The PADI Story

Two Friends, a Bottle of Scotch and an Idea

It’s hard to believe that the world’s largest scuba diving training organization was dreamt up by two friends in Illinois over a bottle of Johnny Walker in 1966.  John Cronin, a scuba equipment salesman for U.S. Divers, and Ralph Ericson, an educator and swimming instructor, were concerned about the SCUBA diving industry. They felt that the current SCUBA certification agencies were unprofessional, didn’t use state of the art instruction and made it unnecessarily difficult for people to enter the sport. John and Ralph knew there had to be a safer, easy way for people to learn to breathe underwater.

In 1966, John brought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label and thirty dollars to Ralph’s Illinois apartment in Morton Grove.  They decided it was time to start a SCUBA training organization. John insisted that the word “professional” be in the name of the company. Ralph wanted an “association of diving instructors.”

After a few scotches, the acronym PADI was born: Professional Association of Diving Instructors

Purpose
PADI exists to develop programs that encourage and fulfill the public interest in recreational SCUBA diving and snorkeling worldwide.  

Vision
PADI intends to be the world leader in the educational development of SCUBA diving professionals and enthusiasts.

Slogan
PADI - The Way the World Learns to Dive.

Mission
We want to teach the world to SCUBA dive.

Tasks, Goals and Purposes
PADI strives to be the world’s most respected and successful organization in recreational SCUBA diving and snorkeling. PADI is committed to product and service excellence, the professional growth and security of PADI Members and employees, healthy competition and partnership within the dive industry and to providing training and opportunity for all who seek to enjoy and safely explore and protect our planet’s oceans, lakes and waterways.