California Pools, the industry leader in custom residential swimming pool construction, is strengthening its North Houston presence with a new co-owner partnership. RJ Pierson, who has successfully built pools in Pine Island, Carlton Woods, The Woodlands, and Conroe, will be joined by executive Ardee Toppe to expand the business and enhance customer experience.

Ardee brings extensive leadership experience as former SVP and President of Quietflex, SVP and President of Goodman and Amana, and Senior Vice President of Daikin North American Sales. He holds a B.S. from Indiana University and an MBA from Notre Dame.

“This is about building a legacy with my family that we can be proud of – a company that serves our community with excellence and honors God in everything we do,” said RJ Pierson.

“Partnering with Ardee allows us to build something special here in North Houston,” said RJ Pierson. “This is about building a legacy with my family that we can be proud of – a company that serves our community with excellence and honors God in everything we do.”

“I’ve always wanted to own a business where you can create your own future, culture, and customer experiences,” said Ardee Toppe. “Instead of returning to corporate life, I decided to follow my dream of business ownership. California Pools felt very supportive, well-led, and positioned for tremendous growth.”

“We’re excited to welcome Ardee as RJ’s partner in North Houston,” said Steve Terry, President of California Pools. “Their combined business expertise and commitment to serving their community with integrity make them an ideal team for our growing Texas market.”

Both partners are family men, active in their churches, and committed to delivering exceptional pool construction experiences throughout North Houston.

About California Pools

Since 1952, California Pools has guided homeowners through creating their dream backyard retreats. The franchise offers turnkey solutions for custom pools, spas, waterscapes, and landscapes, streamlining the construction process from initial design to final completion.

California Pools began in 1952 when founder Wayne Steimle built a pool in his backyard, inspiring neighbors to want their own. The brand expanded nationwide and launched franchising in 2018. If you are interested in learning more about California Pools or becoming a franchise partner, you can learn more at www.californiapools.com

New Flexible Demand-enabled systems help pool owners reduce energy costs, support grid stability, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

LONDON — September 2025— Pentair Pool, a leading global provider of smart, sustainable pool solutions, today announced that it has added Flexible Demand (FD) capabilities to its pool automation equipment. This suite of smart, cloud-connected features allows pool equipment to respond to energy grid demand signals, helping support energy balance during peak hours and contributing to a more resilient, sustainable energy future. FD reinforces Pentair Pool’s commitment to helping the world safely and sustainably enjoy water, life’s most essential resource.

Starting September 29, Pentair Pool’s IntelliFlo3® VSF Pool Pump and IntelliCenter® Pool Control System will have the capability to support FD programs offered by utility companies. When offered, consumers in the area will then have the ability to seamlessly enroll and participate via the Pentair Pool app. After enrolling, systems will wirelessly connect with utility providers, report real-time energy usage, and automatically respond to energy grid signals accordingly. These FD-enabled systems come out-of-the-box ready with data-use transparency and customer consent features built in.

Key features of Pentair Pool’s FD-enabled systems include:

• Wireless connectivity and real-time energy reporting
• Seamless enrollment via the Pentair Pool app
• Transparent data use and customer consent protocols
• Out-of-the-box FD readiness for new devices

“Flexible Demand helps pool owners optimize energy use, save money, and support the grid
automatically,” said Laura Bednasz, General Manager, Automation and Lights, Pentair Pool. “We’re giving our customers the flexibility to make smarter energy choices and drive a more sustainable future, without compromising the performance they expect from Pentair equipment.”

Pentair has plans to offer FD capabilities in all applicable products nationwide, no matter what state they are being used in. Customers who opt-in to FD programs help stabilize their respective energy grids by shifting usage away from peak times, reducing strain on the energy grid and supporting sustainability. Depending on their location, pool owners may also receive cashback rewards for participating, making it a win-win for both the environment and their wallets.

Flexible Demand further positions Pentair as a leader in energy-conscious pool technology, supporting California’s latest energy initiatives, and giving consumers more control and more choices over their energy consumption. To learn more about Flexible Demand and how Pentair is shaping the future of smart pool solutions, visit pentair.com/energy-initiatives/flexible-demand.

