News
Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Reveals The 2023 International Awards Of Excellence Winners
(Alexandria, Va.) – The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry, is proud to announce this year’s winners of the PHTA International Awards of Excellence, sponsored by AQUA Magazine. PHTA’s International Awards of Excellence program is one of the largest, most well-renowned design competitions in the pool and hot tub industry. These distinguished awards recognize exceptional installations of pools, spas, hot tubs, and water features that showcase the most beautiful, creative, and innovative work in the industry. Each year, hundreds of entries are submitted by builders across the U.S. and the world.
The PHTA Awards of Excellence competition is open to PHTA members who are pool, spa, or hot tub builders as well as installers, designers, retailers, or service companies that receive payment for the submitted project. The judging panel is comprised of industry professionals across building, design, service, and retail.
See below for the list of 2023 PHTA International Award of Excellence Winners:
GOLD Category
Aqua Technics Pools, Perth, Western Australia Fiberglass Pools
AquaTerra Outdoors, Carrollton, TX Pool Renovations
Aquavisions, INC., Carlisle, PA Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Backyard Paradise Luxury Pools, Montgomery, TX Freeform
Backyard Paradise Luxury Pools, Montgomery, TX Geometric
Backyard Paradise Luxury Pools, Montgomery, TX Traditional
Baldree Pools, LLC, Orlando, FL Exterior/Interior Portable Hot Tubs
Cascade Custom Pools, Austin, TX Elevated Pool and/or Spa Structure
Claffey Pools, Southlake, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Claffey Pools, Southlake, TX Pools with Automatic Covers
Custom Pool Systems, Coral Cables, FL Pools with a Vanishing Edge
DIFFAZUR PISCINES, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France Commercial Water Features
High-Tech Pools Inc, Cleveland, OH Recreation/Leisure Pools
High-Tech Pools Inc, Cleveland, OH Technical/Engineering Achievement
Ike’s Carter Pools, Fort Lauderdale, FL Geometric
Ike’s Carter Pools, Fort Lauderdale, FL Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Ozzie Kraft Enterprises Inc., Las Vegas, NV Standalone Spas
Ryan Hughes Design Build, Tampa, FL Screened Enclosed Pools
Ryan Hughes Design Build, Tampa, FL Spas Built in Conjunction with Swimming
Pools
Swimming Pool Services, Waukesha, WI Vinyl-Lined Pools
Texas Pools Inc, The Woodlands, TX Traditional
The Green Scene Landscaping & Swimming Pools,
Chatsworth, CA Residential Water Features
WATER WORLD WINDOW LLC, Kyiv, Ukraine Competition Pools
SILVER CATEGORY
Aqua Technics Pools, Perth, Western Australia Fiberglass Pools
Aquavisions, INC., Carlisle, PA Geometric
Claffey Pools, Southlake, TX Geometric
Claffey Pools, Southlake, TX Pool Renovations
Claffey Pools, Southlake, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Cody Pools, Round Rock, TX Geometric
DIFFAZUR PISCINES, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France Spas Built in Conjunction with Swimming Pools
Double B Design, Austin, TX Freeform
Harold Leidner Landscape Architects,
Carrollton, TX Pool Renovations
Harold Leidner Landscape Architects,
Carrollton, TX Residential Water Features
High-Tech Pools Inc, Cleveland, OH Elevated Pool and/or Spa Structure
High-Tech Pools Inc, Cleveland, OH Recreation/Leisure Pools
Ike’s Carter Pools, Fort Lauderdale, FL Geometric
J&M Pool Company, Senoia, GA Vinyl-Lined Pools
La Jolla Pools, San Diego, CA Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Ryan Hughes Design Build, Tampa, FL Technical/Engineering Achievement
Southernwind Pools Inc, McKinney, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Superior Pools of Southwest Florida, Fort Myers, FL Screened Enclosed Pools
T2 Outdoors, LLC, Lewisville, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
T2 Outdoors, LLC, Lewisville, TX Pools with Automatic Covers
T2 Outdoors, LLC, Lewisville, TX Traditional (2)
Texas Outdoor Oasis, Wylie, TX Geometric
