OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP) Collection of Monte Poindexter, National Weather ServiceRutkowski in the early 1970s, entering the water for a research dive.
On the eve of his 95th birthday, Richard “Dick” Rutkowski was honored with an Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences NOGI Award for Distinguished Service. The prestigious recognition was presented during the 2025 DEMA Show in Orlando, Florida.
The oldest living PADI member—most recognized for his pioneering work in hyperbaric medicine and popularizing nitrox—Rutkowski is a living legend.
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“Dick was a contemporary of PADI founders John Cronin and Ralph Erickson, joining the organization in 1970 when it was still in its formative years. For 55 years, he has remained a dedicated Member,” says PADI Worldwide President and CEO Dr. Drew Richardson.
Courtesy Mark and Julie AlexanderRutkowski in his early years as a commercial diver.
Courtesy Academy of Underwater Arts & SciencesDrew Richardson presents Dick Rutkowski with his NOGI Award.
Rutkowski served nearly 20 years in the U.S. Navy, specializing in radioteletype and Morse code in the polar regions. After his service, he worked on exploratory expeditions in Antarctica. In 1967, Rutkowski attended commercial diving school to support dive education and research at what’s now the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Alongside colleague and mentor Dr. Morgan Wells, Rutkowski developed nitrox diving tables and safe procedures for NOAA dive operations, an accolade that received cheers from NOGI gala attendees, many of whom remember the original dismissal of “voodoo gas” before Rutkowski and Wells’ research and promotion.
“Their groundbreaking work laid the foundation for enriched air (nitrox) coming into recreational scuba diving, including PADI’s own Enriched Air Diver course,” Richardson says.
Among his extensive list of achievements, Rutkowski cofounded the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers and established Hyperbarics International, Inc., in 1985. Since then, Rutkowski has trained over 12,000 diving and hyperbaric medical personnel.
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Courtesy Academy of Underwater Arts & SciencesGroup photo of 2025 NOGI Awards Class. L-R: Becky Kagan Schott (Arts), Dick Rutkowski (Distinguished Service), Georgienne Bradley (Environment), Dr. Richard Moon (Science), LeRoy French (Sports/Education, accepted by Dan Orr).
“As the PADI organization kicks off its 60th year, having dive pioneers like Dick Rutkowski still among us honors us all,” Richardson notes. “His extraordinary 75-year career not only helped shape diving, but continues to inspire future generations of divers and dive leaders.”
Additional 2025 NOGI Award recipients included LeRoy French (Sports and Education), Dr. Richard Moon (Science) and Scuba Diving Sea Heroes Georgienne Bradley (Environment) and Becky Kagan Schott (Arts).