About Pentair Pool

Pentair Pool is a Pentair plc business. At Pentair, we help the world safely and sustainably move, improve, and enjoy water, life’s most essential resource. From our residential and business solutions to industrial water management and everything in between, Pentair is focused on smart, sustainable water solutions that help our planet and people thrive.

As an industry leader in the pool and spa space, Pentair Pool is driven to help people sustainably enjoy water. Our solutions include industry-leading pumps, automation, lighting, heating, and filtration technology that help our customers enjoy a smarter and more sustainable pool. Customer success is at the heart of our vision for a splash-tastic future bringing family and friends together to build social connections, create lifelong memories, and help promote fitness and enjoyment.

For more information, visit www.pentair.com/poolandspa.

Media Contact:
Heather Morris
[email protected]
+1 612 206 2579

Aiper, a global leader in cordless robotic pool cleaners, is proud to announce a strategic agreement with Pool Corporation (Nasdaq/GSM: POOL), the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies, equipment, pool building materials, and related outdoor living products.

Beginning in 2026, independent retailers, pool builders, and service companies across North America and beyond will have access to Aiper’s full suite of innovative robotic pool cleaners, including exclusive products, through POOLCORP’s global B2B supply chain of over 450 locations. By partnering with the industry’s most trusted distributor, Aiper will deepen its commitment to the trade, delivering innovative, high-performance robotic cleaners that serve the evolving needs of modern, affordable pool care.

“This innovative agreement with POOLCORP marks a significant milestone in Aiper’s growth strategy,” said Richard Wang, Founder and CEO of Aiper. “It opens the door to the most influential network of industry professionals in the pool and outdoor living space, and we’re excited to bring our products to retailers and pool professionals who value quality, performance, and innovation.”

POOLCORP, the world’s largest distributor of swimming pool supplies and outdoor products, maintains the industry’s most extensive on-hand inventory network – offering over 200,000 products for over 2,000 leading manufacturers and vendors. Adding Aiper to POOLCORP’s extensive supplier portfolio reflects the distributor’s focus on delivering products that give independent retailers and service professionals a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

“The pool industry is in need of innovation. Our intent is to be the delivery vehicle to accelerate innovation and ultimately enhance our customers’ experience and that of every pool owner. As the leading distributor in the sector, it’s been our long-standing commitment to partner with those who share the same vision for growth,” said Jonathan Pechon, Vice President of Supply Chain and Operations for POOLCORP. “Our partnership with Aiper brings one of the most in-demand and innovative product categories to market, advancing cordless robotic cleaner technology and creating unprecedented opportunities for industry professionals and independent retailers to offer these products to pool owners nationwide,” Pechon added.

About Aiper

Aiper is the global pioneer of cordless robotic pool cleaning technology and a leader in smart yard product solutions. Through its “Bring Vacation Home” campaign, Aiper empowers homeowners to transform their backyards into a personal vacation retreat with the help of innovative, smarter, and greener product solutions that effortlessly handle pool and lawn maintenance to save time, money, and energy. From state-of-the-art pool cleaners to intelligent irrigation systems, Aiper delivers a comprehensive backyard ecosystem of products that simplify outdoor maintenance so users can enjoy more leisure and fun. Renowned for excellence, Aiper products have garnered prestigious awards, including the Red Dot Design Award, the iF Design Award, and editorial awards from USA Today and TWICE. Additionally, Aiper has been recognized as a CES Innovation Awards honoree in 2023, 2024, and 2025, underscoring its commitment to pioneering smart yard solutions.

For additional information about Aiper, please visit Aiper.com or follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.

About Pool Corporation

Pool Corporation (Nasdaq/GSM: POOL) is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool and related backyard products. POOL operates over 450 sales centers in North America, Europe and Australia through which it distributes more than 200,000 products to roughly 125,000 wholesale customers. For more information about POOLCORP, please visit www.poolcorp.com. Or, if you’re a pool industry professional, please visit www.POOL360.com to shop now.