Former BSAC Chair Deric Ellerby pays tribute to Mike Busuttili, who contributed much to BSAC over seven decades
SCUBAHUB
Remembering Mike Busuttili
Former BSAC Chair Deric Ellerby pays tribute to Mike Busuttili, who contributed much to BSAC over seven decades
MIKE BUSUTTILI, A BSAC HONORARY Life Member, has passed away on 17 April aged 85, following a lengthy illness.
Mike was always keen to share his love of the undersea world and this fascination was further enhanced when he became one of the early owners of a Nikonos underwater camera. He was one of the founder members of BSoUP( the British Society of Underwater Photographers). This sharing and communicating of diving became so important to him that he also became closely involved with the diving elements of the publishing world.
He helped in the translation of the classic“ Connaissance et Technique de la Plongée” by Guy Poulet( 1967) for Newnes’‘ Complete Guide to Underwater Swimming’. This also led to his close involvement in developing BSAC training materials and his valued
contributions to BSAC’ s manual, Sport Diving. This book was eventually adopted by CMAS( the World Underwater Diving Federation) and further translated and published in French. An early technology adopter, Mike, with his first Apple Mac computer, pressured our then magazine publisher into supporting him as webmaster of the first DiverNet online network.
He inevitably became a BSAC Instructor and rose to its highest teaching level as an international National Instructor, representing BSAC in CMAS, at DEMA and was elected for several periods as a BSAC Council Member, serving as Vice Chair from 1984-86. During this time his business, technical and instructional skills made him an invaluable part of the team that established BSAC International and BSAC Japan.
Mike’ s technical and practical experience made him an obvious member of the National Diving Committee’ s Decompression Group, where he played a key role in advancing recreational diving’ s understanding and avoiding decompression accidents. His work on the’ 88 Tables and IT experience inevitably led to an early involvement with diving computers, when he persuaded most of his NDC partners to become lab-rat users of the first wrist-brick!
Mike certainly made a massive contribution to the club. He was a natural influencer, always pushing for a higher level and acting as a human catalyst to extract the maximum from his contemporaries.
Seeking non-diving Council members
BSAC IS LOOKING FOR A NEW Independent Non-Executive Director( NED) with no previous involvement with the Club to join its Council team. As an Independent NED, the successful candidate will have a unique opportunity to influence the strategic direction of the organisation.
BSAC is now inviting applications from individuals who have the right business skills and experiences required to administer an organisation effectively. BSAC is especially interested in individuals with skills and experience in one or more of these areas: national sports governing bodies, charity governance, international business development and funding sources( such as grant funding).
BSAC is specifically looking for candidates who:
■ Have a clear commitment to improving diversity and promoting inclusion in BSAC and have an awareness of the needs of underrepresented groups.
■ Have knowledge of effective governance and commitment to the highest standards.
■ Have integrity, independent judgement, an ability to challenge and think creatively, and a willingness to speak openly.
■ Can step away from the detail, giving the strategic focus and direction necessary to for the organisation to flourish and develop in future.
Previous board experience is useful but not essential. Interested parties should send a cover letter and CV to BSAC Chair Andy Shenstone at chair @ bsac. com For full details on the position of Independent Non-Executive Director go to bsac. com / NED
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