The Green Scene Landscaping & Swimming Pools,
Chatsworth, CA Standalone Spas
BRONZE CATEGORY
Aqua Technics Pools, Perth, Western Australia Fiberglass Pools
AquaTerra Outdoors, Carrollton, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge (2)
Backyard Paradise Luxury Pools, Montgomery, TX Geometric (2)
Claffey Pools, Southlake, TX Technical/Engineering Achievement
Claffey Pools, Southlake, TX Traditional (2)
Cody Pools, Round Rock, TX Geometric
DIFFAZUR PISCINES, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France Elevated Pool and/or Spa Structure
Ike’s Carter Pools, Fort Lauderdale, FL Geometric
JAS Aquatics LLC, Huntington Station, NY Vinyl-Lined Pools
La Jolla Pools, San Diego, CA Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Living Water Custom Pools, Dallas, TX Pool Renovations
Morris Pools, Mesa, AZ Pools with Automatic Covers
Platinum Pools – A Cody Pools Company,
Houston, TX Freeform
Riverbend Sandler Pools, Plano, TX Freeform
Riverbend Sandler Pools, Plano, TX Geometric (2)
Ryan Hughes Design Build, Tampa, FL Geometric
Ryan Hughes Design Build, Tampa, FL Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Southernwind Pools Inc, McKinney, TX Freeform
Sunset Fiberglass Pools, La Grange, KY Fiberglass Pools
T2 Outdoors, LLC, Lewisville, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
T2 Outdoors, LLC, Lewisville, TX Traditional
Texas Pools Inc, The Woodlands, TX Geometric
WATER WORLD WINDOW LLC, Kyiv, Ukraine Recreation/Leisure Pools
MERIT CATEGORY
A Oasis Pools and Outdoor Living, Midlothian, TX Freeform (2)
A Oasis Pools and Outdoor Living, Midlothian, TX Pool Renovations
Acuarium Piscinas & Spas, San José, Costa Rica Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Alka Pool Construction, Ltd., Burnaby, BC, Canada Pools with a Vanishing Edge
All Island Gunite Pools, Farmingdale, NY Pools with Automatic Covers
All Island Gunite Pools, Farmingdale, NY Vinyl-Lined Pools
Almar Jackson Pools, Inc., Jupiter, FL Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Associated Pool Builders, Inc., Bismarck, ND Recreation/Leisure Pools
Aquarius Pools, Inc., Mandeville, LA Geometric
Backyard Paradise Luxury Pools, Montgomery, TX Freeform
Backyard Paradise Luxury Pools, Montgomery, TX Geometric (3)
Baldree Pools, LLC, Orlando, FL Fiberglass Pools
Baldree Pools, LLC, Orlando, FL Geometric
Baldree Pools, LLC, Orlando, FL Pool Renovations
Bi-State Pools, O’Fallon, MO Fiberglass Pools
Cascade Custom Pools, Austin, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Chaikin Ultimate Pools, Long Island, NY Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Claffey Pools, Southlake, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Claffey Pools, Southlake, TX Traditional (2)
Clearwater Pool and Spa, Inc., Livonia, MI Fiberglass Pools
Colley’s Pools & Spas, Hamburg, NY Freeform
Cosgrove Custom Pools Inc., Loomis, CA Traditional
DIFFAZUR PISCINES, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France Freeform
DIFFAZUR PISCINES, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France Pool Renovations
DIFFAZUR PISCINES, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France Pools with a Vanishing Edge
DIFFAZUR PISCINES, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France Pools with Automatic Covers
DIFFAZUR PISCINES, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France Recreation/Leisure Pools
DIFFAZUR PISCINES, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France Technical/Engineering Achievement (3)
Easton Pool & Spa, Inc., Easton, MA Traditional
Green O’Aces Pools & Landscape, Las Vegas, NV Geometric
Green O’Aces Pools & Landscape, Las Vegas, NV Pools with a Vanishing Edge
High-Tech Pools Inc, Cleveland, OH Freeform
Hucks Pool Company, Myrtle Beach, SC Recreation/Leisure Pools
Ike’s Carter Pools, Fort Lauderdale, FL Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Ike’s Carter Pools, Fort Lauderdale, FL Traditional
J&M Pool Company, Senoia, GA Freeform
J Designs Pool and Spa, Inc., Los Angeles, CA Freeform
KrisCo Pools and Spas, Woodinville, WA Geometric (2)
