The winners this year are true industry professionals and I am proud to see dive centers like Deep Blue get this award
	– John Chatterrton,  Host of Discover Channel’s Deep Sea Detectives and Shadow Divers

Deep Blue is the first ever Wisconsin SCUBA Diving Center to achieve this high level of national recognition for retail excellence by leading the way with innovative customer programs, dive instruction, and quality service. This prestigious honor was given to only nine other dive centers in North America in 2006. The Council on Retail Excellence (C.O.R.E.) awarded Deep Blue this prestigious honor at the Dive Equipment Manufactures Association’s (DEMA) International conference in November 2006. Adding to the importance of this recognition is the fact that Deep Blue is the first ever combined NAUI/PADI facility to be honored.

This is the second consecutive award in 2006 that Deep Blue has received for Excellences in dive training and retail. In May Deep Blue received the Dive Center Excellence from the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI). And now in receiving the CORE Award Deep Blue is again recognized by the scuba diving industry for excellence and continually exceeding our customer’s expectations with the best service, training and education anywhere.

Forward thinking programs, such as Scuba University’s NAUI and PADI training programs which makes it easy for any level diver to continue their educational development; Deep Blue’s Handicapped Scuba programs which brings the freedom of the underwater world to the disabled; And Deep Blue’s active participation in Wish Dive - A Make a Wish Foundation event, were just a few of the examples noted by the award committee as setting Deep Blue apart from other dive centers in North America and contributed to their award selection.

It’s with pleasure that we are able to recognize Deep Blue, Milwaukee as a CORE Award recipients for their excellence that other scuba facilities should strive to achieve. Deep Blue’s is setting the example that we hope other dive centers follow to excel and better the sport of diving. Scuba diving is a life long sport of enjoyment and we are excited to see facilities like Deep Blue making scuba diving a lifestyle and setting such high standards."   – Susan Long, Board Member of DEMA and CORE Award Committee Chairwoman

Through the CORE Award the Dive Industry Manufactures Association will use Deep Blues forward thinking customer focused philosophies and best practices as examples for other scuba diving facilities around North America to follow. C.O.R.E. and CORE Award were created in association with DEMA as a way to improve the dive industry and ensure the success of the scuba retail business.  Comprised of dive manufacturers, scuba certifying agencies, and retailers; CORE annually awards the “Excellence in Retailing” award to the dive retailers such as Deep Blue which exhibits successful business practices and sets an example of success for other industry retailers. The CORE Group identified Deep Blue, Milwaukee for their excellence that other scuba facilities should strive to achieve. The selection committee felt that Deep Blue is setting the example that other dive centers adopt incorporate into their best practices to excel and better the sport of diving. Scuba diving is a life long sport of enjoyment and it is clear that Deep Blue has adopted this philosophy and made it part of everything they do. The CORE Award recognizes industry leading dive centers that have excelled in the areas of quality customer service, comprehensive training programs, progressive staff development philosophies, and diving safety. Dive center that excel in these areas are recognized each year at the International scuba diving conference held by DEMA, the world's leading organization for the scuba dive industry.

Tom Ingram Executive Director of DEMA, Susan Long DEMA Board member and Chairwoman of CORE Committee, and President of Diving Unlimited International presented the award to Deep Blue at the Hard Rock-Orlando Coliseum as part of the DEMA Award Celibration. Rich Henry, Operations Director for Deep Blue accepted the award on behalf of the entire Deep Blue team.

Deep Blue offers several unique dive related activities.  Our most popular is our “Just for Fun” dives.  This is done weekly and allows others to network together and go out with a Deep Blue guide “Just for Fun”. 

“Our philosophy is simply; focus every day on our customers, provide the very best possible in the sport of Scuba Diving, and make sure we are always having fun!”

	The CORE Award represents those that continue to set the bar in the scuba diving industry.
	– Tom Ingram President of DEMA

Another Deep Blue Scuba University program that has been highly popular is our “Starter Nights”.  This is a chance for all newly certified divers and divers that have never dove the Great Lakes have the opportunity to dive it with a certified Dive Master or Instructor on a shallow water shipwrecks.  Divers tell us that Starter Nights make them feel easier and lowered the “new divers feeling” knowing that everyone on the boat is at the same level. Several long lasting friendships have been made though this unique Deep Blue program.

Deep Blue continues to promote the world-class local diving we have right at out our back door with our own charter boat, the Mai Tai, a 40 foot sailing vessel with three staterooms and a salon that allows divers to mingle in comfort on the waterways before, during and after the dive.

Diving is adventure and at Deep Blue we make people's travel dreams come true with ocean trips to the best destinations our blue planet has to offer. Places like the Galapagos Islands, Belize, Thailand, WWII shipwrecks of Truk Lagoon, and the islands of the Caribbean just to name a few recent group trips hosted by Deep Blue.

The biggest event of the year is our annual Trash and Treasure Dive.  This is a huge outdoor feast with games and the opportunity to dive and find lost treasure. Well maybe not the pirate doubloons that one would hope for, but better yet, prizes for diving. Last year we gave out almost $10,000 in prizes.

Deep Blue Is YOUR Scuba Center So Let The Adventure Begin!