Instructors

Jeff Zilliox

Jeff has been a NAUI instructor since 1989. His favorite diving destinations are wreck diving in Lake Superior and any where warm and tropical. Through NAUI Jeff has earned the title as Course Director, which permits him to teach classes from Openwater Scuba Diver to Instructor. He is also a IANTD Nitrox Instructor, D.A.N. Oxygen Provider Instructor, Dive Rescue International Public Safety Diver Instructor, and P.S.I. Visual Inspection Instructor. At Western Wisconsin Technical College Jeff teaches a Public Safety Scuba Diver Course to local Fire and Police Dept's.

In 1996 Jeff was awarded the NAUI Outstanding Service Award, but if you ask him, his greatest award is the excitement on the faces of his students as they see how much fun diving really is.

Peter Blinkwolt

A native of Hayward, WI Pete graduated from UW La Crosse with a BS in marketing, and has been working for Marineland since 1998.  Pete also works for Charter Communications as a direct salesperson in central WI.  Pete started diving at age 15 and became a instructor in 2002.  He has led trips to Belize, Holbox MX, and Munising MI.  Peter enjoys teaching because it creates interest in the sport for others. 

Rob Lee

Rob is a native of Mankato, MN. and graduate of Minnesota State University - Mankato.  Rob, his wife Pam and their oldest son, Mike, moved to La Crosse in 1972.  Rob started working at Trane then and still works there today.  Rob was first certified with one of his sons, Mark, in 1997 at Marineland.  His other sons, Mike and Bill, are also certified divers.  Since then, Rob has dived in the waters off Southern California, Hawaii, the Florida Keys, Cozumel, Bonaire, Lake Superior and Lake Michigan.  Rob works with the Boy Scout Venture Crew sponsored by Marineland. 

Joe Hansen

Joe is a native to La Crosse, WI and graduated from Central High School.  He has spent twenty-one years as a liquor distributor for Frank Liquor of La Crosse but also services dive equipment for Marineland in Onalaska.  Joe has been diving since 2002 and they have visited beautiful destinations such as Cozumel, Bonaire, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, Pensacola Beach, Lake Superior, and  Roatan.

Divemasters

 

Cheryl Hansen

Cheryl has ventured all over our great country from Elgin, IL to Hawaii, to Fargo, ND where she graduated high school.  For thirteen years she tried her hands as an Interior Designer but chose to become a licensed day care operator because she enjoys working with children and has been doing so since 1999.  Cheryl has been a Divemaster since 2004 and assists in dive training for Marineland.  She and husband Joe have both completed continuing dive education classes such as:  Advanced, Rescue Diving, Dry Suit, Ice Diving, Wreck Diving, Nitrox, DAN Oxygen Provider, Underwater Photography, Master Diver and Divemaster.  They plan to continue traveling, teaching and assisting new dive students.