CHARLOTTE, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Hayward Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HAYW) (“Hayward” or the “Company”), a leading global pool and outdoor living technology company, today announced the appointment of Jared Arrowood as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, effective immediately. As principal accounting officer, Arrowood will oversee the Company’s global financial reporting, tax, operational finance and technical accounting functions.

“Jared’s experience as a financial executive for publicly traded global organizations and his deep understanding of our business make him exceptionally well suited for this role,” said Eifion Jones, Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer. “I am confident his technical expertise, leadership and business perspective will continue to strengthen our finance organization and support long-term value creation for shareholders.”

Arrowood will continue to report to Jones as part of his financial leadership team.

Arrowood joined Hayward in 2023 as Assistant Corporate Controller and was promoted to Vice President, Corporate Controller in 2024. He has helped strengthen the Company’s financial processes, controls and continuous improvement efforts across the global controllership organization. Prior to Hayward, Arrowood spent 17 years at SPX FLOW, including serving as Vice President of Finance for its Mixing Solutions division.

He holds a Master of Accounting from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School and a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is a certified public accountant.

About Hayward Holdings, Inc.
Hayward Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HAYW) is a leading global specialty water management company focused on designing and manufacturing pool and outdoor living technology and industrial flow control products. Driven by a mission to transform the experience of water, Hayward offers a comprehensive portfolio of energy‑efficient and sustainable pool equipment—including pumps, heaters, sanitizers, filters, LED lighting, water features, and cleaners—integrated through its intuitive, IoT‑enabled SmartPad™ platform. The Company also provides industrial thermoplastic valves and process control products serving a wide range of applications.

Investor Relations Contact: 
Kevin Maczka
[email protected] 

Media Relations Contact: 
Misty Zelent
[email protected]

WU’s three-day program brings together leading watershape industry educators and professionals for advanced training in construction, design, business, and technology

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Watershape University (WU) has announced its Fall 2026 Session, a three-day educational event designed to provide watershape professionals with practical, advanced instruction in construction, design, business management, and emerging technologies.

The event will take place December 2–4, 2026, at UCSD Park and Market in downtown San Diego, bringing together hundreds of professionals from across the pool, spa, aquatic, and outdoor-living industries. The Fall Session features seven courses, offering a combination of foundational and advanced education, along with opportunities for professional networking and industry engagement. 

“Watershape University’s Fall Session is designed around the real-world challenges facing today’s watershape professionals,” said David J. Peterson, P.E., President/CEO of Watershape Consulting and Watershape University co-founder and instructor. “The program brings together some of the most experienced educators and practitioners in the industry and enables attendees to deepen their technical knowledge while gaining practical tools they can immediately apply to their businesses and projects.”

Education Across the Watershape Profession

The Fall Session opens December 2 with four full-day courses addressing essential construction practices, shotcrete quality, business administration, and sales and marketing.

CONSTRUCTION 2111: Essential Pool Construction, taught by Benjamin Lasseter and William Drakeley, provides a comprehensive examination of the disciplines and processes involved in building quality watershapes. Topics include geotechnical, hydraulic, structural and electrical considerations, project layout, form construction, shotcrete, waterproofing, tile and coping, decking, finishes, start-up procedures, and project completion. The course provides 24 hours of instruction and 2.4 CEUs. 

CONSTRUCTION 2241: ASA Quality Shotcrete, presented by Charles Hanskat of the American Shotcrete Association, focuses on the critical elements required to evaluate shotcrete placement and achieve a durable concrete pool shell. Attendees examine materials, equipment, placement techniques, finishing, curing, testing, protection, and jobsite safety. The course provides eight hours of instruction and 0.8 CEUs. 

For business owners and managers, BUSINESS 1611: Essential Business Administration Workshop, taught by Chris Volk and Julie Kazdin, addresses the operational issues that affect construction, service and retail companies. The curriculum includes contracts, insurance, liability, human resources, company culture, hiring and retention, marketing, sales and strategies for sustainable growth. 

BUSINESS 2323: Principles of Sales & Marketing for Pool Companies, presented by Dane Wiseman and Brett Abbott, examines brand positioning, lead generation, digital and traditional marketing, website conversion, marketing automation, customer-relationship management, sales psychology, online reputation, referrals and measurement of marketing performance. The course also explores practical applications of artificial intelligence in sales and marketing. 

Advanced Training for Experienced Professionals

The second day of the Fall Session introduces a series of advanced two-day programs.

CONSTRUCTION 4112: Advanced Watershape Construction – Residential, taught by David J. Peterson, P.E., and Paolo Benedetti, explores complex residential watershape construction, including vanishing and slot edges, moveable floors, advanced automatic covers, glass tile, difficult sites, soil stabilization, pier and beam foundations, advanced forming, water-treatment and automation systems. The course also addresses architecturally integrated watershapes, acrylic windows, fire elements and innovative aesthetic details. 

