News
Florida Swims Foundation and Every Child A Swimmer Renew Partnership to Provide Swim Lessons to Florida’s Children

(SARASOTA, Fla.) – The Florida Swims Foundation and Every Child A Swimmer (ECAS) renewed their partnership to provide swim lessons to children throughout the state of Florida.
The two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in February 2023 signifying the commitment of both entities to work together to teach children to swim. The collective goals of this collaboration are to prevent drowning incidents, raise awareness about water safety, and fund swim lessons for children in underserved communities.
“The partnership between the Florida Swims Foundation and Every Child A Swimmer is one that shows just how committed both of our organizations are to ensuring that children all over the state receive life-saving swim lessons free of cost,” said Ben Evans, President of the Florida Swims Foundation. “Together, our impact on the swimming literacy of our communities will make Florida and its children more resilient.”
Funds are donated through the Florida Swims Foundation and sent to Every
Child A Swimmer for a 100% donation match. Once the donations are received, ECAS allocates funds to vetted swim lesson providers throughout the state.
“It is crucial to us that every child in the state of Florida become a swimmer,” said Casey McGovern, Program Manager of Every Child a Swimmer. “It is vital in a state
surrounded by water that our children continue to grow and learn in the water as well as on land to keep them not only safe, but also well-rounded.”
Since its inception, the Florida Swims Foundation has contributed more than $260,000 to providing swim lessons throughout Florida communities. The Foundation is the 501(c)(3) arm of the Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA), a trade association for Florida’s pool and spa industry that currently holds 750 members across 16 chapters.
“It is an essential part of the Florida Swimming Pool Association’s values to provide health and safety information to all pool builders, operators, and most importantly, users,” said Elizabeth McMurray, Executive Director of the Florida Swimming Pool Association. “We are thrilled that the Foundation and ECAS are able to continue this fruitful partnership and make a positive impact across our state.”
In 2022 alone, Every Child A Swimmer awarded $550,000 to provide swim lessons to children from low-income families. ECAS is the fundraising arm of the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF), whose mission is to ensure that every child in the world is educated and trained in water safety.
Those interested in donating to the partnership should contact the Florida Swims Foundation by calling 941-952-9293 or by visiting FloridaSwims.org. All funds donated through the Foundation will be matched by Every Child A Swimmer to then be allocated to vetted swim lesson providers throughout the state.
The Florida Swims Foundation (formerly known as the Swimming Pool Education and Safety Foundation) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that funds swimming lessons for children throughout the state through a partnership with Every Child A Swimmer. The Foundation also provides scholarships for dependents of member companies through the Margaret M. Brown Scholarship Fund.
Every Child a Swimmer (ECAS) and the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) foundation whose mission is to preserve and celebrate aquatic history, to educate the general public about the importance of swimming as the key to water safety, drowning prevention, better health, a better quality of life, and to inspire everyone to swim. We believe that swimming is an essential life skill and that swim education should be accessable to everyone. Through our Every Child A Swimmer (ECAS) program we provide grants to swim schools serving in-need communities and advocate for life saving legislation nationally.
The Florida Swimming Pool Association is a trade association for the pool and spa industry in Florida. There are approximately 750 member businesses in 16 Chapters across the state. Members are required to abide by a code of ethics and to be properly licensed and insured.
FSPA provides the industry with access to continuing education courses, information on current trends and issues, and an arbitration program and government relations representation. FSPA is governed by a Board of Directors.
Manufacturer
Soake Pools Bolsters National Growth With Four Key Hires

