The ACA is pleased to congratulate Brent McCormick, Andrew Jimenez, Scott Embley and Scott Barlow for the successful completion of their ACA Pro Guide Certification. Each of them arrived in Mexico completely prepared to learn and grow as leaders, and they exceeded our significant expectations, every minute of every day. We are appreciative of their commitments to safety and excellence!
- Scott Embley: Wow. The first person outside of our own ACA Leader Program to “walk on” to a Pro Guide Assessment….and he did phenomenally. Technically super solid, his passion for professional training has him well rounded in rope and climbing skills. Scott’s well established leadership style of guest empowerment is perfect for this discipline and will be greatly appreciated by his clients. Young, kind and focused….it’s an absolute pleasure to have him in our ACA Circle of Trust, hang on tight Scott, fun stuff ahead!!
- Brent McCormick: Brilliant. His technical ability is well documented and the physical strength matched the mental stamina….no surprise. I caught a glimpse of his leadership style at the last GLAR and was excited about this assessment. Result? He is among the best instructors I have seen, in any discipline. Unbelievable ability to explain and instruct in a way that breaks things down to its purest, cleanest form. Consistently shows an openness to let others engage, while maintaining their focus on tasks. This is not an easy needle to thread, but Brent does it gracefully. Bravo amigo!!
- Andrew Jimenez: Focused. Andrew has grown since his time with us at Excursions of Escalante! His abilities to assess canyons, develop routes and address risk mitigation challenges has reached a whole new level. His time exploring canyons in the NW has served him well, as he hones his skills in this new Class C environment. Technically he is on a par with our best and his Guiding style is calm, cool and collected….which we love! His perseverance and passion will lead him to the development of a top rated Canyoneering Guide Service and we look forward to his safe and successful career.
- Scott Barlow: Powerful. From my perspective, he is among the most powerful people leading canyons. Both mentally and physically, his ability to move with total ease through canyoneering obstacles encourages confidence and enables others to go beyond their comfort level. His attention to detail is incredible, very little if anything escapes his focus, before, during, and after the adventure. His management of personalities is a quality that is not easily measured, yet we all know when we are in the presence of an expert. Scott makes others stronger, with power to spare.
***Special Thank You to Bruce Shapiro and Steve Szoke. Their technical skill and canyon knowledge is incredible, their generosity is legendary. xoxo
Rick Green
ACA President