The world’s largest scuba diving training organization, PADI was dreamed up in 1966 by two friends in Illinois over a bottle of Johnnie Walker. John Cronin, a scuba equipment salesman for U.S. Divers (now Aqua Lung), and Ralph Erickson, an educator and swimming instructor, were concerned about the scuba diving industry. They felt that the scuba certification agencies that existed at the time were unprofessional, didn’t use state-of-the-art or educationally valid instructional techniques or materials, and made it unnecessarily difficult for people to enter the sport. John and Ralph knew there had to be a safer, easier way for people to learn to breathe underwater. In 1966, John brought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label and $30 US 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 rounds of Scotch, the acronym PADI was born: Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Their goal – give more people a chance to enjoy the underwater world by offering relevant, educationally valid scuba diving training to create confident scuba divers who dive regularly. The initial start-up meetings took place at several restaurants in Morton Grove and Niles, Illinois. In a few months, Cronin finished a portion of the basement in his home on Main Street in Niles to become the headquarters for PADI. He eventually hired his next-door neighbor to be a part time secretary. His son, Brian, stuffed and sealed envelopes.
When they were struggling for a logo design, John mentioned he wanted something classy like the National Geographic look. Years later, in an interview, Ralph said that idea changed the way he was looking at this small two-man operation. At that moment, he could see a big vision for PADI. Ralph was responsible for putting together the first PADI logo – a diver with a torch in a globe. This logo was later refined into the well-known PADI logo of today. In the early years, PADI grew slowly. In 1967, it introduced recreational diving’s first diver certification requirements, first advanced diver course and first specialty diver programs. By the late 1960s, PADI had 400 members, but it was still a struggling entity.
Cronin went to a huge National Sporting Goods Association show in New York City (the forerunner of today’s DEMA Show). While he was there he met with Paul Tzimoulis, who later became the editor of Skin Diver magazine. Paul suggested that PADI put the diver’s picture on the certification card. In 1968, PADI produced the first positive identification certification (PIC) card with the diver’s photograph. It was a strategic move that helped PADI’s eventual global recognition.
John Cronin had been promoted to Sales Manager at U.S. Divers and had moved the family to Huntington Beach, California. In 1970, the PADI Office moved to California, USA.
Erickson developed a modular training program and it started to catch on. In 1972, the PADI “Open Water” Diver certification was launched as the preferred entry-level rating, with twice as many required open water dives as previous courses.
In the late 1970s and early ‘80s, PADI began creating its own integrated, multimedia student and instructor educational materials for each course. This development spawned an incredible growth period for PADI and made it unique from other agencies.
By the late 1980s, PADI was the leading scuba diving training organization in the world. With so many new people introduced to the activity, everyone at PADI felt a responsibility to teach divers about their interactions with the underwater world. Cronin knew PADI had a responsibility to protect the marine environment. John Cronin said: “We want to feel that our children, their children and generations to come will be able to enjoy the underwater world that has given us so much. There are so many significant problems facing mankind, but as divers this is truly our cause. If scuba divers do not take an active role in preserving the aquatic realm, who will?”
Out of a true concern for the environment, the Project AWARE Foundation was formed.
In 2003, John Cronin passed away. His friend and PADI co-founder, Ralph Erickson, passed away three years later. They proudly carried PADI’s torch for many years before they confidently put it in the hands of today’s generation of PADI Professionals, who continue to introduce the world to scuba diving.
With close to 400 employees in PADI corporate offices around the world, the PADI organization works hard to be the best partner to its members and is committed to:
- and responsible diver acquisition and retention.
- Quality member acquisition and retention.
- Financial prosperity.
- Worldwide alignment in message, products, systems and procedures.
The PADI Worldwide Executive team, led by Dr. Drew Richardson, President and CEO, ensures these promises are met.
PADI became the first recreational scuba diving organization whose courses are eligible for the American Council on Education (ACE) College Credit Recommendation Service (CREDIT). PADI courses continue to be recommended for college credit by ACE today.
PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor Examination fees qualify for reimbursement for veterans and military personnel under the GI Bill. Veterans can earn up to $575.00 for the PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor Examination.
Since 2009, PADI and the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) have maintained a mutual support partnership. PADI is the only scuba training organization with this formal relationship with BSA. The BSA’s Florida National High Adventure Sea Base has a twenty-year partnership with PADI, citing PADI’s leadership in developing the Snorkel BSA Award, Scuba BSA Award, and the Scuba merit badge. The Sea Base exclusively offers PADI certifications. The PADI Dive to Adventure Scholarship Program for the BSA provides training materials and/or course fees for various levels of scuba training for up to 100 scouts each year. When adding up these 25 annual scholarships, the value is $23,350.
PADI is a member of the United States Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC). In Canada, PADI is the exclusive sponsor of the Scouts Canada Scuba Program.
Recognitions and equivalencies has been established between PADI and Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS), the Colombian Navy, the Chinese Underwater Association, and Fédération Française d'Études et de Sports Sous-Marins (FFESSM). PADI is also a registered training organisation in Australia. As of 2012, PADI rescue diver and divemaster programs are included on the United Kingdom's Health and Safety Executive list of approved diving qualifications.
Those PADI courses aligning with standards published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for ‘Recreational diving services’ were audited by the European Underwater Federation (EUF) Certification Body in 2004 and 2009, and were certified at both times as complying with these standards. PADI is a member of the following member councils of the World Recreational Scuba Training Council - the RSTC Canada, the RSTC Europe and the C-Card Council (Japan).