Team

Project Team

The Santa Barbara Deepwater Diving Monument (DWDM) Committee was formed by local historian and founder of the Historical Diving Society, Leslie Leaney and Professor Emeritus Don Barthelmess of Santa Barbara City College’s Marine Diving Technology Program. They have both held a long-standing wish to build a Monument to celebrate Santa Barbara's legacy as the birthplace of Deepwater Diving and for the diving pioneers who went before us.

Don Barthelmess

Co-Chairman Deepwater Diving Monument

Professor Emeritus/Program Director Santa Barbara City College Marine Technology Program 1989-2019, Past President of Santa Barbara Maritime Museum 2019-2021, Past President of Historical Diving Society USA

Don has been in the diving industry for over 44 years. Prior to his teaching career, he began as a diver, submersible pilot and ROV operator for International Underwater Contractors, Inc. He was the General Manager of IUC Pacific’s offices in Santa Barbara and Ventura, CA in the 1980s.

He has trained and certified thousands of divers and marine technicians over the course of his career. He co-authored the original American National Standard - ANSI/ACDE Minimum Standard for Commercial Diver Training. He has been both a contributor and reviewer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Diving Manual as well as the Commercial Diver Training Manual 6th and 7th editions.

Leslie Leaney

Co-Chairman Deepwater Diving Monument

Local Historian

Co-Founder of The Historical Diving Society USA in 1992

Founding Trustee of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum in 2000

Their mission, "To design and fundraise a bronze diver sculpture/monument to the pioneering local divers, as a gift to the City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Department".
The monument will provide an enduring local attraction that confirms Santa Barbara harbor’s place in history as the birthplace of international deepwater ocean exploration.

Principle Contractor

At the DEMA Show (Diving Equipment & Marketing Association) located in Las Vegas in 2021, Leslie and Don held a meeting with the two Directors of Monument Projects Ltd, Paul Guiver and Tony Sexton, to discuss the feasibility of the project.

Paul and Tony, both former Royal Navy Mine Clearance Divers were already running a project in the UK to build a similar bronze statue in recognition of Military Divers. Also, Paul's original company had acted as the Principle Contractor for the highly successful MkV Monument Project ('JAKE') at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City Beach, Florida; completing in 2012.

As a result, Monument Projects Ltd. were formally engaged as the Principle Contractor to produce, manage and deliver the DWDM project and the 'Team' was formed.

Paul Guiver BEM

Managing Director - Monument Projects Ltd. - The Principle Contractor.

Former Royal Navy Minewarfare & Clearance Diving Officer.

Paul was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1991 for meritorious service during the Gulf War. Served with SF & NAVSECWARCOM (SDV Pilot/Navigator) prior to being Commissioned as an RN Officer in 1994: Roles included Operations & Executive Duties in RN Minehunting Vessels.

Project Manager/Officer for the procurement of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for Explosive Ordanance Disposal & Military Diving applications in both the US & UK.

Retired as a Lieutenant Commander after 34 years service.

Awarded the role of Principle Contractor for the Mark V Monument Project at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center, Panama City Beach, Florida.

Joint Project Manager for The Military Diver Memorial Project in the United Kingdom.

Tony Sexton

Director - Monument Projects Ltd. - Principle Contractor.

Former Royal Navy Mine Clearance Diver, served for 16 years working in underwater Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Hong Kong and Gibraltar diving teams, training roles and later in his career in the Royal Navy’s Saturation diving team, numerous Sats and experimental dives culminating in a 1000ft dive in 1989.

Leaving the Royal Navy In 1996 he founded a technical project management consultancy company and to date has managed multi-million dollar projects all around the World.

Former Trustee and Committee member of the Royal Navy Clearance Divers Association.

Joint Project Manager for The Military Diver Memorial Project.

Wider Project Team

July 2023: The team are now excited to welcome several new key members of the diving community to the committee. Their experience, wisdom and drive will take us forward as we move into the production phase of the project.

Greg Gorga

Greg Gorga, Executive Director, joined the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum in February 2007 as Director of Development, and has served as the Executive Director since May 2008.

Gorga has a B.A. in English from Rutgers University. He has more than twenty years of experience working with nonprofit agencies, including Manager of Planning & Development for the Community Action Commission.

Gorga is the Past President of the Council of American Maritime Museums, formerly served as Chair of the City of Santa Barbara Community Development & Human Services Committee, and currently serves on the Board of Visit Santa Barbara.

Ted Roche

As the founder of Aqueos, Mr. Roche has over 46 years of experience in the marine construction and commercial diving industry.

Prior to launching this company in June of 2000, he served as both West Coast Area Manager for Stolt Comex Seaway and West Coast General Manager for Martech USA.

Mr. Roche began his career as a Diver and Superintendent, with work history in the North Sea, South China Sea, West Coast, Alaska, and the Bay of Campeche. He holds a degree in Marine Diving Technology and remains active in the commercial diving community.

Presently, he is Co-Chair of the Executive Board of the Gulf of Mexico Diving Safety Work Group (DSWG), Co-Chair of the Diving Industry Work Group (DIWG) an international group comprised of Contractors and Operators and is acting Chairman of the advisory board for the Marine Diving Technology Program at Santa Barbara City College.

At Aqueos, Mr. Roche is responsible for business development and pursuing opportunities and strategies that focus on growth and profitability.

Mr. Roche’s personal commitment is to safety and to ensure that accident-free work is his highest priority.

Carol Kallman

Carol was born and raised in Santa Barbara and continues her family’s legacy in serving the community through her work with non-profit organizations.

In 2016, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) awarded her with the prestigious “Volunteer of the Year for the County of Santa Barbara”.

She has served as the President of the Channel City Club, the Junior League of Santa Barbara, Alpha Resource Center, Santa Barbara Yacht Club Women and the Santa Barbara Zoo Auxiliary. She continues to serve the diving community by assisting in the planning of the Historical Diving Society’s (HDS USA) Reunion event.

Carol holds a degree in Business Administration from California Polytechnic State University.

Mike Morgan

Mike is the project representative for Kirby Morgan Dive Systems (KMDSI) and the Morgan family. He has worked at KMDSI since graduating college in 2012 and is currently the sales manager. He has lived and worked in Santa Barbara County his entire life.

Phil Newsum

Prior to his current role as Executive Director of the ADCI, Phil worked in the Gulf of Mexico as a Diver and Supervisor. He was also an instructor at Divers Institute of Technology.

Phil serves on a host of industry safety committees and is the Commercial Diving representative for the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (NOSAC). He also serves on the Board for the Historical Diving Society USA.

Phil’s family has resided in Santa Barbara since 1971.