Press Releases
Pinch A Penny Named Presenting Sponsor of Special Olympics Texas Summer Games
CLEARWATER, FL (May 12, 2022) – Pinch A Penny, the nation’s largest swimming pool retail and backyard services franchise, is honored to be named the presenting sponsor for the Special Olympics Texas 2022 Summer Games, which will take place May 12-15 at Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, Texas.
This is the fourth year Pinch A Penny’s charitable giving program, Be the Splash, is sponsoring Special Olympics Texas’ (SOTX) largest annual competition, which features soccer, tennis, cycling, track and field, and FUNdamental Sports. Pinch A Penny prides itself on supporting nonprofit organizations whose mission is to promote competitive swimming and fitness programs centered around or in the pool, as well as national programming or services addressing swim safety. Local Pinch A Penny franchisees, Phillip and Valerie Ott, will be volunteering their services at SOTX for their second year in a row.

Pinch A Penny is America’s largest swimming pool retailer with over 270 locally owned and operated stores providing customers with a complete line of best-in-class pool chemicals, equipment, repair parts, and accessories. In addition to pool supply retail, Pinch A Penny offers ongoing maintenance and repair services including water testing and pool service, as well as pool renovations, pressure washing, landscape lighting and more.
“Our goal is to join forces with great nonprofit organizations like Special Olympics Texas to place an emphasis on promoting healthy living in and around the pool,” said Kendall Large, Vice President of Marketing for Pinch A Penny. “As an organization, we are amazed by the dedication and athleticism of these athletes, and are proud to support each and every one of them in their pursuit of a gold medal,” Kendall added.
Pinch A Penny continues to prioritize its 21-year-relationship with the Special Olympics, a valuable partnership that began in Florida and expanded to Texas in 2019. Since then, Pinch A Penny has garnered the title of Special Olympics aquatic sponsor, Fall Classic Games presenting sponsor, and Summer Games presenting sponsor.
“Giving back to the community is one of our top priorities as a local Pinch A Penny store owner,” said Valerie Ott, owner of the Vineyard Pinch A Penny franchise in San Antonio. “We are passionate San Antonio residents who want to make a difference in any way we can. We look forward to volunteering and rooting for the athletes – it’s truly become an exciting tradition for us.”
Pinch A Penny strongly believes in inclusion, especially with swimming and fitness activities. The organization hopes to further uphold that stance by supporting athletes and their experience at the Texas Special Olympics Summer Games.
About Pinch A Penny Pool Patio Spa
Founded in 1975, Pinch A Penny Pool Patio Spa continues to expand beyond its 270 locations across the Southeastern U.S. and Texas. Priding itself on its superior customer service and expertise, the brand has been featured in various top industry rankings including the Entrepreneur Franchise 500, Franchise Business Review Top 200, Franchise Gator Top 100, and Franchise Times Top 200+, as well as Franchise Business Review’s Top Franchises for Women and Top Franchises for Veterans. Additionally, Pinch A Penny was selected as the silver winner for Franchise Update’s prestigious STAR Award for Franchisee Satisfaction.
While economic downturns have handicapped businesses across the country over time, Pinch A Penny has exhibited growth for more than 45 years. In fact, Pinch A Penny’s positive financial performance during the pandemic earned the company a spot as one of the Top 50 Recession-Proof Franchises by Franchise Business Review. For more information about Pinch A Penny, please visit https://pinchapenny.com/. To learn more about becoming a local Pinch A Penny franchise owner in your community, visit PinchAPennyPoolFranchise.com.
News
Invis-A-Rope™ Gives Automatic Pool Covers Aesthetically Pleasing Look
Exclusive Invis-A-Rope™ from Automatic Pool Covers, Inc. is designed to blend seamlessly into the pool track for a nearly invisible finish that customers love. Its dark gray color is intentionally engineered to match the pool coping and be virtually invisible within the track, unlike more visible alternatives from other manufacturers. As a key component of the THREE·SIXTY·FIVE™ automatic pool cover system, Invis-A-Rope™ enhances overall pool aesthetics while maintaining functionality, delivering a discreet design that remains virtually unseen by swimmers and end users.
Automatic Pool Covers Inc.
(800) 878-5789
About 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.
Manufacturer
Fluidra Acquires Datapool to Lead Digitalization and Efficiency in the Pool Sector
Fluidra, the global leader in pool and wellness equipment and connected solutions, has announced the acquisition of Datapool, the digital twin platform developed by Ecotropy. With this transaction, the company reinforces its strategic commitment to sustainability, operational efficiency and the digitalization of the sector.
