Industry-Leading Company Adds Over 150 Years of Combined Aquatics Experience to Its Growing Roster

Automatic Pool Covers, Inc., a trusted leader in pool safety and innovation, is pleased to announce the expansion of its national sales team — a strategic move designed to deliver deeper support and expertise to pool professionals and customers across the country.

The newly assembled team is led by Scott Cummings, the company’s Director of National Sales, and brings together some of the most respected names in the aquatics industry, with a combined 150+ years of hands-on experience. The group joins Mike Shadoan, Vice President of Business Development, who has been a cornerstone of the company for over 30 years.

“Leading this sales team at such a well-respected company is an honor,” said Cummings. “We have a tremendous opportunity to bring the highest quality automatic pool covers and service to pool professionals in this rapidly-growing sector of the industry.”

The expanded team includes:

• Scott Cummings, Director of National Sales — bringing 39+ years of industry expertise to lead the team’s national strategy

• David Williams, Southeast Regional Sales Manager — contributing 39+ years of knowledge to one of the country’s fastest-growing pool markets

• Mark Gramza, Sales Manager, Upper Midwest — with over 37 years of experience serving the Midwest region

• Matt Huntley, East Coast Sales Manager (including Florida) — with over 28 years of industry experience covering the critical Eastern seaboard

• Rick Larson, Regional Sales Manager, Western Region — a seasoned professional with deep roots in the western aquatics market

Every member of the new team brings a minimum of 25 years of aquatics industry experience, ensuring that Automatic Pool Covers, Inc. customers receive guidance from true professionals who understand the complexities of modern pool projects.

“We are thrilled to welcome this powerhouse group to our team,” said Shadoan. “Each member brings decades of real-world knowledge that allows us to support pool professionals at every stage of a project — from initial design through final installation.”

This expansion reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to best-in-class service and lasting partnerships with pool professionals nationwide. To contact a sales team member, visit https://automaticpoolcovers.com/sales-team/.

Automatic Pool Covers, Inc. (APC)
Automatic Pool Covers, Inc. (APC) is a leading U.S. manufacturer of automatic pool cover systems for gunite, vinyl, fiberglass, existing pools, and spas. Headquartered in Westfield, Indiana, APC partners with pool professionals nationwide to deliver high-quality auto-covers designed for safety, durability, and ease of use.

www.automaticpoolcovers.com

Acquisition led by BVC CEO Chris Barton is rooted in the loss of his daughter, Alexis Christine Barton, and his commitment to preventing drowning across every type of water environment

DALLAS, Sept. 16, 2026 – Barton Venture Capital (“BVC”) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Wave Systems Inc. (“WAVE”) in a strategic purchase led by BVC CEO Chris Barton. The acquisition brings WAVE under Barton’s direct leadership and sets the company on a new path: building a comprehensive, AI-powered drowning prevention platform that combines wearable and camera-based technology to protect swimmers across clear and dark water — from commercial pools and public waterfronts to residential backyards. WAVE’s Board of Directors and ninety shareholders have approved the transaction which is scheduled to close in the next several weeks.

For Barton, the acquisition is personal.

“Every public pool, camp, lake, waterfront and home pool deserves modern tools to protect swimmers.” said Chris Barton, CEO of Barton Venture Capital. “That’s the platform we have built and will expand globally.”

“In 2003, I lost my daughter Alexis in a lakefront drowning accident. That day is what eventually led me to WAVE, and it’s what drives this acquisition today,” said Chris Barton, CEO of BVC. “As a technology entrepreneur for more than 35 years, my goal is to rapidly expand WAVE with powerful AI tools that give every public pool, camp, lake, waterfront and home pool the tools to prevent the kind of tragedy my family experienced — so other families don’t have to carry what we carry.”

Barton first became involved with WAVE in 2024 as a board member and BVC investor and was named CEO in 2025. He led the company’s transition to an affordable, subscription-based, hardware-as-a-service model — GUARDian℠ — built around wearable IoT devices worn by swimmers and lifeguards. Today, WAVE is the largest digital assistive lifeguard technology provider in North America, with systems deployed across 40 U.S. states and Canada.

A Platform for Every Body of Water

Barton’s vision is to grow WAVE into a comprehensive, AI-driven assistive lifeguard platform for every type of water environment. Building on WAVE’s existing wearable IoT technology, the company is now adding AI-powered, camera-based systems for commercial pool operators and residential pools. The goal is a single, one-stop platform that brings modern drowning detection technology to any body of water — whether professionally staffed or largely unsupervised.

