Charlotte CEO disappears while surfing in Fiji | People

CHARLOTTE - Emergency crews in the Fiji Islands are searching for a Charlotte company executive who disappeared while surfing Thursday.

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Click here to view a photo gallery of Don Nicholas, the missing CEO

Reached by phone Friday, employees at the Revita Anti-Aging Center, company CEO Don Nicholas was surfing with an instructor. When the instructor reached the shore, employees said, he turned around to see Nicholas' surfboard was there, but Nicholas wasn't.

Dive teams and helicopters were reportedly called out to help search.

The search was reportedly called off around 6 p.m. in Fiji because of the lack of light.  Crews were expected to start back up around 6 a.m. for another round of searches.

Emergency crews hope that Nicholas is on a coral reef in the water and they will be able to find him safe.

Nicholas was visiting Fiji to take part in the "Life and Wealth Mastery" conference with famed-life coach Anthony Robbins. The conference was a seven-day event that started on July 8th and was slated to end on Friday, Robbins' website said.

Conference officials say Nicholas left the conference when it ended and flew to the island of Nadi, Fiji to go surfing. They have been in touch with the American Consulate, Nicholas' family and emergency crews in Nadi.

One of Nicholas' employees said staffers were called around 1:15 a.m. Friday morning to be notified of the incident. By the time they learned of Nicholas' disappearance, he had been missing for nearly nine hours.

VIDEO: Search for missing Charlotte CEO in paradise

According to the Revita website, Nicholas is the founder and CEO of the Revita Anti-Aging Center and has had a passion for personal lifelong health and wellness from an early age. He works to stay healthy and fit through such activities as mountain biking, hiking, weightlifting, triathlons, mixed martial arts and yoga.

Nicolas was born in Westwood, Massachusetts, according to his biography on the website and the eldest of three children.

He attended The University of Massachusetts-Amherst and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Business and Marketing as with a focus on Exercise Science. Nicholas was also a college PE instructor while attending the University.

Nicholas works with the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. He is also a member of Elevation Church in Charlotte.