Hmmmm..... it's kind of hard to tell at that distance whether you've got an Aechmea or Billbergia. It's not Ae. fasciata, but I have seen some Ae. chantinii hybrids (not straight chantinii) with very similar markings, and the leaves do look a bit stiffer and cleaner than Billbergia leaves often do. The way it's clumping makes me think Billbergia, though. If it was a chantinii hybrid or similar Aechmea, it would most likely have creeping stolons. I'm not seeing that, but then I can't see down into the pot. Gonzer's call of Bill. 'Muriel Waterman' could very well be it. There are a number of dark banded Billbergia hybrids though, so I don't think I'm going to commit just yet. Do you see any faint whitish spotting on the leaves? If so, that would help confirm it as a Billbergia. Also, a look at the spines might help. Got a closer pic?

I want to thank you both for your help. I have a follow up question. I typed that species into Google Image and got a ton labeled as such, but many of them were obviously a different species. Is that typical that so many people put these pictures available on the net and mis-identify them? I mean a few looked like the one I have, but most don't. Thanks again.

Thanks Penny, You know the interesting part is that I would guess you could get most of them far easier than I can. We rarely even have cacti&succulent shows. For me its a choice of seeds or knowing someone... I have been transplanting my earlier seedlings, mainly cheiridopsis, gibbaeum, argyroderma and a few others..so at some stage I will post a few. The tough times begin now, because we will be away for a bit during Dec and that is usually "loss" time, having to ask someone to look after them. Oh, well, gives me something to do in 2012! LOL!

They do well with minimal water, even while rooting in. From the looks of things in the small image, I suspect excess water.