Pete Wagner, DO

NAUI Course Director

DAN Instructor Trainer

SDI/TDI Instructor

Carolyn Wagner

NAUI Instructor Trainer

DAN Instructor Trainer

Jacob Clark

NAUI Instructor

Dan Instructor Trainer

Born and raised in Greenville, Jacob began diving in 2014. A graduate from Carteret Community College with an AAS in Aquaculture Technology and a BS in Marine Biology from ECU, Jacob hopes to pursue graduate school. He is an ARC Lifeguard and loves coral reef and NC wreck diving. Jacob has complted his NAUI Instructor certification.

Kurt Wagner

TDI Instructor

Bio Coming Soon

In Memorium

Robbie Marlow

NAUI Instructor

We remember our dear friend Robbie.

Robbie graduated Charleston Southern University (BS) and The Medical University of South Carolina (BSN). He was employed by Boston Scientific as a Pacemaker sales Representative.
Originally from the Charleston area, he received his first dive Certificate in 1978. Kids and career came along creating a break from diving. Getting re-freshened and with his son certified to dive, Robbie once again had the exploration bug and it was nonstop from there.
Robbie received his SSI Instructor in 2013 and then crossed over as a NAUI Instructor to be dually affiliated in Dec of 2015.
Robbie loved to teach and loved SCUBA so naturally it had to come together!

He is missed by all.

Rest in Peace

John Hill

NAUI Instructor

John has an undergraduate degree from the University of Mount Olive, a masters from Baptist Seminary in Richmond, VA, and a Doctorate from Campbell University. He has been scuba diving for 10 years and  has acheived his SSI Divemaster and NAUI Instructor certifications. John is very active in the Winterville community. He is the recent past president of the Winterville Chamber of Commerce, current President of the Winterville Civitan Club, and a vocal advocate for community development.

Andy Goad

NAUI Instructor

Andy grew up on the high, dusty Plains of West Texas; the Llano Estacado to be more precise. A region entirely sun-soaked and devoid of moisture, a place where armadillos, tumbleweeds, and creaky windmills were his neighbors. A scene from a Steinbeck novel, folks always wanting to head out. People didn’t spit, they couldn’t if they wanted to, their mouths parched for ages. Andy knew how to swim, but it didn’t matter, there were no lakes nor rivers, nor swimming holes, and no puddles to be found.

That changed when Andy hitched a ride with Uncle Sam and joined the Marine Corps. There, he found more water than he could handle. The Pacific Ocean, the helo dunk tank, the riding on zodiac boats, and huge amphibious assault ships. During the winters out West it rained, and it rained good. Sometimes it was big rain, sometimes it was little stinging rain, and sometimes the rain came down sideways. Andy did his time, and he did it honorably. But he was tired of the low elevation, he needed to be elevated.

Andy found himself in Colorado. The cool mountain air reinvigorated him. He had a new lease on life, he wanted something more. So, he signed up to learn SCUBA. A few weeks in a pool and a few weeks later in a frigid lake is all it took. He was hooked. Andy began advanced training along with nitrox education. He dove when he could, the clear, cold mountain lakes of Colorado and the deep springs of New Mexico and Utah became a second home. In the meantime, Andy finished his education and became a teacher, molding young minds. But he wanted to further his academic pursuits.

This brought him to Greenville, North Carolina, and ECU, where he fell in with a rowdy crowd, known as Rum Runner Dive Shop. They showed him the Atlantic Ocean and they showed him the quarries, and they showed him the warm Florida Springs. This is also where Andy furthered his diving, becoming first a Master Diver, then a Rescue Diver, and Finally a Dive Master. While searching for academic fulfillment, Andy became a Scientific Diver, training in underwater archaeology, dry suits, full-face masks, zero visibility, and search and recovery, just to name a few.

In his spare time, you can find Andy spending time with his wife Heidi and his son Mason (who will both start scuba training in the summer of 2021). Together, they have a dog named Ruckus, three chickens named Drumstick, Comet, and Boatsnack, along with two ducks named Mel and Daisy. Andy is a big fan of baseball and helps coach the local youths. If you come into the shop, and don’t know who Andy is, just find the guy that is 180 lbs of twisted steel and sex appeal.

Christine Coley

NAUI Instructor

Christine graduated at Montclair State University in 1989 with a BA degree, worked in the Financial Industry for many years and currently owns a Truck and Trailer Repair Business with her husband in North Carolina.
Her desire to become a SCUBA diver began when she received a Marine Life book as a child and saw a Whale Shark for the first time. Happily, in June 2019 with Rum Runner Dive Shop, Christine received her NAUI Open Water certification. She has enjoyed her diving adventure and dive community so much that she pursued and received her NAUI Divemaster and Instructor certifications in 2020, during which time she also became a Volunteer Diver at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island (another childhood dream). She has a love for all marine life, especially sharks and whales.
Christine is looking forward to continuing her diving adventure not only in North Carolina but all around the world.