New territory managers, production leadership, and operations support reinforce the plunge pool manufacturer’s white-glove service as demand grows across U.S. markets
Pembroke, N.H. — October 2026 — Soake Pools, the New England manufacturer that pioneered the made-to-order precast concrete plunge pool, has added four team members to support its growth into new regional markets. The hires span sales, production leadership, and operations, positioning the team to scale with rising national demand for its hand-tiled pools, without sacrificing service or quality.
New appointments include:
- Kerry Covington, Pacific Northwest Territory Manager—Based in Oregon, Covington is Soake Pools’ first territory manager to live and work in the Pacific Northwest, offering on-the-ground support. With more than a decade of experience in high-end remodeling and landscape design for luxury residential construction, he will help Pacific Northwest homeowners translate plunge pool concepts into thoughtfully planned additions tailored to their homes and landscapes.
- Brooke Fine, MA South Shore, Cape Cod & Islands Territory Manager—Also based in territory and a Soake Pools customer herself, Fine brings both local knowledge and firsthand experience with the brand to the role. With a personal understanding of how a Soake Pool can enhance wellness, relaxation and outdoor living, she will provide dedicated in-territory support to homeowners across the Massachusetts South Shore, Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
- Eric Bailey, General Manager—At the company’s Pembroke production facility, Bailey will oversee manufacturing with 22 years of precast concrete experience. As a born-and-raised New Hampshire resident with a career built on quality and customer service, Bailey embodies the values Soake Pools has built its reputation on.
- Katherine Fillon, Accounts Receivable—Lifelong New Englander Fillon rounds out the company’s administrative team, supporting a seamless experience between Soake Pools’ customers, partners and collaborators.
The news follows Soake Pools’ recognition as one of Business NH Magazine’s 2026 Best Companies to Work For in New Hampshire, where the company earned the No. 11 spot after a rigorous evaluation that included employer and team surveys, site visits, and employee focus groups. As it grows its team, the locally owned, family-run company stays anchored to the same standards that earned this honor.
About Soake Pools: Co-founded by Karen and Brian Larson in 2014, Soake® Pools disrupted the industry as the first company to offer hand-tiled precast concrete plunge pools for the home. Today, Soake Pools is the leading prefabricated plunge pool manufacturer in North America, designing luxury, space-saving pools for year-round use and enjoyment. At Soake Pool’s New England facility, its plunge pools are made to order in a controlled environment using proprietary concrete and state-of-the-art tile, continually setting the standard with new dimensions, luxury finishes, and innovations in quality control, safety and usability with impressive turnaround timelines. Fully customizable and delivered ready to install, each Soake Pool is equipped for hot dips in the winter and cooling soaks in the summer, with cold plunge and resistance system offerings that support athletic recovery and enhance at-home wellness routines. The monolithic concrete design offers accessibility in size and pricing, while saltwater filtration, low water usage, and variable speed pumps support sustainability, require less maintenance, and lower costs. Delivering backyard luxury retreats with demonstrated ROI in home value, Soake Pools offer countless physical and mental wellness benefits at a fraction of the footprint and expense of a traditional pool.
Industry News
Hayward Holdings Names New Chief Accounting Officer

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]
Press Releases
Daldorado Names Marcia Gyles Director of Sales

Daldorado, a leading innovator in the commercial aquatic industry, announces the appointment of Marcia Gyles as its new Director of Sales. Bringing a distinguished track record of high-impact leadership to the role, Gyles’s comprehensive sales approach will span the entire industry ecosystem, serving distributors, contractors, and facility owners alike as she accelerates revenue growth and scales national operations.
In her new role, Gyles will manage the entire United States, leveraging her deep market expertise to provide unlimited access to Daldorado’s expansive product line. She is tasked with representing the company’s full portfolio of high-performance aquatic solutions—including its signature Rim-Flow systems, Main Drains, and highly anticipated products currently in development.
“We are thrilled to welcome a professional of Marcia’s high caliber to the Daldorado leadership team,” said Rob Lawson, Founder/CEO. “Her unparalleled expertise in channel sales and sophisticated account management makes her the perfect fit to elevate our national footprint as we shift to a distribution sales model. Marcia’s dynamic energy and master strategic vision will play a critical role in setting the tone for our sales pipeline and achieving our aggressive scaling goals.”
As Director of Sales, Gyles will oversee regular sales forecasting, manage cross-functional collaborations with marketing and operations for seasonal inventory planning, and maintain a commanding field presence. Her role involves an extensive travel schedule which includes conducting on-site commercial installation visits and providing master-class training for Daldorado’s extensive distribution and design networks.
About Daldorado
Daldorado is a leading innovator and manufacturer of high-quality commercial aquatic drainage systems and perimeter grating solutions. Committed to safety, durability, and superior engineering, Daldorado serves major commercial aquatic facilities, waterparks, and competitive swimming venues globally.
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