Ollie Bernard Ferguson
UNEXSO Dive Instructor and Lecturer
Ollie Ferguson was born in Los Angeles CA and grew up in Nassau,
in The Bahamas. After graduating St. Andrews School, he attended
Kent School in Connecticut and Jacksonville University in
Florida. Ollie's wife is Tamee
Marshawn Ferguson, daughter
Carina Marie Ferguson is 23, and daughter Mallory Marie is 13.
Ollie left University 1979 and returned to The Bahamas. He
worked as an Architectural Draftsman for a year, often working
in the field supervising construction projects. Leaving the
construction field he took up sport SCUBA diving and became a
SCUBA Instructor working for The Underwater Explorers Society,
Limited [UNEXSO] in Grand
Ollie Ferguson
Invitation to Legends UNEXSO 2009
Bahama. In addition to teaching diving
between 1983 and 1998 Ollie volunteered almost 400 hours a
Recompression Chamber Operator and Tender. In this capacity he
administered high-pressure oxygen treatments to injured divers.
The majority of these individuals were local fisherman without
medical insurance.
Also 1995, working for Medaka Productions Limited, Ollie went to
sea. The location was 85 miles off of the Turks and Cacaos
Islands on "The Silver Banks?. The project was to film an I-Max
movie on Humpback Whales. Ollie was talent, diving coordinator
and chaperon for 6 children. The crew was International, made up
of Americans, Bahamians, British, Canadians, Dominicans, and
Israelis. This group lived and worked at sea on a dive boat for
one month.
Documentary and television appearances list among Ollie's
accomplishments. He has appeared on Regis and Cathy Lees" "The
Morning Show?, The Learning Channels "Danger Zone?, WTSP Channel
10 in Tampa Bay production of "Getting out Alive, Shark Attacks"
and CBS-TV "Ordinary/Extraordinary?, with Leanza Cornett.
Between 1994 and 1997 Ollie was a lecturer for The Grand Bahama
Tourism Boards" "Bahama Host Program?. The program was
established to provide participants with information about Grand
Bahama and the importance of delivering exceptional customer
service.
In 1995 Ollie used his Drafting/Construction background as
Project Manager on the construction of a 4,000 square foot
addition to the UNEXSO facility. Ollie worked with the
handicapped, introducing them to SCUBA diving. He worked with
The Starlight Foundation granting wishes for terminally ill
individuals. Additionally, Ollie was instrumental in the
creation of a vocational SCUBA diving program in two local
schools. He served on The Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association
[BASRA] board as Public Relations Chairperson for the year 2000.
He joined the Rotary Club of Grand Bahama, Sunrise in 1996.
Ollie served as Vocational Services Chairman, Vice President and
President 2000 - 2001. During this time Ollie was presented with
Rotary?s" Distinguished Service Citation and District Governors
Citation for exemplary services in Rotary and the community.
From 2002 to 2005 Ollie was General Manager of Solomon's
Freeport a 58,000 square foot facility that distributes and
sells perishable and semi perishable food items along with
general merchandise products. Solomon's Freeport employed one
hundred and five people and produced over eighteen million
dollars in sales revenue.
Ollie realized a life long goal of working in Real Estate when
he joined the team at James Sarles Realty in 2005. In 2007 Ollie
was inducted into the International Diamond Society by Coldwell
Banker Island Affiliates for selling 48 units and earning in
excess of $188,000.00 in commissions for Coldwell Banker James
Sarles Realty.
In September 2008 Ollie accepted the position of General Manager
of The Freeport News. Entering the newspaper business is being
seen as his coming full circle as he is the eldest grandchild of
the late Sir Etienne Dupuch, founder of the Nassau Daily
Tribune.
