About Us
Founded in 1970 in the US Virgin Islands by Ian Koblick, Marine Resources Development Foundation has over 50 years’ experience in undersea research and education. We have been located in Key Largo, FL since 1984. Read more about our history including our experience with undersea habitats.
Our mission: to promote the responsible and sustainable use of marine resources through education, research, and collaboration
Board of Directors
Ian Koblick
Founder and Chairman of the Board
Ian Koblick pioneered undersea living in the 1970s as an Aquanaut in the Tektite I undersea living project in the Virgin Islands. At the conclusion of Tektite I, Ian became a project manager of Tektite II, while serving as a special Assistant to the Governor of the VI. In that role he helped manage the science missions, including the first all-female crew in an undersea living project.
Buoyed by the success of Tektite, Ian established the Marine Resources Development Foundation (MRDF) in 1970 and was invited by the governor of Puerto Rico to create an undersea living program dubbed PRINUL (Puerto Rico International Undersea Laboratory). Ian designed the sophisticated undersea lab of PRINUL, called La Chalupa, and managed the program from 1971 to 1976.
In 1976, Ian moved MRDF to Broward County, Florida and began working with the US Department of Commerce on the creation of a national ocean program. He was the consulting editor of the NOAA Diving Manual. He also provided environmental consultation for the Port Everglades Authority in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and served on the NOVA University Ocean Science Center advisory board. In 1981, MRDF acquired The Golden Venture, a 147-foot research vessel equipped for undersea exploration and used it to locate and uncover artifacts from the sunken Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha.
In 1984 Ian collaborated with Jim Miller to publish the definitive book, “Living and Working in the Sea.” Ian and his partner Dr. Neil Monney found and re-acquired the La Chalupa habitat used in PRINUL and converted it into the world’s first undersea hotel, Jules Undersea Lodge. Since its opening in 1986 Jules has hosted over 10,000 guests including astronauts, marine scientists, celebrities and heads of state. Ian and Neil donated the habitat back to MRDF, and Jules served as a research platform for a NASA sponsored mission in 1992, “La Chalupa-30.” In 1996, Ian joined up with his old friend and Mercury astronaut, Scott Carpenter and they developed the “Scott Carpenter Man In The Sea Program,” which ran until 1999. Ian served on the US/Japan committee for natural resources from 1972-1985 and currently serves on the selection committee for the Astronaut Hall of Fame.
Ian’s current awards and honors include:
HONORS AND AWARDS
2021 Diving Pioneer Award , Historical Diving Society
2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 Carried the Explorers Club Flag
1997 - Medal of Honor, The Daughters of the American Revolution -
1993 - Who's Who in Diving
1991 - Who's Who in Leading American Executives
1991 - Recipient of the NOGI Award for "Distinguished Service"
1991 - board Member of "Sea Space Symposium"
1989 - 1994 - American Men and Women of Science
1986 – Explorers Club Lowell Thomas Award for Underwater Exploration
PROFESSIONAL AND HONORARY SOCIETIES
Explorers Club Member FM 78
Blue Key National Honor Fraternity (Academic)
Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity, Beta Omega Chapter
Omicron Theta Epsilon (Honorary Biological Science Fraternity)
Leadership
Ginette Hughes
Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Hughes has been with the Foundation since 1986 and was instrumental in designing the marketing and coordination of the MarineLab program. Through the years she has become responsible for the day to day activities of the Foundation, including computer resources, human resources, and marketing/public relations, in addition to supervising the program development, planning, and coordination for all programs. She is also responsible for long range program planning for the Foundation, including financial forecasts and budgets. Upon her promotion to CEO in December of 2017, she added fundraising and grantwriting to her job duties.
She attended Ohio Wesleyan University as a National Merit Scholar before earning her Bachelor's of Business Administration degree from Florida International University. Ginette is a 2005 graduate of Leadership Monroe County and has served on the boards of several organizations in the community.
Sarah Egner
Senior Vice President, Programs
Sarah became Director in charge of our Research & Development programs in 2013 and Director of the entire MarineLab Education program in late 2018. She is responsible for the MarineLab Education program’s curriculum, staff training, citizen science partnerships, and professional relationships. Sarah is published in various scientific journals and has written articles for the Divers Alert Network magazine, Alert Diver. She also holds a US Coast Guard Master's License. She is currently the President of the Florida Marine Science Educators’ Association. Sarah has an MS in Marine Science from the University of South Florida and an Ed.S. in Curriculum Development from the University of Florida.