I am a DEMA member and indeed like many other years was at DEMA as an exhibitor.
Over the years I have been alternately frustrated and amused by the pathetic lies(attendance figures, industry research showing that the INTERNET hasn't affected our retailers sales, lack of leadership on the Leisure Pro issue, etc), "preach to the choir" ineffectiveness and petty politics. However this year I was APPALLED by the actions of Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA.
While I was busy working/sweating in my booth the day prior to the opening of the show(by the way we that are putting the booths together are are the ones that pay, can you have the a/c on?) it seems that the Executive Director of DEMA decided he would take some "action" against another member of DEMA. As reported to me the following took place....
ATOMIC AQUATICS had registered to attend DEMA and like quite a few others as this years DEMA drew close decided not to attend. To me that is their right, I would assume they lost their deposit.
Well I guess this wasn't enough for good ole' Tom, he decided to walk up to the NASCAR car with the scuba theme and remove the Atomic sponsor sticker from the car. Like others ATOMIC had PAID to have their logo displayed like many of us in the industry, and that payment was NOT to DEMA, it was to the NASCAR Team of Scott Jr.
This showed an amazing degree of pettiness, mean spirit, and lack of Ethics coupled with the udder stupidity of an Executive Director opening DEMA as an association up to possible legal action against it by Atomic! (please do DEAN, some sanity needs to be restored, a certain crowd is taking way to much liberty with the industry)
YET at the same time all thru DEMA we had models(apparently paid for by DEMA) wandering the aisles at DEMA with "NASCAR team shirts" with the SCUBAPRO logo all over them....when was the last time Scubapro showed up at DEMA? Oh, silly me I forgot, TOM was once a SCUBAPRO employee.....
Honestly he should be fired, at the very least he owes ATOMIC and the industry and apology, he has cast all DEMA members in a bad light by his actions.
I truly wish I could just come out and just identify myself, the problem is that I know enough to know that after this public post I can expect retaliation. (I've seen it before, heck, this whole issue is retaliation)
Over the years I have been alternately frustrated and amused by the pathetic lies(attendance figures, industry research showing that the INTERNET hasn't affected our retailers sales, lack of leadership on the Leisure Pro issue, etc), "preach to the choir" ineffectiveness and petty politics. However this year I was APPALLED by the actions of Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA.
While I was busy working/sweating in my booth the day prior to the opening of the show(by the way we that are putting the booths together are are the ones that pay, can you have the a/c on?) it seems that the Executive Director of DEMA decided he would take some "action" against another member of DEMA. As reported to me the following took place....
ATOMIC AQUATICS had registered to attend DEMA and like quite a few others as this years DEMA drew close decided not to attend. To me that is their right, I would assume they lost their deposit.
Well I guess this wasn't enough for good ole' Tom, he decided to walk up to the NASCAR car with the scuba theme and remove the Atomic sponsor sticker from the car. Like others ATOMIC had PAID to have their logo displayed like many of us in the industry, and that payment was NOT to DEMA, it was to the NASCAR Team of Scott Jr.
This showed an amazing degree of pettiness, mean spirit, and lack of Ethics coupled with the udder stupidity of an Executive Director opening DEMA as an association up to possible legal action against it by Atomic! (please do DEAN, some sanity needs to be restored, a certain crowd is taking way to much liberty with the industry)
YET at the same time all thru DEMA we had models(apparently paid for by DEMA) wandering the aisles at DEMA with "NASCAR team shirts" with the SCUBAPRO logo all over them....when was the last time Scubapro showed up at DEMA? Oh, silly me I forgot, TOM was once a SCUBAPRO employee.....
Honestly he should be fired, at the very least he owes ATOMIC and the industry and apology, he has cast all DEMA members in a bad light by his actions.
I truly wish I could just come out and just identify myself, the problem is that I know enough to know that after this public post I can expect retaliation. (I've seen it before, heck, this whole issue is retaliation)
And more popcorn 
