Ann has been scuba diving since 1989 and teaching since 1990. In 1994, she was named Instructor of the Year by the National Association of Scuba Diving Schools. Through her work with Oceanic Ventures, she helped the business earn the NASDS Gold Dealer Award for Excellence in Training in 1994 and the International Diamond Facility Award in 2003. In 2014, the Island of Cozumel recognized her with the Buzo de Oro award.
Ann holds a Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University, with a focus on Real Estate and Marketing. Her professional background includes management roles with Conoco USA in both Denver and Houston, as well as work as a financial and business development manager for Houston Industries, Inc. In addition to serving as President of Oceanic Ventures, Inc., she also provides marketing support for her and Eric’s Square Rig Photography.
Ann’s passion for the underwater world and her entrepreneurial drive inspired her to establish Oceanic Ventures, Inc. in 1990. Her vision was to create a distinctive setting centered on private and semi-private instruction while maintaining a personal, family-oriented atmosphere. As technical and extended-range diving grew, the company became a Houston leader in providing facilities, education, equipment, and travel for this developing field. Oceanic Ventures was also the first dive facility in Houston to offer Nitrox training and blending. The company has affiliated staff in Florida, Michigan, and the Caribbean, and actively supports many nonprofit organizations in Houston. Ann is a founding board member of the Oceanic Ventures Foundation. She especially enjoys helping new, nervous divers build confidence, and she also works as a factory-trained and authorized repair technician, travel coordinator, buyer, and instructor trainer. She loves being a SCUBA Ranger and Starfish Leader.
Ann’s diving adventures have taken her across the globe, including the Red Sea, Fiji, Palau, Yap, Belize, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, TRUK, Antarctica, the caves of Florida, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. On her trips, she enjoys photographing the unusual and is especially known for macro-photography. Her work has been featured in art galleries in Houston and Arizona and published in several international publications. Ann has also served as President of ROBWEC, Houston’s oldest businesswomen’s club, received the Girl Scouts of the USA Thanks Badge, and was honored as an SJCGSA Woman of Distinction. She also sings in a choir.