PADI has been sold to another investment group. Thoughts?

[tridacna]

Disagree. Immediate changes will be consolidation of redundant functions. Nothing to benefit divers. Then more cost cutting by reducing "unnecessary" staff. Followed by squeezing Five Star Resorts for more $$$. At the same time, they're taking huge management fees for their new management team. After sucking the company dry, they repackage and resell it if they can.

 

[Nemrod]

To China I can only hope.

N

 

[ams511]

Disagree. Immediate changes will be consolidation of redundant functions. Nothing to benefit divers. Then more cost cutting by reducing "unnecessary" staff. Followed by squeezing Five Star Resorts for more $$$. At the same time, they're taking huge management fees for their new management team. After sucking the company dry, they repackage and resell it if they can.

I thought organizations like PADI and NAUI were non-profits, I never realized they were owned by investment firms. It seems one firm has already flipped it, so maybe it was already sucked dry.

 

[USFpsychDiver]

NAUI is a non-profit, PADI is not. This is why I, whenever possible, have gotten my training from a NAUI instructor; I like the idea of having a certifying agency that has its primary responsibility to its customers rather than its shareholders (who may not even be divers).

 

[Nemrod]

I am surprised so many thought Padi was like a club or a non-profit. It is not. It is the reason so many old time divers do not like Padi. With the reduced student starts and poor economy I imagine they are having issues. I will not lament the passing. Maybe Obama will bail them out.

N

 

[DaleC]

Perhaps the existing cards will no longer be recognized. Time to re-certify everything! As for me, I will stick to my N.A.V.E.D. card. It's fun trying to sneak a fill with it

 

[Thalassamania]

PADI has always gone through great pains and circumlocutions to appear to be a social organization an/or a non-profit (just like NAUI, YMCA, and LA County). The fact of the the matter is that is not and never has been, PADI "members" are not, and there is no "tribe," though PADI did start up a non-profit arm (Project Aware) as a result of being court ordered to do so as "penance."

 

[theduckguru]

Disagree. Immediate changes will be consolidation of redundant functions. Nothing to benefit divers. Then more cost cutting by reducing "unnecessary" staff. Followed by squeezing Five Star Resorts for more $$$. At the same time, they're taking huge management fees for their new management team. After sucking the company dry, they repackage and resell it if they can.

You forgot to have the company leverage itself to the max to pay management fees. Its the Bain model.

 

[CamG]

Wow a investment firm bought their CARD!
This is interesting news not sure how to feel about it!
I hate to hear this as they were the legal team in many scuba battles hope that continues.
Guess we will all see what happens.

CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!

 

[Vic139]

That explains why the Society is not and could not get my scuba card upgraded to open water with only 2 more dives to go. I ended up taking a full course from NAUI