OUR TEAM

DICK

Richard E. Batchelder spent his early years working as a Credit Manager for a major appliance company. His responsibilities included dealer floor planning, dealer financing and retail trade management. He began diving in the early 1950’s a trait he eagerly passed onto his first son Dan. He later helped start the Sheriff’s Dive Team in including recovery and salvage as well as implementing a Dive Safety Program. While serving the community he found a large call in the area for a safe place to learn diving and buy equipment, so he started Underwater Specialists Dive Shop in Flint Michigan. He soon found a need for someone to sell & service breathing air compressors, hence he started Compressed Air Specialists & Equipment working with fire departments and dive shops a like.

Dick grew the dive community in Flint and Underwater Specialists Dive Shop which he successfully operated late into the 1970’s. He also helped pioneer the recreational dive industry, helping design course curriculum for PADI and becoming one of the founding members of PADI  #M-11.

Richard was later called to the Caribbean and became the Operator of Island Divers, LTD at Riding Rock Inn San Salvador, Bahamas. He moved on from Riding Rock and worked as a consultant for various hotel chains like Hyatt, later helping Hyatt start Nick’s Aqua Sports on Grand Cayman still doing business today as Red Sail Sports. Also working with Ron Kipp’s Bob Soto’s Diving, Grand Cayman. Currently President of Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment, Inc. Dania, Florida with his sons Sean & Ryan
  
•        Water Safety Instructor
•        Veteran Salvage Diver
•         PADI-Instructor #M-11
•        NAUI-Instructor #A070,
•        YMCA Instructor
•        Inaugural member of the SSI Platinum Pro 5000.
•        PADI Award as member of original Board of Instructors involved in PADI’s founding  & initial operations.
•        Diver Training Officer Sheriff’s Dept. Michigan
•        Manager Operator of Island Divers, LTD at Riding Rock Inn, San Salvador, Bahamas.

SEAN

Sean Batchelder is the Vice President of Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment and is Dick’s third son. Sean spent most of his time after school and on days off in his father’s shop with his younger brother Ryan learning the trade, starting with making deliveries and working his way up to fixing compressors. He has learned to work on the many different types and brands of high pressure compressors such as Worthington, Mako, Bauer, NuvAir, Ingersoll Rand and many others from his father Dick, his brother Dan and longtime friend and colleague Frank. Sean has mastered compressor repairs and completed all of Bauer’s sales and training courses for technicians (Introduction to Breathing Air and Industrial Compressors, Advanced Technical Compressor Course, Factory Technician Service and Rebuild Training, Advanced Factory Sales Course, Specialized Training in Large Compressors 30+ CFM). He took Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment’s well known reputation for customer service and satisfaction in the dive industry and branched into the Fire and Military services with great success. Sean secured contracts like Broward Sheriff’s Fire Rescue and the Sheriff’s Dive Team along with customers like Army Special Forces Dive School in Key West. With help from his wife, younger brother and some extended family members he continues to make sales and service calls while expanding his father’s business and ensuring that Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment continues to provide the highest quality customer service and repairs for everyone who comes through the door. In Sean’s spare time he enjoys taking his family on trips to Disney and relaxing at home for quality time. “My father taught me, that if you don’t know the answer to someone’s question don’t lie tell them you don’t know. If you want to make that person a customer, tell them you don’t know, but you will find out for them. This is one of the base principles I use every day to keep my father’s company a success and hope to keep it that way far into the future.” 
• PADI Certified Master Diver
• UDT Certified Dive Master
• Bauer Dealer Technical Course
• Bauer Advanced Dealer Technical Course

FRANK

Frank Stango developed an interest in mechanics at an early age and after graduating high school in 1981 he pursued increasing his knowledge by working in the automotive industry. Prior to starting at Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment, Frank worked as an automotive mechanic/manufacturer for several years in various machine shops learning small engine repair, outboard engine repair, transmission repair and numerous other skills. Frank was employed by Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment in 1999. He soon realized that he had found his place in the mechanical industry. High pressure compressors intrigued him from the start, the various designs have challenged him and his thorough understanding of the ever changing unit designs has kept his interest to this day. Frank's training while employed by Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment has included courses by Bauer including basic breathing air systems, advanced technical, and design and diagnostics. Through training, experience and practice Frank has developed numerous techniques for service. Over time he has refined his skill set for troubleshooting, rebuilding, repair, electronic diagnostics, storage and supply design, and installation. Although new designs are constantly presented, the skills Frank has developed provide him with the tools needed to effectively and efficiently complete every compressor-related task. Frank looks forward to opportunities to service customers' compressors and seeing them satisfied.
• PADI Certified Advanced Open Water Diver
• Bauer Dealer Technical Course
​• Bauer Advanced Dealer Technical Course

