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Watershape University Names Eric Knight as New Executive Director

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Watershape University Names Eric Knight as New Executive Director

[San Diego, CA – March 21, 2025] – Eric Knight, vice president of education and training at HASA, Inc. and Orenda Technologies, has announced he is stepping down, and has accepted a new role as executive director of Watershape University (WU).

Knight has been with Orenda for the past nine years (including two years since the HASA acquisition of Orenda in March 2023). Since joining Orenda in 2016, Orenda has grown from a small specialty chemical manufacturer into one of the world’s leading brands for both water chemistry and swimming pool education. Eric was instrumental in the creation of the Orenda Calculator®, blog, videos, Orenda Academy®, and the Rule Your Pool® Podcast, Knight has traveled extensively, teaching pool professionals new and innovative ways to think about pool chemistry.

“I am honored to have served thousands of pool professionals and pool owners in my time at Orenda and HASA,” said Knight. “I am proud of what we have accomplished and built together. There was an education gap in our industry that we aimed to fill, and we have had a lot of fun in that pursuit over the years.  My move to Watershape University is an incredible opportunity for me and my family that allows me to help take swimming pool education to the next level in a bigger way than ever before, including third-party accreditation and much more. I look forward to a continued symbiotic relationship with HASA and Orenda as I continue the original mission of ‘changing the way the world thinks about water’.”

“Eric has been an integral part of our company and my life for many years,” said Jarred Morgan, former President of Orenda and current VP at HASA.  “His genuine willingness to educate and help those around him is infectious and will translate well in his new role at Watershape University. WU is a great resource, and I look forward to continuing to work together to advance the pool industry and serve our shared customers.”

“Eric has been a powerful and positive voice in HASA/Orenda’s ongoing mission to make water safe, clean and clear.  We appreciate his many contributions, and we look forward to his continued success with Watershape University, which we support as an organization.” said Chris Brink, President and CEO of HASA.  

“Through his work at Orenda, Eric has clearly demonstrated that he is exactly the type of leader Watershape University needs,” said David Peterson, co-founder of Watershape University. “His vision, creativity, work ethic and personal values make him a perfect fit for the Executive Director role. We are honored to have him join the team and help us elevate the pool industry.”

“I am thrilled that Eric has accepted the top leadership role within WU,” said Bill Drakeley, co-founder of Watershape University. “The pool industry has clearly chosen WU as the leading educational system in the design-build space and we look forward to Eric’s leadership as we grow in the service sector as well. Dave and I agreed that to take WU to the next level and stay on top of all things education we needed that high motor, intelligent person to not only improve all aspects but accelerate the overall growth.  Eric has definitely proven to be that person and we welcome him with open arms.”

Knight will officially step down from his role at Orenda and HASA on April 5, 2025.

About Orenda and HASA

Orenda Technologies is a specialty chemical manufacturer and leading brand in swimming pool education and resources. Their parent company, HASA, is a leading provider of high-quality liquid chlorine and muriatic acid in the Western United States. You can visit their websites at https://www.orendatech.com/ and https://hasa.com/.

About Watershape University

Watershape University is an accredited educational institution dedicated to the advancement of swimming pool design, construction, and maintenance. WU offers a variety of accredited courses, workshops, and seminars for professionals in the swimming pool industry. You can visit their website at https://watershape.org/.

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Marianne Trusty

Marianne Trusty is a Press Correspondent for the pool & spa industry. A published author and social media influencer reaching over 20 million people around the world each day. Contact Marianne about publishing op-editorials, breaking pool news and press releases at [email protected].

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Why Pools Matter: Pool Horizons Takes Its Message Global

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Why Pools Matter: Pool Horizons Takes Its Message Global

For an industry that spends a great deal of time talking about how pools are built, operated and maintained, Pool Horizons is advancing a different conversation: why swimming pools matter in the first place.