John Whichard

NAUI Instructor

John began diving in 1987 as a PE elective in college and found a skill set to last a lifetime. An avid diver throughout his college and early career life, he saw a decline in his diving career as he raised three daughters. In early 2008 the diving itch returned and John returned to the Rum Runner family diving and progressing through the certification ranks. Certified as a NAUI Instructor in 2015, he enjoys wreck diving and learning the history of our offshore wrecks.

George Silver, DVM

NAUI Divemaster

Originally certified as PADI open water diver in 2006 in the island nation of Grenada.  George took a 15 year break for family and career and now when not working he enjoys traveling with his favorite dive buddy and best friend also know as his wife Ava. They have two lovely children who also have the scuba bug. "I have been accused of never knowing a stranger and enjoy teaching anything in the water". George has completed over 500 open water dives in over a dozen countries since joining Rum Runner and is a TDI Tech Diver.

Favorite Dive: The Canyons, Roatan Honduras
Least favorite Drive: Kicker Rock, Galapagos Islands

Brian Stroud

NAUI Instructor

Born and raised in Kinston, Brian began diving with the Boy Scouts in 1995 getting his PADI Open Water and Advanced Diver shortly thereafter. He spent most summers growing up fishing and diving as much as possible. He had a break in diving while pursuing his education and starting his career. In 2021 he introduced his wife to diving who instantly fell in love. This allowed them to enjoy diving together. He recently became Nitrox certified. He is currently pursuing his dive master certification. When not diving, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his wife and their many animals. 

John Petkovich

NAUI Instructor

John is a native of Pennsylvania that moved to Greenville in 2019. He is an Army veteran and retiree of over 26 years. He began as a certified PADI Open Water diver in 1998 in Tacoma, Washington. John continued to increase his diving knowledge until completing the PADI Advanced Diver Certification in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Since then, he has polished his skills in diving with the Rum Runner Family.

Phillip Dunbar

NAUI Divemaster

Hey my name is Phillip Dunbar.  I fell in love with scuba in Florida at Crystal Springs around the age of twelve on a snorkeling trip.
        I was certified by NAUI as a open water diver in the summer of 2000 at the age of eighteen.
       I continued my education in 2019 taking dry suit course, nitrox, sidemount and cavern/intro to caves.  I did black water river dives year round picking up trash thrown from the bridges.
        In 2020 I furthered my education with TDI's Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures course.   I then finished my full cave course diving the jungle cenotes of the Yucatán and the Florida caves.  
        I then completed my Dive master in 2022 and I have been diving 22 years having around 250 to 300 dives in caves, quarries, offshore/inshore , reef and wrecks. 

Alex Bogdanoff, PhD

NAUI Divemaster

Alex is from Fairport, NY, but now lives with his wife and daughters, Madelyn and Stephanie, in New Bern, NC. Alex holds a B.S. in Biology from Gannon University, M.S. in Marine Science from Coastal Carolina University, and a Ph.D. in Applied Ecology from NC State University. Alex was a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from 2012 - 2019 before transitioning to a faculty position at James Sprunt Community College where he is currently a Biology Professor. Alex began diving in 2012 and has since completed over 250 dives, most of which have been science dives. Alex was a NOAA Diver during his tenure with NOAA and is currently a NAUI Dive Master and NAUI First Aid Instructor. 

Jen Bogdanoff

NAUI Divemaster

Jen has a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology and a Master’s Degree in Coastal Marine and Wetlands Science. Jen began diving in 2010 in preparation for a summer coral reef ecology in Key Largo Florida. After 30+ dives that summer, she was hooked! While pursuing her degrees Jen was able to study at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Science and the Discovery Bay Marine Lab in Jamaica. During Graduate school she met her husband Alex. Jen got Alex hooked on diving and they have been dive buddies ever since. After graduation Jen began teaching and Alex pursued his Ph.D. They got married, had two daughters, and then decided to continue their dive training by becoming Dive Masters. Now Jen is a Biology Professor at Craven Community College. Jen loves sharing her knowledge of the marine ecosystem with fellow divers and helping new divers feel more confident underwater.

Greyson Graham

Photo and Bio coming soon

Brandy Keller

Photo and Bio coming soon

Skip Graham

Photo and Bio coming soon