Press Releases
3X Olympic Gold Medalist Rowdy Gaines Presents Paragon Pools/Float Like A Duck and the City of Las Vegas with a Step Into Swim Grant
100% of the grant funds are utilized for FREE swimming lessons across the Las Vegas valley assisting at-risk youths with no-cost swimming classes at City pools.

(Las Vegas, NV) Nov 15, 2023 – Three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Pool and Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) Step Into Swim Spokesperson Rowdy Gaines presented Paragon Pools/Float Like A Duck and the City of Las Vegas with a ceremonial Step Into Swim Grant check for $8,000 at the Municipal Indoor Pool on Tuesday, Nov 14th.
PHTA member, Paragon Pools and its award-winning water safety initiative Float Like Duck petitions for the grant each year to support its mission of “Educating the public on the importance of safety while celebrating the joys of water sports.” The Paragon Pools team then seeks out qualified aquatic programs within the community to administer the free-swimming lessons, with 100% of the grant funding to support the program.
“The City of Las Vegas has been a Water Safety Partner of our Float Like a Duck initiative since its founding in 2003,” noted Joseph M. Vassallo, Paragon Pools’ president and Float Like A Duck founder. “And, during Float Like A Duck’s 20th anniversary, we wanted to reciprocate the long-term support by presenting them with the grant to provide no-cost swimming classes for disadvantaged youths in the Las Vegas community.”
In attendance to accept the grant were Paragon Pools/Float Like A Duck representatives: President Joseph M Vassallo, and VP Joey Vassallo, City of Las Vegas representatives: Ward 3 Councilwoman Olivia Diaz, Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs- Recreation Supervisor Savonta Manor and Lifeguard/WSI Gabriel Mendoza.
During the 2023 summer swim season, a $3,000 grant was provided for free-swimming lessons, serving over 100 children in the inaugural season. After a review of the 2023 report, Gaines was so impressed with the success of the program that he committed another $5,000 Step Into Swim grant for the 2024 season. The $8,000.00 ceremonial grant check represents the combined $3,000 2023 grant and the $5,000 2024 grant.
Touted as “The Voice of Swimming” for his years of commentary announcing the Olympic swimming events and recognized as “Swimming’s Greatest Ambassador”, Gaines is a 2X inductee into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He spoke about the importance of teaching children how to swim, noting that if a child takes formal swim lessons it reduces the risk of drowning by almost 90%. Gaines also brought one of his Gold Medals from the 1984 LA Olympic Games to share with attendees, who were excited to examine it up close.
The Vassallo’s credit the efforts of their Councilwoman Victoria Seaman of Ward 2 and Councilwoman Olivia Diaz of Ward 3 who played a strategic role in coordinating the program with the City’s Park and Rec Aquatic’s division. Seaman and Diaz worked with Recreation Supervisor Savonta Manor to identify the highest need in the community, of which included the Municipal Pool and Baker Pool in Diaz’ Ward 3.
“Safety is the number one priority at the city of Las Vegas and during the hot summer months pool safety is something that we want to make sure everyone hears about loud and clear,” Ward 2 Councilwoman Victoria Seaman said. “I want to thank Paragon Pools/Float Like a Duck for this generous donation to go towards free swim lessons for city residents.”
“There is nothing better in Las Vegas than taking a cool swim on a hot summer day, but we want to ensure that our children, family and friends are safe as they are having fun in the pool,” Ward 3 Councilwoman Olivia Diaz said. “Thanks to community partners like Paragon Pools/Float Like a Duck we are able to provide free swim lessons and help to make the summer swim season safer for everyone.”