Launched in 2023, Pool Horizons is a global initiative bringing together leaders from the swimming pool industry and broader aquatic community to examine and communicate the role pools play in society. Its work focuses on areas including health and wellbeing, community development, water safety and sustainability, with an emphasis on giving the industry research and real-world examples that demonstrate the value of aquatic spaces beyond recreation.

Over the next several months, Pool Horizons will continue that conversation at major industry gatherings in the United States and Europe, with appearances scheduled in Phoenix, Lyon and Atlantic City.

Pool Horizons Heads to the MasterMind Summit

The first stop will be the PHTA & GENESIS MasterMind Summit, taking place September 16–18 at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, Arizona.

Pool Horizons will host a two-hour session on Friday, September 18, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., connecting the cultural and social history of swimming pools with the data-backed narrative the industry is working to develop.

Author and historian Jeff Wiltse will explore the history of swimming pools and their enduring social, cultural and economic importance. Attendees will then hear about the latest Pool Horizons initiatives and how that work applies to the U.S. market.

The session will conclude with industry leaders discussing how different stakeholders can work together to better communicate the value of pools and create new opportunities for the industry.

Taking the Conversation to France

The initiative will head overseas in November for Piscine Global 2026 in Lyon, France.

On November 18 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Pool Horizons will present preliminary findings from the Global Aquatic Social Impact Framework (GASIF) pilot study. The project is aimed at developing a more data-driven understanding of the social impact created by swimming pools and aquatic facilities.

Representatives from participating industry associations in France, Spain and the United States will take part, followed by a roundtable examining the challenges and future of the swimming pool industry. Leaders from CF Group, Fluidra, Hayward and Pentair are scheduled to participate in the discussion.

Pool Horizons will make a second appearance in Lyon during Aqualie on November 19 from 4:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. That session will introduce Pool Horizons and showcase a French public swimming pool Best-in-Class project, providing a real-world example of the role aquatic facilities can play within their communities.

Returning to Connect With The Industry in Atlantic City in 2027

The schedule continues into the new year with the Pool Horizons Summit in Atlantic City on January 25, 2027, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Following its 2026 gathering, Pool Horizons will return with a program that includes a keynote presentation, a new Best-in-Class project and contributions from leading figures throughout the swimming pool industry.

Together, the upcoming events provide Pool Horizons with an opportunity to continue building the conversation on both sides of the pond.

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Skimmer Expands Into Pool Construction Software With Acquisitions of Pool Builder Geek and Poologics

The two software platforms form the foundation of a unified offering for pool professionals; Pool Builder Geek founder Tommy Reynolds joins Skimmer to lead construction strategy.

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Skimmer Expands Into Pool Construction Software With Acquisitions of Pool Builder Geek and Poologics

AUSTIN, TX, August 24, 2026 — Skimmer, the leading operating system for pool service and maintenance professionals, today announced the acquisitions of Pool Builder Geek and Poologics, two software platforms purpose-built for pool construction businesses.

The acquisitions mark Skimmer’s expansion into pool construction and establish the foundation for a unified platform serving pool professionals from construction through ongoing service and maintenance.

As part of the acquisition, Pool Builder Geek founder Tommy Reynolds, who has extensive experience in the pool construction software space, will join Skimmer, leading the company’s construction strategy and continued investment in solutions for pool builders.

“Our vision is to build an end-to-end platform for the pool and spa industry,” said Jack Nelson, CEO of Skimmer. “Pool Builder Geek brings an AI-native platform designed to evolve quickly with the industry, while Poologics brings a proven product that builders have relied on for years. Together, they significantly accelerate our ability to serve pool construction businesses.”

Pool builders manage complex estimating, permitting, project management, subcontractor coordination, customer communication, and job costing processes. Many still rely on spreadsheets or generic construction tools that were not designed for their specific needs. Pool Builder Geek and Poologics address those challenges with purpose-built capabilities, including estimating, project management, permitting, job costing, and AI-powered visualization.

