critter is the sea turtle.  They are large air breathing animals that are graceful and interesting to watch underwater.

How I support my SCUBA habit: I work in the field of contracts management at L-3 Communications Cincinnati Electronics.

Craig Springer

Certification Held: Open Water (1986), IDC Staff Instructor, EFR Instructor, Drysuit Instructor

Favorite Dive Site: Red Sea – Reef and fish were so different than the Caribbean plus the land tours – pyramids, tombs and Sphinx.

Favorite Dive Critter: Rock Beauty – but more of a nemesis.  I have yet to get a really good photo of this camera-shy angelfish.

How I support my SCUBA habit: Manager at local retail store.

Chris Zervos

Certification Held: Open Water (2008), Divemaster (2015), Open Water Scuba Instructor (2021)

Favorite Dive Site: Love diving in the Florida Keys for the ease and accessibility. Also, really enjoy diving at Sugar Grove Quarry because I’m able to see how a dive site changes throughout the seasons. Coolest dive was the Hammerhead drift dive off Molokai in Hawaii.    

Favorite Dive Critter: Carp

How I support my SCUBA habit:   While not diving, I work as a Production Manager and Producer for an event production company in Blue Ash.

DIVEMASTERS

Debbie Biron

Certification Held: Divemaster, Underwater Photography, Rescue Diver, Assistant Advisor Scuba Venture Crew

Favorite Dive Site: Bonaire is my favorite trip, and Bari Reef in Bonaire is my favorite dive site.  It is easy to dive, many things to see and a beautiful item with wonderful undersea creatures, along with wonderful birds on the island.

Favorite Dive Critter: You will find this unusual, a tarpon.  I love to dive with the tarpon at night in Bonaire, they stay close and pounce on fish that swim through your light like puppies… ok they are hunting, however I still enjoy swimming with them and observing the hunters and hunted.

How I support my SCUBA habit: I am lucky to spend my above water time with a great group of people at our Cincinnati office for a wealth management company. They not only pay me to spend time with great people they generously allow me time off.

Mike Biron

Certification Held: I believe it was 1991 when I took my first breath underwater while on vacation in Acapulco, Mexico.  The PADI Pro’s at Scuba Unlimited helped me to earn my Open Water, Advanced, Rescue and Emergency First Responder over the years, and in 2008 I earned by PADI Divemaster certification with the shop.  

Favorite Dive Site: Bonaire, Nassau, and Key West (The USS Vandenberg is awesome) would be my favorite dive locations, but, I also like White Star Quarry (near Gibsonburg, Ohio) and Sugar Grove Quarry (our quarry near Washington Courthouse, Ohio) when I can’t be on the road.  Helping to explore Sugar Grove Quarry and install some of the man-made objects over the last few years has been a whole lot of fun.

Favorite Dive Critter: Fishees – they live in the water.  How cool is that? And sometimes they hold still and let me take pictures of them.

How I support my SCUBA habit: When I’m not diving, I work with a group of computer network administrators for a Cincinnati based software company.  Fortunately they pay me almost enough to support my habit.

Jay Dearth

Certification Held: Open Water (2005),  Advanced Open Water (2007), Divemaster (2015)

Favorite Dive Site: Favorite dive has been the Back Wall at Molokini Crater in Maui. Crater wall stretched 200’ above water to 300’ below. Listened to the Humpback Whales sing the entire dive. Favorite Site is Cozumel. Love the drift dives and reefs, along with the local culture

Favorite Dive Critter: Sea Turtles are 1A, and Sharks are 1B. Love the interaction you can have with sea turtles in the wild. I also love Denver at the NaQ.

Love the most powerful apex predator in the ocean with sharks. You never to get to see them as much as you would like to in the wild, but when you do………………awesome!

How I support my SCUBA habit: Work for Duke Energy in the Gas Operation Business Unit

Emily Dillingham

Certification Held: Rescue Diver, Search and Recovery, Divemaster, all with Scuba Unlimited

Favorite Dive Site: I love Caribbean diving. Beautiful wildlife and sublime conditions. 

Favorite Dive Critter: One of my favorites would have to be jellyfish.  They’re a weird and beautiful thing to see and they’re everywhere… even in the Midwest quarries (freshwater jellies can be seen at Sugar Grove!)

How I support my SCUBA habit: ADSO at Newport Aquarium

Anna Dreisbach

Certification Held: Self Reliant (2022), Adaptive Techniques (2021), Divemaster (2021), Open Water (2020)

Favorite Dive Site: Tiger Beach, Bahamas

Favorite Dive Critter: Blacktip Reef Shark

How I support my SCUBA habit: Assistant manager, social media manager and dive team ambassador at Scuba Unlimited.

Ed Evans

Certification Held: Certified NUT.  My friends and family said they have verified this many times.  Really, I have been diving and teaching as a Divemaster for as long as anyone can remember.

Favorite Dive Site: Anywhere the Scuba Unlimited group is – I have been on many of the trips and each is wonderful in its own way. 

Favorite Dive Critter: Sea turtles!  Denver (the resident sea turtle at Newport Aquarium) made me say that.

How I support my SCUBA habit: Retired and working part-time at Newport Aquarium as a dive safety officer.