CONSTRUCTION 2622: Outdoor Finish Material Science, presented by Jason Brownlee, examines the properties and performance of natural stone, wood, tile, brick, concrete, metals, cementitious finishes and softscape materials. The course focuses on texture, moisture behavior, thermal movement, durability, surface performance, material selection and installation practices intended to reduce failure and improve long-term performance. 

The session also introduces DESIGN 3121: Essential Revit for Watershapers, taught by Richard Kremer and Conor Rodriguez of Watershape Consulting. The two-day course provides watershaping professionals with instruction in Revit, an increasingly important tool for digital design and project documentation. 

Professional Development and Certification

Several Fall Session courses contribute directly toward Watershape University professional certification pathways. Essential Pool Construction counts toward the Certified Watershape Foreman (CWF) credential, while Essential Business Administration and Essential Revit contribute to the Certified Watershape Builder (CWB) pathway. Advanced Watershape Construction – Residential contributes toward the Certified Watershape Professional (CWP)pathway, and ASA Quality Shotcrete is part of the Certified Watershape Shotcrete Specialist (CWSS) program. 

WU’s certification programs are designed to establish structured educational progression for watershape professionals, combining technical, business, design and construction disciplines.

“Professional education is fundamental to raising the standard of the entire watershape industry,” said Julie Kazdin, Watershape University’s Vice President of Operations and Dean of Business. “The Fall Session gives professionals at different stages of their careers access to concentrated, high-level instruction while creating an environment where they can exchange ideas and build relationships with peers from across the country.”

More Than the Classroom

In addition to classroom instruction, the Fall Session will include opportunities for attendees to connect with fellow professionals, instructors and industry leaders. An IWI Dinner Cruise is scheduled for the evening of December 2, followed by an industry tailgate gathering on December 3. 

The Fall Session will be held at UCSD Park and Market, 1100 Market St., San Diego, California. Registration and complete course information are available through Watershape University. 

Register for Watershape University’s Fall 2026 Education Session

About Watershape University

Watershape University is an educational organization dedicated to advancing professionalism throughout the watershape industry through comprehensive education, professional development and certification. WU provides instruction in business, design, engineering, construction and related disciplines for professionals working across the pool, spa, aquatic and outdoor-living sectors.

For more information, visit Watershape University or contact the organization at 858-788-9998 or [email protected].

Recognition Highlights Pool Industry Leader’s Continued Commitment to
Innovation, Sustainability and Employee Experience

LATHAM, N.Y. (August 25, 2026) – Latham, The Pool Company [NASDAQ:SWIM], the largest designer, manufacturer and marketer of in-ground residential swimming pools in North America, Australia and New Zealand, has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Greatest Companies 2026. This marks the second consecutive year Latham has earned a place on the list, which recognizes leading U.S.-based companies for their financial performance, employee satisfaction, innovation and sustainability efforts.

The comprehensive study, presented by Newsweek in partnership with Plant-A Insights Group, evaluated companies with over $75 million in annual revenue through an extensive survey of more than 179,000 employees and 2.7 million company reviews on financial stability, innovation, and sustainability. To enhance the depth and reliability of the study, Plant-A partnered with leading third-party data providers to assess more than 120 KPIs across critical performance areas such as leadership, integrity, compensation and work-life balance. Only companies that demonstrated outstanding results earned a place on the list.

“Being named one of America’s Greatest Companies for the second year in a row reflects the strength of our people and the culture they have built at Latham,” said Sean Gadd, President and CEO of Latham. “Our team shares a commitment to serving our customers, advancing our industry and finding better ways to work. This recognition shows the impact of those efforts and gives us strong momentum as we continue to grow.”

The Newsweek ranking also considers environmental stewardship, including greenhouse gas emissions, water use, waste reduction and transparency in sustainability reporting. Latham continues to explore ways to improve efficiency, reduce waste and support more responsible practices across its operations.

“Families trust Latham to help create spaces where they can connect, recharge and enjoy time together,” added Gadd. “Earning that trust starts with how we operate as a company. We are proud of this recognition and remain focused on delivering high-quality products, supporting our employees and building a strong foundation for continued growth.”

The full list of America’s Greatest Companies 2026 is published online at Newsweek.com. To learn more about Latham, visit LathamPool.com.

About Latham, the Pool Company
Headquartered in Latham, NY, Latham Group, Inc., is the largest designer, manufacturer, and marketer of in-ground residential swimming pools and pool accessories in North America, Australia, and New Zealand. With over 60 years of experience and a coast-to-coast operations platform across 24 locations, the company offers a broad range of pool products, including fiberglass, vinyl liner, and automatic safety covers, all designed to provide homeowners with the highest quality and value. For more information, visit www.lathampool.com.