Mike has been employed at Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) as an Information Technology Specialist (computer technician) since 1985. Prior to working at SCSU Mike was certified in April of 1983 but did very little diving, only about 40 dives from April 1983 until August 1992. He had problems finding dive buddies and did not know the dive sites in the Saint Cloud area since he had just moved from Willmar. Mike was frustrated by the lack of scheduled dives through the local dive shops and the ability to meet new divers. That is when he found out that one of the faculty members in Headley Hall, William Lacroix, aka Diver Billy, was a diver. Diver Billy invited him along on a Minnesota School of Diving “Fun Dive” in 1992 and they have been making the trip from Saint Cloud to Brainerd ever since! Mike enjoys diving with new divers and showing them the many wonders of the pits.

Mike has been a Dive Master (#189366) since 2003 and has completed PADI Specialties in Boat, Drift, Deep, Wreck, Night, Equipment Repair, Rescue, Master Scuba Diver and is a TDI certified Nitrox Diver. Mike has been diving in all of the Great Lake, Monterrey Bay and Catalina Island (California), Florida, Cozumel (Mexico), Roatan (Honduras), Kaua’i and Ni'ihau/Lehua (Hawaii), St. Croix and St. Thomas (USVI), Susua (Dominican Republic) and over 17 years in our beloved Cuyuna Mines (the Pits). He and two friends created the Beanie Buddy Map Company, which has introduced the first accurate and detailed dive maps of the mines. His favorite dive sites locally are Hindsight Bay (Portsmouth) and Feigh Downaways (Feigh). Any site in Cozumel is a favorite dive!