SIMON

Simon Koblenski is the most recent addition to the Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment family. After graduating Universal Technical Institute in Chicago, IL for auto and diesel repair he was accepted to the Porsche apprenticeship program. During his 10 years at a premier Porsche dealership he gained extensive mechanical and electrical experience, and a familiarity with German manufacturing and design, ranging from air cooled Beetles to advanced hybrid supercars. He happily joined Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment in August 2015 after touring the Bauer factory in Norfolk, VA. and completing the Introduction to Breathing Air, Advanced Technical and Factory Technician Service and Rebuild Training courses. Simon has also completed specialized training in large compressors 30 CFM and higher. In his spare time he enjoys woodworking, restoring a classic Chevy, and frequent trips to Disney World.
• Porsche Silver Level Certified Technician
​• Bauer Dealer Technical Course
​• Bauer Advanced Dealer Technical Course

RYAN

Ryan Batchelder, Dick's youngest son, was practically raised in Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment. Ryan spent many of his youthful days doing homework in the office under his father's desk, climbing on old compressors in the shop and playing with spare parts and tools. As he grew older he performed chores around the shop until he began working as a Junior in high school. Every day after school and every break was spent making deliveries, picking up parts, cleaning and reconditioning parts. Ryan learned how to work on compressors helping Frank Stango and his brother Sean with countless unit repairs, services and installations. After graduating high school in 2009 Ryan completed Bauer's Introduction to Breathing Air and Advanced Technical courses in Norfolk, VA. He Started at Florida Gulf Coast University to further his education, working for Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment during breaks and days off. In 2011 Ryan graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with his Associates in Arts Degree, taking a half year off of school to work full time for Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment before attending the University of Central Florida. Ryan moved back to Fort Lauderdale in 2013 and has since been working full time at Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment. He has worked on countless compressors and has learned an immense amount of compressor knowledge from technical powerhouse Frank Stango and the compressor encyclopedia that is his father, Dick Batchelder. Ryan spends his work days diagnosing, reconditioning, and repairing units in the shop and also travels to dive shops, fire rescue stations and military installations all around Florida.
• PADI Certified Advanced Open Water Diver
• PADI Certified Enriched Air Diver
​• Bauer Dealer Technical Course
​• Bauer Advanced Dealer Technical Course

MEGAN

Megan Massagee has gained a large portion of her customer service experience in the hospitality industry. She graduated from culinary school and worked for Disney’s O’hana Restaurant at the Disney Polynesian Resort. Megan started at Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment in 2014; having been a longtime family friend of the Batchelders she jumped at the opportunity to help their company. As the Office Manager she assists with all of the day to day operations for the business and ensures that shipments and repairs are scheduled and happen within a timely manner. Megan also manages the C.A.S.E. website, our social media accounts and SEO efforts.
• PADI Certified Rescue Diver
​• Bauer Dealer Technical Course

LESLIE

Leslie Batchelder has learned a large part of her customer service experience in hotels. She started at the Adams Mark Hotel in Dallas, TX in early 2004. After working for the Adams Mark Hotel for 3 years Leslie moved to Florida to further her customer service skills within Hyatt. In 2012 Leslie started at Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment as our Shipping and Receiving Manager, ensuring that customers received what they needed in order to maintain their compressors. Leslie has since been promoted to our accounts department as our Accounts Manager. In her free time, Leslie enjoys going to Disney World and Pin Trading with friends. 
• Florida Certified Notary

Meghan

Our office assistant is Meghan Batchelder, the younger sister of Sean and Ryan Batchelder, and the youngest daughter of Richard Batchelder. Much like her older brothers, Meghan grew up in the shop and office of Compressed Air Supplies and Equipment, but unlike her brothers, she focused less on the technical stuff, and more on the arts and crafts she could make from her dad’s office supplies. 
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From the age of 4, Meghan started taking Irish dance lessons and to this day has continued to pursue a career in hopes of becoming a certified Irish dance teacher to open her own dance academy here in South Florida. She began teaching classes as an assistant teacher at the age of 14 and she’s learned a great deal of customer service and management skills from her position. Through her high school years, Meghan has taken many computer graphics, photography, art, and video editing courses in her passion for creating artwork with a camera and a computer for projects, cosplay, and leisure. Since then she has been hired to do photography and manage social media accounts for 4 other local businesses, including Blush & Wood and Lady Shreds Designs.

ALICE

​Alice is the office dog! Well, she's actually Simon's dog. Alice is the result of a compressor parts deal with Ed Hall. Ed got compressor parts and CASE got puppies!