Liquid Evolution Pools, Scottsdale, AZ Geometric
Liquid Evolution Pools, Scottsdale, AZ Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Living Water Custom Pools, Dallas, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Pool Patrol, LTD., Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Pool Rx, Carrollton, GA Geometric
Pulliam Pools, Fort Worth, TX Geometric (2)
Pure Design, Dallas, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Reliant Pools Inc, Austin, TX Traditional
Riverbend Sandler Pools, Plano, TX Geometric
Riverbend Sandler Pools, Plano, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Rumo’s Pool and Spa LLC, Sandy Springs, GA Geometric
Silver Fox Contracting LLC,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Silver Fox Contracting LLC,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates Traditional
St. John Pools, Pearland, TX Freeform
Supreme Pools and Spas, Inc., Spring, TX Freeform
Swimming Pool Services, Waukesha, WI Vinyl-Lined Pools
Texas Pools Inc, The Woodlands, TX Pools with a Vanishing Edge
The Green Scene Landscaping & Swimming Pools,
Chatsworth, CA Geometric
The Green Scene Landscaping & Swimming Pools,
Chatsworth, CA Pools with a Vanishing Edge
Venture Custom Pools, Dallas/Fort Worth, TX Freeform
“This was an incredible year for the Awards of Excellence,” says Sabeena Hickman, CAE, President and CEO of PHTA. “We received many more entries than the previous year, all of outstanding caliber. The PHTA members who entered the competition this year are working every day to elevate the pool, spa, and hot tub industry. Congratulations to all our 2023 winners on this achievement!”
“I’m always amazed at the advancements in pool construction and design, which you can see in each annual edition of the Awards of Excellence,” says Scott Webb, Executive Editor of AQUA Magazine. “Hundreds of cutting-edge residential and commercial pools all gathered together, they really show where we’re at as an industry. That’s what the annual Awards of Excellence are all about to me, celebrating a new chapter in this unfolding artistic development.”
The winning entries are featured in the October 2023 issue of AQUA Magazine, and the winning companies will be honored during the PHTA Awards of Excellence Reception on November 12 at PSP/Deck Expo in Las Vegas, NV.
A video featuring photos of all the Awards of Excellence winning entries can be found on the PHTA Awards of Excellence webpage.
For more information, please contact Amy Willer, PHTA’s Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, at [email protected] or 703-838-0083, ext. 121.
Pool Builder
Ownership Group Acquires Shasta Pools, Announces Expansion Plans to Offer Complete Home Services
Dansons Capital Group, Accrual Equity Partners, and Hydro Construction purchased Arizona’s premier pool builder with eye on developing national brand
SCOTTSDALE, Arizona (August 31, 2026) – Dansons Capital Group, in partnership with Accrual Equity Partners (AEP) and Hydro Construction (HydroCon), completed the acquisition of Shasta Pools, Phoenix Metro’s most recognized pool builder, and announced an immediate expansion into the broader home services market with plans to grow the brand into a national powerhouse. Founded in 1966 by brothers Bob and Skip Ast, the third-generation, family-owned pool business has built or renovated more than 150,000 pools across Maricopa County and is among the country’s top premier pool builders. The acquisition, finalized August 6, positions the company with a competitive edge as it enters a new phase of accelerated growth
Building on Shasta’s track record of success, the ownership group will grow the company’s core business divisions, including residential and commercial pool construction and renovation, Shasta Signature Series luxury pool designs, backyard hardscaping solutions, extended warranties, and e-commerce supplies. The deal also directs new capital into Shasta’s high-volume, recurring pool maintenance business, establishing a scalable foundation for an expanded home services portfolio.