“The Step Into Swim grant is very important to our community,” states Vassallo. “Southern Nevada is known for its many aquatic environments and so many of the children do not have access to these bodies of water on a regular basis. The grant provides additional financial support allowing more families to access the City’s swimming programs to learn how to swim and be safe around water.”
Featured Photo: Joey Vassallo VP Paragon Pools, Joseph M Vassallo President Paragon Pools & Founder of Float Like A Duck, Olivia Diaz Ward 3 Councilwoman, Savonta Manor CLV Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs- Recreation Supervisor, and Gabriel Mendoza Lifeguard/WSI pose with the 2023-2024 PHTA Step into Swim Grant check presented by Rowdy Gaines 3X Olympic Gold Medalist and Step Into Swim Spokesperson. The ceremonial $8,000.00 check representing the combined $3,000 2023 grant and the $5,000 2024 grant amounts was presented at the Municipal Pool on Nov 14, 2023.
About Float Like A Duck™
Founded in 2003, Float Like A Duck™ is an award-winning public service water safety initiative created by Paragon Pools of Las Vegas with a mission of “Educating the public on the importance of safety while celebrating the joys of water sports.” The initiative focuses on ENFORCING the ABC&D’s of water safety, with a BIG emphasis on A-adult supervision. This program has been recognized by the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, Nevada Governor’s Points of Light Awards, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, and the National Water Safety Congress. Paragon Pools is a partner with Pool Safely, National Water Safety Month and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and is a member of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA). FMI go to https://www.paragonpoolslv.com/float-like-a-duck
About Step Into Swim
Step Into Swim™ is an initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance and its foundation committed to safe swim education and drowning prevention. By investing in the next generation of swimmers through
learn-to-swim programming, the Step Into Swim initiative instills confidence, empowers long-term participation in water activities, touts the positive benefits of water play, and advocates for safe practices. Since its inception in 2012, Step Into Swim has played a role in reducing drowning fatalities and has gifted swim lessons to more than 285,000 children with support from community organizations, partners, industry advocates, members and more. For more information, visit www.stepintoswim.org. Step into Swim is led by Rowdy Gaines, Olympic Gold Medalist and Vice President of Partnerships and Development.
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.
Press Releases
FSPA and PHTA Reunite Through Historic Affiliation

(Sarasota, Fl. / Alexandria, Va.) — The Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA) and the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) today announced a new affiliation agreement, effective January 1, 2027, bringing together two leading organizations with a shared commitment to advancing the pool, spa, and hot tub industry.
The affiliation represents both a new chapter and a return to shared roots. FSPA operated as Region VII of the National Spa & Pool Institute (NSPI) during the 1960s and 1970s, transitioned to an independent affiliate in 2001, and became fully independent in 2008. Nearly two decades later, FSPA and PHTA are reuniting through a modern affiliation model designed to combine strong state and national resources while preserving FSPA’s autonomy.
Under the affiliation, FSPA will continue to independently govern and operate its organization, while FSPA members will also gain membership in PHTA. The relationship brings together FSPA’s deep Florida relationships, state advocacy, chapter network, and market expertise with PHTA’s national education and certification programs, standards development, workforce initiatives, research, advocacy, and industry resources.
“FSPA has always been focused on delivering meaningful value to our members and strengthening the industry in Florida,” says Keith Johnson, President of FSPA. “This affiliation allows us to maintain the identity, leadership, and local relationships that make FSPA strong while giving our members access to an even broader network of education, resources, and expertise. It is an exciting opportunity to bring our organizations back together in a way that positions our members and our industry for the future.”
The organizations already have a strong history of collaboration, including FSPA’s partnership with PHTA’s Step Into Swim drowning prevention initiative, which has expanded significantly since 2020—funding more than 180,000 swim lessons in 2025 alone—while increasing support for community learn-to-swim programs.
“There is tremendous power in bringing the industry together while continuing to recognize the importance of strong state and local leadership,” says Scott Frost, Chairman of the PHTA Board of Directors. “FSPA has an extraordinary history and presence in Florida, and PHTA brings national scale and resources that can complement that strength. Together, we can create greater opportunities for our members, speak with a stronger industry voice, and continue raising the level of professionalism throughout the industry.”
The affiliation is designed to expand access to education and certification, strengthen workforce development, increase advocacy influence, enhance consumer safety initiatives, and provide members with additional resources and benefits. The FSPA-PHTA affiliation takes effect January 1, 2027.
For more information, please contact Amy Willer, PHTA’s Senior Director of Content and Communications, at
[email protected] or 703-838-0083, ext. 121.
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About the Florida Swimming Pool Association
The Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA) is a nonprofit trade association representing Florida’s swimming pool, spa, and hot tub industry. For more than 50 years, FSPA has served as a trusted resource for pool builders, service professionals, manufacturers, and suppliers while promoting professionalism, education, and safety across the industry. Through advocacy, training, and consumer outreach, FSPA works to protect the interests of its members and advances best practices in pool and spa construction, maintenance, and design. FSPA also supports drowning prevention and water safety initiatives through its charitable arm, the Florida Swims Foundation, which provides funding for swim lessons and water safety education programs throughout the state. For more information, visit www.fspa.com.
About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with 4,000 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $62B pool, hot tub, and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth initiatives to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge, and profitability. Additionally, PHTA promotes the use of pools by expanding swimming, water safety, and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer, and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit www.phta.org.
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