New AI Camera-Based Safety Solution

As part of this expanded mission, WAVE has introduced WAVE Vision℠, an AI camera-based solution that supports lifeguards and monitor swimmers in real time. Paired with Wade, WAVE’s AI-powered prompting assistant, pool operators can use voice or typed commands to query recorded video for lifeguard and swimmer performance, safety compliance, and other activity on and around the pool deck.

DROWNING STATISTICS

Drowning is the #1 cause of accidental injury-related death for children under the age of five. It is the #2 cause for ages 1-14. The CDC says in swimming pools, Black children ages 10-14 years drown at rates 7.6 times higher than White children.

Drowning Facts | Drowning Prevention | CDC.

About Barton Venture Capital

Barton Venture Capital is led by Chris Barton, a technology entrepreneur and investor whose career spans building and backing companies across some of today’s most consequential sectors, including SaaS, artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, water technology, quantum computing, healthcare, and telecommunications. Barton brings an operator’s perspective to every investment, having built and sold technology businesses himself before turning to investing and helping other founders scale theirs. Through BVC, he continues to identify and grow technology companies solving significant, real-world problems — most recently with the acquisition of Wave Systems Inc. to build a comprehensive, AI-powered platform to end preventable drowning.

About Wave Systems Inc.

Wave Systems Inc. (“WAVE”) is the largest digital assistive lifeguard technology provider in North America, with systems deployed across 40 U.S. states and Canada. WAVE’s products protect swimmers in both clear and dark water using wireless IoT wearables and AI-powered, camera-based solutions. Under new ownership, WAVE is expanding into a full-scale drowning detection platform serving commercial and residential pool applications nationwide, with plans for continued international expansion.

Media Contact
Chris Barton, Managing Partner
Barton Venture Capital
210 S. Galena St. Ste 25
Aspen, CO 81611
1-970-742-2000
[email protected] 

The New England Plunge Pool Pioneer Expands Its Offerings with Pool Pairings Designed for the Modern Outdoor Retreat

Pembroke, N.H. — September 2026 — Soake Pools, the renowned New England-based plunge pool manufacturer, introduces its first Dual Pool packages, responding directly to the growing appetite for at-home wellness and outdoor spaces designed with the same intention as any room in the home.

The four made-to-order, pre-cast concrete Dual Pool pairings give homeowners and designers a clear starting point for a complete outdoor water experience. Each pairing was carefully designed around a different wellness ritual or activity circuit, from hot and cold contrast therapy to the natural progression of swimming, soaking, and recovery:

• The Soake Sanctuary, Full 7×13 Plunge + 7×7 Hot Tub—Swim, soak, and settle into a layered experience that moves from light activity to deep, restorative warmth. A complete escape at home.
• Hot + Cold, Warm 7×13 Full Plunge + 4×4 Cold Plunge—A daily reset designed to energize and restore. Move from swim to cold immersion for a ritual that sharpens focus and leaves you completely recharged.
• Contrast Therapy, 7×7 Hot tub + 4×4 Cold Plunge—Inspired by the boutique spa, this pairing brings the ease of a hot tub together with the invigorating clarity of cold immersion in a grounding ritual for everyday life.
• Recovery Set, 4×4 + 4×4 Dual Plunge—Minimal in form and striking in presence, two cold plunges set side by side for shared ritual, athletic recovery, or repeated immersion.

“Soake Pools are personal, designed to reflect each homeowner and the way they live,” explains Soake Pools Co-Founder, Karen Larson. “The Dual Pool packages are all about year-round flexibility and adaptability, with different pairings designed to seamlessly complement almost any lifestyle and routine, from daily wellness and relaxation to athletic recovery.”

Each pool is custom-made with proprietary concrete for year-round use, hand-tiled by an in-house team of artisans, and shipped from Soake’s New Hampshire facility ready to install. 

Soake Pools have always been designed to give homeowners a place that feels entirely their own. Whether that means quiet solitude or entertaining, its latest offerings make each unique vision even more attainable.

To learn more about the new dual pool packages and in-house tile collection, please contact [email protected]. For more information about Soake Pools, please visit soakepools.com.

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.

Media Contact:
UpSpring
T: 646.722.8146
E: [email protected]