Expanding the Home Services Model
Shasta Pools will also debut Shasta Home Services, the first step in the company’s expansion into a comprehensive home services platform. Shasta enters the space with more than 200,000 customer relationships, route density in Central Arizona, and a 60-year brand homeowners have entrusted with their homes. The company plans to aggressively expand the platform organically and through partnership across the essential services every home depends on.
In addition, work has begun on a new, state-of-the-art design center and headquarters in Scottsdale that will centralize operations and give customers a welcoming, creative atmosphere to reimagine their yards. The campus will also anchor a technology-driven contact center staffed by a world-class team that creates a single point of contact for every Shasta customer, from pool service to the company’s expanding home services platform.
A Partnership Rooted in Shared Values
Dansons Capital Group, a family business led by CEO Dan Thiessen, President Jeff Thiessen, and COO Jordan Thiessen, built and grew a portfolio of backyard-focused businesses including Pit Boss Grills, which they scaled into a worldwide brand before selling in June 2023.
Jeff Thiessen sparked a relationship with the Ast family during the construction of his own backyard pool, a personal experience that gave him firsthand insight into the industry’s potential. Recognizing the Ast family’s shared values and significant opportunity with strategic investment, he partnered with AEP and HydroCon to pursue that growth together.
“Shasta Pools has national industry brand recognition and has been an Arizona legacy for the last 60 years and we’re excited to reinvest in the company and catapult its growth into the next 60 years,” said Jeff Thiessen, President, Dansons Capital Group. “We’ve already met with more than 200 employees to learn what they love about Shasta Pools and hear their ideas of how we can grow the company and continue providing our customers with amazing customer service.”
Dan Thiessen will serve as Chairman and lead the new ownership team to identify and hire top industry talent and grow Shasta’s home services platform to develop it into a national brand.
Legacy Preserved, Future Secured
“This was the right time to bring in a new ownership team to take Shasta Pools to the next level and the next generation of growth,” said Skip Ast Jr., who served as president at Shasta Pools. “My father and my family built this company on a commitment to quality to every homeowner who trusted us with their backyard, their budget, and their own family. We’re confident that the new leadership team’s commitment to uphold that will never change. Knowing this team shares our values and will invest in our team gives Shasta Pools the foundation to grow stronger than ever.”
Ast helped build Shasta Pools to a dominant force in the industry, with multiple divisions topping $100 million in combined revenue. The company holds membership in the prestigious Master Pools Guild, one of only 110 members globally.
A Different Approach to Private Equity
“Partnering with Shasta Pools represents the future of home services. A trusted, generational brand, Shasta brings 200,000 loyal customer relationships with a genuine commitment to the people who serve them every day,” said Jacob Tilzer, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Accrual Equity Partners. “Together with our partners at Dansons Capital Group and Hydro Construction, we all share a belief that enduring businesses are built on trust, earned one customer at a time. We’re proud to build alongside this team as Shasta grows into a nationwide home services brand.”
The new ownership group brings more than 150 years of combined expertise in building, scaling, and optimizing service industry brands. Each company shares a faith-based approach to business grounded in stewardship, integrity, and care for the communities they serve. Shasta Pools’ brand will continue its community programs, including swim lessons, support for foster care, and initiatives serving first responders.
