HammerHead History
Hammerhead Dive Center began as mid-Florida Scuba school, Inc. in October, 1995 when Pierce J. Guard (Jim) formed the corporation for purposes of continuing his teaching of diving courses. Jim had been teaching scuba diving at the Green Turtle Dive Center, Inc. in Lakeland since 1983. The Green Turtle Dive Center closed in October of 1995.
Initially, Mid-Florida Scuba School operated out of Jim’s law office and was involved in scuba instruction only. In November, 2000 Jim decided to expand the business of Mid-Florida Scuba School to both instructional and retail sales. At that time, the name of the corporation was changed to Hammerhead Dive Center, Inc., and Sidney Bingham (Sid) became and officer, director, and stockholder in the corporation
The corporation moved to to a shop on Parker Street in 2000 and then to its
present location at 4200 South Florida Avenue in November, 2005.
Today, Hammerhead Dive Center is a thriving full-service dive center. It is a
full service PADI Dive Center.
Hammerhead Dive Center offers scuba courses from entry level to instructor, sells many name brand manufacturers’ SCUBA equipment, services all brands of equipment, and boasts of 21,000 cubic feet of air/gas storage.
HammerHead People
SID BINGHAM: Sid is Vice-President of Operations, a director and stockholder of the corporation.
Sid is a life-long resident of the Lakeland area; having grown up in Kathleen, Florida. He graduated from Kathleen High School in 1975. He then worked for Publix Supermarkets for 22 years until his retirement.
Sid met Jim Guard through their involvement with the Boy Scouts of America. Jim ultimately introduced Sid to SCUBA diving and was Sid’s certifying instructor through the Divemaster certification level.
Sid later attended a PADI IDC. He became a PADI Open Water SCUBA Instructor in April, 2001; became a PADI
Master SCUBA Diver Trainer in October, 2002.
JIM GUARD: Jim is President, a director and stockholder of the corporation. 
Jim is a long-time resident of Lakeland having grown up in Lakeland. He
graduated from Lakeland High School in 1966. He then attended Newberry
College in Newberry, South Carolina, where he received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Political Science in 1970. Thereafter, he attended the University
of Florida, College of Law, where he received the Juris Doctor degree in
1973. He has been actively practicing law in Lakeland, Polk County, Florida
for over 30 years.
Jim's diving career began when he was certified as a PADI Open Water Diver
in 1978. Thereafter, he became a PADI Open Water SCUBA Instructor In 1983;
a PADI Master SCUBA Diver Trainer in 1989. Jim became a NAUI Instructor in
2003 and was designated a NAUI Instructor Trainer later that year.
Ken Hall has been diving with Hammerhead Dive Center since 2003 and has made over 100 dives during his first year. He completed his Instructor Development Course in November of 2004 and joined the staff here shortly after that. A local boy, he was born in Bartow. Ken is also a Sergeant for the Polk County Sheriff’s Department. . (Sid feels a little intimidated - a lawyer on one side and a Sheriff on the other!)