Dave Penton – Builder, Mentor, Professor

Dave Penton is probably one of the most recognizable voices in the pool industry. As a Co-Host of the Ask The Masters Podcast, and Professor at Watershape University, Dave has been a mentor to countless builders in the field of pool construction.

A certified PhD in Pool Construction, if there was such a thing – David Penton is pretty much omnipresent in the pool industry. Here is a man who is involved at such a high level in this field and has given back so much to the industry over the past few years. It’s tough to discern exactly how he finds time for it all.

Penton has been involved in a number of high profile pools over the years. His construction projects have been featured in The Robb Report, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Luxury Pools, and now we are privileged to be able to highlight and profile his incredible story and body of work in Pool Magazine.

Penton first got started in the pool industry back in 1992. His company at the time Krystal Klear Pools, originally focused on pool & spa maintenance and repair services. Receiving his state contractors license, the company continued to work on bigger and bigger projects. Dave began developing a reputation as one of the leading service providers in Orange County for his residential and commercial work. His company, Krystal Klear Pools continued to grow until he received his C-53 pool construction license in 2003. Penton decided to sell his service business to focus on pool construction full time and re-branded the company as Fluid Dynamics.

His first major project was a $100,000 remodel. A pool builder friend of his guided him through his initial forray into the industry and helped him learn the ropes. Penton committed himself to learning as much as he could, as quickly as he could and became a voracious student. Penton credits studying with organizations like Genesis with providing the stepping stones he needed to becoming one of the industries high-end builders.

Fast forward to 2021, his company Fluid Dynamics has been responsible on numerous high end pool construction projects all over Los Angeles and Orange County. Dave’s body of work includes the type of high end restoration projects that only the leaders in the industry at the pinnacle of their career get to work on. Penton recently worked an incredible restoration project at The Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades and another restoration of the fountain at the historic Century Towers property.

Projects like an over-the-top 26 by 100 foot pool in Bel Air are all in a days work for this master pool builder. With a laundry list of high profile inground pool projects, Penton has worked with a veritable who’s who in the pool industry including top names in construction and design like Jimmy Reed, Shane LeBlanc, and many others.

As one of the leading experts in the country, Dave has found time to give back to the pool industry in so many ways over the years. His transition now to Mentor has seen him function as an instructor for both the Genesis program, and now Watershape University where he teaches today.

We asked Dave how he finds time for it all, and what the transition has been like to becoming a mentor for other builders “I couldn’t have gotten to where I am without people doing the same thing for me.” said Penton who claims to find it immensely rewarding to be able to give back in the form of imparting his expertise on other builders. “That rhythm has always been established since the beginning of my career for learning or being able to carve out time for giving back” said Penton.

Prior to joining Watershape University, Dave was an instructor for Genesis – one of the leading training programs in the pool industry. His split from the organization is now common knowledge. We asked him some pointed questions about his separation from Genesis. We also asked him to clear up a few ambiguities that come from questions we have seen posed again and again in social media groups.

The pool industry itself is huge but in the ecosystem we live in, everyone talks to one another so it’s kind of like a small town the way word travels so fast. Dave was already familiar with the topic at hand and replied “Bill Drakely and David Peterson had a different vision for education and decided they could do a great job on their own.” said Penton “I love Dave and Bills vision for the industry and I’m just happy to be a part and be a contributing professor and continue to give back to the industry”.

Penton summarized one of the distinctions between the two programs being the pace of which matriculation occurs from one level to the next.

“What I like about Watershape University is that you can move from your Associates, to your Bachelors, to your Masters quickly” said Penton “There’s also recognition at various levels of your education as opposed to having to wait until you’ve completed the entire course”.

We inquired as to whether the course curriculum is the same. “As far as the program goes there are some overlaps,” he replied. “There are instructors that teach for both organizations.” Penton advised anyone interested in either of the two programs to compare course descriptions and teacher bios in order to make an assumption as to which program best suits their educational pursuits.

Penton, who regularly consults with a dream team including Paolo Benedetti (Swimming Pool Expert Witness), Randy Beard, Rick Chafey and many others is probably one of the most knowledgeable folks in the pool industry. He says programs like Genesis and Watershape University have given him the foundation and vernacular to be able to communicate at various levels in the industry with expert knowledge.

“It creates a more well rounded individual” said Penton “Understanding both sides of it makes pool builders better understand the design side, and conversely it makes pool designers better understand the construction side.”

You cannot discount the fact that Penton has taken the opportunity to reinvest back into his education. He has done so at every stage in his career. Education is something Penton encourages professionals pursuing a career in the industry to consider very strongly. The program he teaches today at Watershape University is an excellent pathway towards continuing ones training in the field of pool construction.

You can follow the Ask The Masters Podcast where they speak with expert knowledge on a variety of different topics associated with the pool industry. We subscribe to it and you should too. Listen to our complete interview with Dave Penton on the Pool Magazine Podcast.

All Photos Courtesy of Fluid Dynamics