ABOUT DANSONS CAPITAL GROUP:
Dansons Capital Group, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a family-owned and family-managed investment firm built on shared values, integrity and long-term vision. The firm was established by the founders of Dansons, Inc., the company that launched and sold Pit Boss Grills. The company takes a hands-on approach, actively seeking opportunities across global markets and multiple asset classes. Its growing portfolio includes strategic real estate development holdings across multiple countries, oil drilling technologies, and limited partnership investments. Guided by a deep commitment to quality and the communities they serve, the Thiessen family leads with gratefulness for the blessings God has given them and in turn supports those less fortunate. Dansons Capital Group continues to identify and cultivate opportunities that reflect their family’s values and generational vision.
ABOUT ACCRUAL EQUITY PARTNERS:
Accrual Equity Partners (AEP) is a founder-led, privately funded private equity group built on the belief that every person, every percentage, and every product matters. This commitment, known as the “Power of One,” drives AEP’s mission to empower businesses and secure legacies across fragmented, service-based industries. AEP partners with founder-led and family-owned businesses to overcome barriers and unlock their full potential through strategic investment, operational performance enhancement, and advisory services. For more information, visit accrualequitypartners.com/
ABOUT SHASTA POOLS:
Shasta Pools is Arizona’s trusted name in custom pool building, proudly serving the Valley since 1966. For 60 years, Shasta has transformed backyards into beautiful, functional spaces where families relax, entertain and enjoy life. The company specializes in new pool construction, remodeling, pool service and landscape design with plans for expansion into the home services market to provide customers with complete home care solutions. Learn more at ShastaPools.com.
ABOUT HYDRO CONSTRUCTION:
Hydro Construction, LLC (HydroCon) was founded in 1986 to serve Arizona’s commercial pool construction and renovation market. Under the leadership of Curt Lonsdale, the company’s commercial pool construction division now manages some of the largest and most complex projects in the country.
JED Pool Tools, manufacturer of swimming pool maintenance equipment and accessories, is pleased to announce the availability of its new, comprehensive 2027 catalog of products. This newly printed catalog offers 40 pages of color photography showing all of JED’s maintenance equipment products and accessories—from its award-winning hoses to its innovative, patented products like the FLAS ladder anchor saver! The catalog even highlights its many “Made in the USA” products including those manufactured at the JED facility in Pennsylvania.
“We are pleased to offer the pool industry this printed catalog which can also be accessed online, 24/7 and showcases the many products we make at our facility or are made within the US,” says Rob Heyen, Account Executive at JED Pool Tools.
Those interested in downloading or ordering the catalog, should visit:
www.JEDPoolTools.com
570-344-4137
About JED Pool Tools
JED Pool Tools has been making high-quality pool tools and pool accessories in the USA for over 30 years. JED Pool Tools sells over 400 different products including residential and commercial skimmers, leaf rakes, poles, wall brushes and vacuum heads as well as hoses and through-wall skimmer parts. JED is a family-run company with 3-generations of Heyen family working for the company and is committed to creating and providing jobs for residents of Scranton, PA. JED is proud of and committed to manufacturing in the USA, many it its own facility in Scranton, PA. To learn more about the company and its products visit www.JEDPoolTools.com.
CCEI introduces new color for its pH & ORP monitoring and dosing controllers in a sleek new, modern, white color design that blends into any pump room! CCEI’s pH & ORP controllers automatically manage pool water chemistry using the free Vigipool app. The Phileo pH and Oxeo ORP controllers are simple to set up and easy to use. They monitor and dose pool water and alert pool owners and service professionals when pool water falls out of balance. The dosing pump lights up in various colors to alert you of your pool’s pH and ORP levels. Designed to help pool professionals profits by upgrading clients with the Phileo pH & Oxeo ORP measuring and dosing chemical controllers!
www.ccei-pool.com/en-us
424-800-2191
CCEI USA Inc.
808 Hindry Ave, Suite G
Inglewood, CA 90301
https://www.instagram.com/cceipool_na/
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