Eighteen years experience in aquatic animal husbandy including; water quality analysis, disease diagnosis and treatment, dietary requirements, life suport system design, construction and maintenance, animal acquisition, transport and quarantine, and overall exhibit cleaning.
Certified PADI scuba diver since 1996, advanced PADI diver since 1999, DAN oxygen provider, CPR, Basic Medic First Aid, Pediatric Medic First Aid, and Animal Immobilization certified.
Nine years management experience in a leadership role such as Curator, Supervisor, Senior Aquarist, and President of my own Corporation.
Extensive working knowledge of design, filtration, and installation of large scale public aquarium exhibits. Recently, I participated in the installation of Oklahoma City Zoo's new Oklahoma Trails 10,000 gallon Native freshwater aquarium and Beaver exhibit as a subcontractor for ATM of Las Vegas.
Participated in the construction and development of The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. I worked on a 1.2 million gallon shark exhibit and subsequent quarantine systems totaling 1.9 million gallons.
Designed, installed, and operated three 1,200 gallon Jellyfish exhibits including the development of a pathology laboratory which housed subsequent experimental Jellyfish holding systems for The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. I assisted in the construction, plumbing, filtration, and start up opperation for their sister property, The Beau Rivage Hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi, for four 10,000 gallon marine exhibits, quarantine systems, and associated pathology laboratory.
Worked on the extensive expansion for the Dallas World Aquarium enclosed Rainforest exhibit which included the United States largest 200,000 gallon freshwater aquarium. Participation included exhibit design, construction, and start up. Supervised and personally transported aquatic animals for the new DWA exhibits from the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska and the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio.
Successfully managed delicate aquatic ecosystems containing the rare and endangered species of the world which included; Leafy and Weedy Seadragons, Green Seaturtles, Lemmon Sharks, Southern Stingrays, Moon and Chrysora Jellyfish, Jellyfish Propagation, Dragon Eels, Cephalopods, Clams, Stoney, LPS, and Soft Corals. Also Freshwater Stingrays, Orinoco River Crocodiles, Golden Crocodiles, Nile Crocodiles, Dolphins, Manatees, and various reef inhabitants.