The transaction represents the evolution of a collaboration that began in 2024, when Fluidra invested in Ecotropy through Fluidra Ventures, its Corporate Venture Capital fund focused on startups with the potential to transform the pool and wellness sector through technological innovation.
With this acquisition, Datapool becomes fully integrated into Fluidra’s digital ecosystem for commercial pools, consolidating its role as a key part of the company’s value proposition. The platform incorporates advanced analytics capabilities, IoT solutions and real-time data within an open and scalable architecture, in line with the company’s strategy to offer connected and sustainable solutions that maximize the efficiency of aquatic facilities and accelerate the transition towards smarter management models.
Datapool outfits aquatic facilities with digital twins, enabling pools to be managed using reliable, real-time data and replacing management models based on estimates or manual supervision.
In this way, the platform simulates the optimal operation of each facility and continuously compares it with variables such as energy consumption, occupancy, weather conditions and water quality, providing a comprehensive view that helps anticipate incidents, optimize resources and improve operational performance.
Thanks to this technology, operators can reduce operating costs by 10% to 25% by optimizing water and energy consumption without the need for construction works or invasive interventions; monitor and adjust key parameters such as temperature, water quality and occupancy in real time; automate management through predictive models that adapt climate control and operations to real demand; generate automatic reports with traceable data for audits, tenders or grant applications; and plan investments and improvements based on objective data.
“This acquisition marks a milestone in our digitalization strategy. Datapool allows us to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent pool management model, improving efficiency, reducing environmental impact and offering our customers data-driven tools to make better decisions,” said Thorsten Muck, Commercial Pool Director at Fluidra.
Press Releases
Pool Industry Accelerates Digital Transformation with POOLCORP and JobTread as Tech Stacks Become More Connected
Dallas, TX — The pool and outdoor living industry is accelerating its digital transformation as more builders adopt connected tech stacks to increase efficiency across every phase of a project. The newly launched JobTread and POOLCORP integration signals this shift toward smarter, fully integrated construction workflows.
JobTread, a construction management platform trusted by more than 10,000 companies, today announced its new integration with POOLCORP, the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies and outdoor living products. This integration helps contractors connect estimating, purchasing, and project management in one streamlined workflow.
Launched in 2021, JobTread’s rapid growth reflects how quickly contractors are embracing project management software. In just a few years, the platform has seen a meteoric rise in adoption. That momentum signals a larger industry shift away from legacy solutions and toward integrated systems.
“Pool builders are becoming more strategic in how they use technology,” said Eric Fortenberry, Founder and CEO of JobTread. “They want systems that work together. Launching this new integration with POOLCORP helps contractors order materials quickly and seamlessly while delivering a better customer experience.”
The integration gives contractors direct access to POOLCORP’s full product catalog—including inventory, pricing, and ordering—while managing projects within JobTread. This includes access to National Pool Trends (NPT), POOLCORP’s leading building materials brand, trusted by builders and subcontractors for new pool construction and complete remodels. By connecting estimating directly to ordering across materials, finishes, and equipment, the integration helps streamline workflows, reduce errors, and accelerate project timelines.
For POOLCORP, the collaboration represents continued investment in digital innovation. As contractor expectations evolve, distributors and software providers are working more closely to support modern, connected workflows.
“Technology is reshaping how pool professionals operate,” said Todd Marshall, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of POOLCORP. “Partnering with platforms like JobTread is part of our broader commitment to building a more connected ecosystem for our customers. We will continue investing in integrations that help simplify workflows, accelerate project execution, and enable our customers to run their businesses faster and more efficiently.”
About JobTread
JobTread provides construction management software designed to help contractors streamline operations, improve financial visibility, and deliver exceptional project experiences. Launched in 2021 and trusted by more than 10,000 construction companies, JobTread combines estimating, scheduling, communication, job costing, and reporting in a single system, giving contractors real-time financial visibility across every project. Learn more at www.jobtread.com.
About POOLCORP
POOLCORP is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related outdoor living products. Serving thousands of professionals across the industry, POOLCORP supports contractors with a broad product offering, including National Pool Trends (NPT), and a growing focus on digital innovation and connected customer experiences.
JobTread Contact:
Taylor Crosby
Director of Marketing
[email protected]
POOLCORP Contact:
Kendall Large
Vice President of Marketing
[email protected]
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