George has been a scuba instructor for over 20 years. Today, his personal mission is to ignite in his students the passion he has for scuba diving. His resume includes 15 years as the commander of the Baltimore County Police department's Underwater Recovery Team which is now considered one of the most elite recovery units in the country. His expertise and advice are sought by organizations throughout the world and his knowledge and understanding of the sport have been published in numerous books and articles.

In 1989, he was recruited by the Institute of Aeronautical and Archeological Research to help recover historical aircraft. As their current Director of Diving Operations, his involvement has resulted in the recovery and identification of over 60 historic aircrafts and ship wrecks.

George's motto is: education and training are the keys to safety and success. George hopes to establish Undersea Outfitters as the the premier diving school and resource center in Maryland, focused solely on the ultimate success of the individual!

Laird Brown

Laird Brown has been around water most of his life. His 20 years in the U. S. Navy exposed him to some of the best diving technology available. After serving 2 years at the Navy’s Advanced Test Station, Laird was assigned to Project CURVE which was responsible for the development of the Navy’s first unmanned underwater vehicle. This vehicle was utilized extensively in the recovery of unexploded munitions from the ocean floor. Due to his expertise with this system Laird was instrumental in the Atomic bomb recovery off Rota, Spain in over 3000 feet of water. Completing his tour of duty with Project CURVE Laird was reassigned to Aircraft Rescue in the Philippines and later attended the Navy Dive School aboard the U. S. S. Simon Lake. Laird became involved with Undersea Outfitters in 2004 where his enthusiasm and expertise became an immediate asset. With Rafid’s retirement in the spring of 2007, Laird assumed Rafid’s ownership in the corporation. His years of experience and his infectious enthusiasm insures that Undersea Outfitters will continue to provide the best possible service to the diving community.

Rafid Tuma

The exploration of a world filled with mystery, beauty, excitement and adventure brought Rafid Tuma to the diving industry in 1975. Four years later, after numerous search and rescue related courses, he joined the volunteer fire department as both a rescue diver and firefighter. Soon he became a part of the Underwater Recovery Unit for the Baltimore County Police Department, where he met and became fast friends with George Carter. Shortly after Rafid achieved his instructor certification he became the director of search and recovery missions for the police department.

When George approached Rafid to become a key participant on the recovery team for the Institute of Aeronautical and Archeological Research, Rafid quickly accepted. This position enabled Rafid to travel worldwide and recover vintage aircraft in a variety of complicated environments.

His full time commitment to the diving industry led to his eventual retirement from the police department in 1995. He has been committed to the advancement of scuba diving ever since. Rafid is 100% committed to the education and training of each diver as well as their success and excitement of as they pass through one of the Undersea Outfitter courses.

Mel Petrochko

Mel's introduction to SCUBA diving came as a surprise birthday gift from his wife. If she had known then what she knows now, he may have gotten a tie instead! Mel embarked on a mission to learn as much as he could about diving. He consumed specialty courses as quickly as possible while diving whenever and wherever he could.

An avid wreck diver, Mel has explored shipwrecks all along the eastern seaboard. The deep wrecks of the Great Lakes and Canada are also listed in his impressive resume. With hundreds of dives logged annually in the colder waters of the Northeast, Mel still manages to dive the warmer waters further south. He has extensive experience on Caribbean reefs, and the Gulf of Mexico shipwrecks. Underwater photography is another area where Mel is well versed. His photographs have been in several national contests and local shows.

As an SSI Open Water Instructor, Mel promotes the best ideals in recreational diving; Safety, Enjoyment, and Exploration. Students learning SCUBA with Mel will not only get the benefit of his vast experience but they will also receive inspiration of his passion.

Tim Crawford

Tim started out diving just like everyone else does. He walked into a dive store, enrolled in a class just because SCUBA seemed like it might be fun. That course ignited a fire that grows more intense with each dive. From his early beginnings Tim immersed himself in diving and dedicated several years to learning all he could. Countless classes, dive trips, and seminars only increased his enjoyment of the sport. Tim committed himself to helping others find the passion that he had discovered and began assisting beginners in classroom and pool training. After a few years of assisting other instructors it was time for him to step up to the next level. Tim pursued his instructor credentials and after completing the SSI Instructor Training Program he began teaching others. Tim’s broad personal experiences have taken him to many of the world’s best dive spots. Those experiences along with his passion for the sport provide his students with a fun and rewarding experience. Undersea Outfitters is proud to have Tim on our staff and students enrolled in his class have to work hard not to be as inspired as he is.

Lisa Eckard

Most people embark upon learning to scuba dive with excitement. Lisa’s path was different; she started with more than a little apprehension. After all she thought, people are not supposed to be underwater. Since her initial class however she has been quoted as saying “Learning to dive was the most rewarding experience of my life.”