George Fee

Certification Held: PADI – Jr. Basic Scuba Diver (1977), PADI-Advanced Open Water Diver (1991), PADI – Rescue Diver (2009), PADI – Divemaster (2009)

Favorite Dive Site: The Western Caribbean – especially the Bay Islands of Honduras and Belize for their spectacular coral and fish life.  I have over 800 dives in Honduras alone.

Favorite Dive Critter: So many come to mind: the Cetacea – whales and dolphins, the Elasmobranchs – sharks and rays: the Chelonidae – sea turtles, and the Cephalopods – squid and octopus, are all favorites of mine.

How I support my SCUBA habit: I’m an immigration and criminal defense attorney, but I’ve worn many professional hats including banana farmer, and commercial scuba diver over the years.  I also collect and use vintage dive gear.

Tristan Hull

bio coming soon?

Jeff Kemmet

Certification Held: Open Water (2003), Advanced (2004), Divemaster (2011)

Favorite Dive Site: Favorite place to dive was/is in Cayman Islands.  It is the most pristine area I have seen with sea life as well as the clarity.  The Wall is the most uplifting thing I have seen in the water.

Favorite Dive Critter: My favorite sea critter is the stingray. The stingray proliferates a grace like no other.  It sails its way through the water with confidence and attitude.  

How I support my SCUBA habit: My day job is a chiropractic physician for the past 30 years.  My hobbies beyond diving are spending time with family boating on the water.  In the winter I mainly work seeing my family of patients.

Becky Marischen

bio coming soon?

Shawn McCroskey

Certification Held: Divemaster, Full Cave, Technical Trimix Diver, Enriched Air Diver

Favorite Dive Site: Florida Cave Country and the Florida Keys are my favorite dive sites. Some of the clearest and warmest water outside of the Caribbean. It does not get any better than great visibility and a great adventure.

Favorite Dive Critter: Rocks

How I support my SCUBA habit: My day job is a Firefighter/Paramedic.

Scott Molenkamp

Certification Held: I received my Open Water in 2015, my Rescue Diver in 2016, and my Divermaster in 2018.

Favorite Dive Site: I have enjoyed most of the locations that I have experienced.  I would say one of my favorites is the USS Kittiwake in Grand Cayman.  It was my first wreck dive and seeing the coral reef afterwards was amazing.  

Favorite Dive Critter:. I love sharks of every kind, but my bucket list is to see the whale shark.  They are so graceful and beautiful.

How I support my SCUBA habit: I am a business partner in the financial payments processing industry.

Lake Huron - Mary Alice

Brian Rau

Certification Held: Open Water (2011); Advanced Open Water (2011); Rescue Diver (2012); Divemaster (2015); Search & Recovery (2012)

Favorite Dive Site: My favorite dive sites are the USS Oriskany and Bonne Terre Mines.  The reason is quite simple…those are basically the only sites I have been able to visit.  I have dived in other places in the Gulf, but the USS Oriskany provides something different with every dive, along with an abundance of marine life, including sharks.

Favorite Dive Critter: My favorite ‘dive critter’ is, and will always be, sharks.  I have loved sharks, along with orcas, for as long as I can remember.  Although, it is exhilarating to stare into the eyes of a barracuda during your safety stop.

How I support my SCUBA habit: I currently serve as the superintendent of Manchester Local School District.


Adam Rojas

bio coming soon?

Bob Schmidt

Certification Held: Divemaster (2005), Deep, Wreck, Digital Underwater Photography, Scuba Venture Crew Leader and Advisor

Favorite Dive Site: Cozumel, Mexico is easy, lazy drift diving in warm clear water.  Blackbeard’s Cruises, I love being at sea.

Favorite Dive Critter: Puffer fish – they are goofy looking.

How I support my SCUBA habit: Commercial service plumber.

Dr. Annette Volk

Certification Held: Divemaster (2014), Rescue Diver (2014), Underwater Digital Photography

Favorite Dive Site: Nassau Blue Hole: Diving with tons of blacknose sharks, large turtles and grouper, all in a beautiful blue hole!

Favorite Dive Critter: Spotted eagle rays! They are so graceful and majestic.

How I support my SCUBA habit: Senior Scientist at Procter & Gamble.

Matt Voke

bio coming soon?

Mark Wilder

Certification Held: Divemaster (1994), Master Scuba Diver (2003), NSS-CDS Full Cave (2002), TDI Advanced Trimix (2005)

Favorite Dive Site: Open Water – Liveaboards (Belize, Bahamas, more to come!) Liveaboards are by far the easiest way to dive a lot and see multiple dive sites within a particular geographic area.  Cave Diving – Akumal Mexico has the most decorated and beautiful caves. Florida caves are a close second and offer lots of good diving.

Favorite Dive Critter: Sharks – Great Whites, Tigers, and Makos are my favorites due to their size, and well, they’re sharks!

How I support my SCUBA habit: Photographer/Attorney

Peyton Mueller

Certification Held: Divemaster (2022), Enriched Air Diver (2022), Rescue Diver (2022), Advanced Open Water (2021), SSI Open Water (2021)

Favorite Dive Site: Wreck of the Eagle – Islamorda, FL

Favorite Dive Critter: French Angelfish – they are very pretty!

How I support my SCUBA habit: Employee at Scuba Unlimited, PhD candidate at UK.