“Pool builders do not need generic contracting software with a pool label added to it,” said Reynolds. “We built Pool Builder Geek specifically around how pools are sold and built with AI at the core of the platform. Joining Skimmer gives us the resources and expertise to accelerate our product roadmap and deliver even more for the builders we serve. I’m excited about what we can build together and what this means for the future of the pool industry.”

“We built Poologics on the belief that pool construction deserves software designed specifically for the industry,” said Nate Pruitt, CEO of Poologics. “Skimmer has built its business on that same belief for pool service. Together, we can give builders more resources, stronger support, and a faster path to innovation.”

Service and maintenance remain a core focus of Skimmer. The expansion into construction advances the company’s long-term strategy to provide connected, purpose-built tools for pool professionals across the industry.

About Skimmer

Skimmer is one of America’s leading pool service platforms. The company is on a mission to modernize the pool and spa service and repair industry through easy-to-use software and best-in-class support. Over 35,000 pool service professionals servicing 1,000,000+ pools in North America use Skimmer to get organized, get paid faster, and grow their businesses. For more information, visit getskimmer.com.

About Poologics

Poologics is an all-in-one business management platform built specifically for swimming pool builders. It streamlines CRM, estimating, project management, and job costing, helping professionals run their businesses with greater efficiency, accuracy, and control. For more information, visit poologics.com.

About Pool Builder Geek

Pool Builder Geek is an AI-powered project management platform built exclusively for the swimming pool construction and renovation industry. Created by a team with deep experience building software for pool builders, it gives builders purpose-built tools for project tracking, scheduling, subcontractor coordination, budgeting, job costing, and AI-powered backyard visualization. For more information, visit poolbuildergeek.com.

Media contact

Travis Wingate

Skimmer, CMO, [email protected], 416-838-9161

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Landmark Aquatic Names Jason Hill Kansas City General Manager

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Jason Hill named Landmark Aquatic Kansas City General Manager

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Landmark Aquatic, a national leader in commercial aquatic construction and renovation, is pleased to announce the promotion of Jason Hill to General Manager of its Kansas City, Missouri market. Hill brings nearly two decades of commercial aquatic experience to the role, having worked his way through the industry as a laborer, plumber, project superintendent and project manager. That hands-on path through the trades gives him a perspective few general managers share.

“I truly understand the jobs of everyone here,” explains Hill. “It’s not just how they’re supposed to perform, I actually understand their day-to-day struggles, their desire for growth, and their need to have the best tools at their disposal to do their job efficiently.”

As he begins his tenure, Hill said mentorship and workforce development will be a top priority, particularly given how few professionals nationwide specialize in commercial pools.

“The commercial pool industry is such an anomaly,” he said. “As we grow our team, we are not likely to find commercial pool people waiting in our market to be hired, rather I am going to have to make commercial pool people. Training and coaching them is a big part of making that happen.” Hill’s emphasis on training echoes the company culture that earned Landmark a Top Workplace award, given in part for its investment in employee career development.

Hill is already collaborating closely with Landmark’s marketing team to grow the company’s visibility across the Kansas City market, contributing fresh ideas that are helping generate excitement. “I’m excited to compete with our other markets and see how far we can climb,” he said, noting his hometown ties add extra motivation.

With his depth of field experience and people-first approach, Hill is positioned to grow Landmark Aquatic’s presence and reputation throughout the region.

Jason can be reached at [email protected].

About Landmark Aquatic:

Landmark Aquatic is a nationwide provider of commercial aquatic facility design, construction, and maintenance services, with more than six decades of industry experience. Serving clients across most of the U.S., Landmark delivers construction-led solutions and on-going support though its AquatiCare maintenance team, ensuring excellence “for the life of your pool.” Committed to the full lifecycle of every facility, Landmark prioritizes long-term partnerships while adapting to client needs through exceptional service, operational excellence, and forward-thinking solutions. For more about Landmark Aquatic visit www.landmarkaquatic.com.

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