Downey Diving Staff Page

Dive Staff

We believe in the highest quality of instruction and have developed the area's best crew of dive professionals.

Full Time Instructors

Bill Downey is a PADI Master Scuba Instructor with over 30 years experience authorized to teach 20 different specialties. He is a technical instructor as well. A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with graduate studies at Duquesne and Penn State, Bill's diving exploits have taken him from the tropics to the Great Lakes. His favorite pastime is photographing Jeanne interacting with dangerous marine life.

Jeanne Downey is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer certified to teach many specialties. She is a graduate of Grove City College, with a master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh. A diver since 1972 and a scuba instructor since 1990, Jeanne is the driving force behind Downey Diving's many trips and trip reviews. She also keeps her husband Bill organized, on track, and on time. An accomplished underwater photographer and model, she & Bill have taken the photos that you find on this site.

Part Time Instructors Sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm

	John Wilson has been a PADI & NAUI Scuba Instructor since 1989 and a diver since 1982. A graduate of Thiel College and an avid outdoorsman, he is a nuclear engineer by day.
	Bruce Guerdan MD is a diving physician and PADI instructor with a background in hyperbaric medicine. When not running off to some exotic diving location or traveling the world as a flight surgeon for the National Guard, you will find Bruce working the emergency room or teaching the summer classes at his pool in Beaver.
	Ron Piluso was born and raised in Pittsburgh where he lives with his wife Maureen and their two dogs. While vacationing in Grand Cayman, he discovered a passion for diving and then quickly became a diver. Ron now has instructor certifications from PADI, NAUI, and the YMCA. He has an Electrical Engineering degree from Gannon University and works as a Nuclear Control Systems Project Manager for Westinghouse Electric Co.
	Bob Adams, accountant and assistant instructor, loves to dive the caribbean and to take his boat to the local lakes on weekends. The Adam's daughter, Shannon was one of our youngest divers.
	Sallie Adams, assistant instructor, is also an accountant. You'll find her on the boat with Bob and diving anywhere she can. She helped teach Bob to dive and then decided to keep him. Good decision.
	John Corcoran is the President/Owner of John J Corcoran Construction Co. He earned a BA in psychology from Duquesne University. John is a PADI Instructor, & Emergency First Response Instructor, and Master Scuba Diver Trainer. His constant urge to submerge has taken him around the world and 11 Specialty Diver Cards. An underwater photographer and videographer, John has amassed a small library of life under the sea. He enjoys his air time piloting a Cessna 182.
	Jeff Dowler has been a PADI certified Assistant Instructor since 2000, who often assists with the Sewickley YMCA classes and local dives. Jeff earned a BA from Westminster College and a MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, and works as a finance manager to save for the next dive trip. His favorite dive, so far, is Darwin's Arch in the Galápagos archipelago.
	Paul Murray is a PADI certified Assistant Instructor and a Master Scuba Diver who enjoys tropical dive trips and North Carolina wreck diving. He is a retired science teacher and league winning cross-country, basketball, and soccer coach. Paul holds masters degrees from Duquesne and Penn State and can be found skiing, auto racing or biking when he's out of the water.
	Cindy Kohut is an assistant instructor who regularly staffs the Sewickley classes. Cindy loves Caribbean and local diving, as well as her husband Phil Susie.
	Assistant instructor Phil Susie holds a BA from Slippery Rock University and an MBA from Robert Morris College. He and his dive buddy/wife Cindy enjoy diving in the Caribbean and assisting with local diving. He frequently assists with the Sewickley classes.
	Assistant instructor Al Houston has been diving the world for the last 20 years. A graduate of Long Island University, he's a professional photographer in the art and frame business. When Al's not underwater you can find him on a Harley, behind his amatur radio (H2MA) or delving into 18th century history.
	Jim Wells is a registered engineer with a specialty in underwater shock and vibration. Jim earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. In addition to his technical work, he assists his wife with her fashion design business, Barbara Wells Studio. Jim's other past times include bicycling, weight lifting, and studying the meaning of life.

Divemasters Assisting with your education & leading your dives

	Veterinarian Glenn Battle recieved degrees from Notre Dame, the University of Kentucky and Auburn University. He enjoys all types of diving and marine life and organizes dive trips for Scuba Club North. A competitive swimmer, He also enjoys ballroom dancing, skiing, and travel. Three of his four children are divers too.
	Charles Haber is a Penn State Graduate in Civil Engineering who runs Arsenal Construction Company and Haber Associates Real Estate Company. He started Diving in 2002, fell in love with the sport and got Into underwater photography. When not diving, Charlie is member of American Coaster Enthusiasts and has rode over 300 coasters in over 10 countries. His favorite Dive so far is wreck diving in Truk.
	Gary Groom has been diving for over 40 years, having been a YMCA Instructor & teaching Scuba at the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned his degree. Now CFO of Sargnet Electric, Gary still remains an avid year-round diver, and his wife Susan recently completed her open water certification.
	Dan Tis has a BS degree in Chemical Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He is President of S/D Engineers, Inc. He also sits on the board of directors of the Engineers Society of Western Pennsylvania. In addition to local diving, Dan has been diving the Caribbean and South Pacific.
	Jason Grahm is a certified chef with a degree in culinary arts, and a metalurgest working with his family in the chrome plating business. He is an advocate of local diving and president of Scuba Club North. Jason’s other interests include travel, wine collecting, playing acoustic guitar in a band, snowboarding, and volunteering for a local charity organization.
	Rick McCann is a PADI certified Dive Master and Master SCUBA diver who also has Advanced NITROX certification by IANTD and Solo diver credentials from SDI. He earned a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Pittsburgh and works in an area hospital. He enjoyes diving locally and in the Caribbean and lives in Cranberry with his wife and daughter.
	Jim Pearson, who lives in Wexford, with his wife and daughters, does a lot of local diving. Since his first dive in Maui, he has amassed an impressive list of credentials. When Jim is not underwater, you can find him shooting skeet, hunting, or fishing. To pay for all his hobbies, he is an administrator and coach at Deer Lakes Middle School.
	Dave Summerville graduated from YSU with an IT degree and works for TeleTracking as an implementation engineer when he's not diving. He loves dive travel with his wife who is also an avid diver and his daughter, who will be an avid diver as soon as she's old enough.
	John Franko graduated from Penn State University with a BS in Geo-Environmental Engineering and a MS in Mineral Processing. When not diving John enjoys many outdoor activities ranging from whitewater kayaking, power boating, hunting and fishing. John also volunteers for the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.
	Amy and Dave Altman both began diving in 2006, both graduated from Slippery Rock University, and both are software engineers for the same company. When not underwater they are whitewater kayaking on top of it. Wow! Talk about togetherness!!