From "Big Blue" to the Deep Blue:: How I Jumped Off the Corporate Ladder at IBM and Into My Dream of Owning a Cayman Islands Dive Center
As a young kid, Ron Kipp had a passion for model airplanes and wanted to grow up to be an Air Force fighter pilot. Unfortunately, while in the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Tulsa, Ron learned that he is colorblind. His colorblindness kept him on the ground as an Air Force supply officer instead of in the cockpit of a jet. After serving in Vietnam he was honorably discharged and landed a promising sales position in the office products division of “Big Blue” corporate giant, IBM.  Restless for adventure, Kipp learned to scuba dive in 1968 and soon became an instructor, training students and taking them on exotic dive trips. In 1980, on the eve of his 40th birthday, Ron became the new owner of Bob Soto’s Diving, Ltd., located on the island of Grand Cayman, which he operated for 23 years before selling it in 2001. His new book, From ‘Big Blue’ to the Deep Blue: How I Jumped Off the Corporate Ladder at IBM and Into My Dream of Owning a Cayman Islands Dive Center Kipp shares the perils and pleasures of his days as a dive center owner.  Ron’s goal in writing his book is to remind everyone that, “if you can dream it, you can do it.” Far from a cautionary tale of one man’s midlife crisis, the book is an inspiration to anyone who’s ever felt “stuck” and longed for a fresh start. It’s an especially important read for scuba diving enthusiasts, as Ron’s stories provide an intimate look at the dawning days of Caribbean dive travel. He currently owns a film production company, Caribbean Producer Services on Grand Cayman, where he lives with his wife Kathie Kipp and their two spoiled Bassett hounds.