Industry News
Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Announces 2025 Superlative Award Recipients
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry, is proud to announce the winners of its 2025 Superlative Awards, including Builder of the Year, Service Professional of the Year, Retailer of the Year, International Hot Tub Association (IHTA) Hot Tub Retailer of the Year, Young Professional of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and Chapter of the Year.
The 2025 PHTA Superlative Award winners will be recognized during the PHTA Awards of Excellence Reception on October 21 in Las Vegas, NV, as part of the International Pool Spa Patio Expo.
“This year’s PHTA Superlative Awards truly show the breadth, depth, and strength of our industry,” says Sabeena Hickman, CAE, President & CEO of PHTA. “These individuals and organizations understand the importance of raising up those around them, which in turn elevates the pool, spa, and hot tub industry as a whole. I am so impressed by their dedication and commitment to their craft. Congratulations to all 2025 PHTA Superlative Award winners!”
2025 PHTA Superlative Award Winners
This year’s award winners are as follows:
Builder of the Year
Mike Church, Cody Pools
The Builder of the Year Award is a peer-nominated award given annually to one PHTA builder member who has advanced the pool building profession through outstanding achievements and dedication to the industry.
Mike Church, President and CEO of Cody Pools, took over the company in 2003, overseeing 19 employees and two offices. Over the last two decades, Church has successfully grown the company and now leads more than 500 employees across three states. Church leads with integrity and transparency, upholding ethical standards and significantly influencing the pool industry as a whole. He believes in the importance of continuing education and has many certified professionals on staff. This commitment to excellence has led to Cody Pools being named the number one pool builder in America for the past 13 years in a row by Pool and Spa News. Church is known throughout the industry as a respected leader and innovator.

Service Professional of the Year
Nicholas LaPointe, Golden State Pools
The Service Professional of the Year Award is a peer-nominated award given annually to one PHTA service member who has advanced the service profession through outstanding achievements and dedication to the industry.
Nicholas LaPointe, Owner of Golden State Pools, understands the importance of customer loyalty. Golden State Pools has been a family-run company since 1980 and today has 1,300 accounts—the majority of which are more than 10 years old. LaPointe was born into the business and uses that historical knowledge to build longstanding relationships with vendors, suppliers, and clients alike. He successfully completed the PHTA Leadership Certificate Program powered by Cornell University, a sign of his commitment to elevating his company and his team. LaPointe is a Certified Pool & Spa Operator (CPO) and is currently on the path towards becoming a Certified Master Pool Builder & Design Professional (MCBP).

Retailer of the Year
Mike Todd, Rainbow Pools & Living Art Design
The Retailer of the Year Award is a peer-nominated award recognizing one outstanding retailer who has advanced the retail profession through outstanding achievements and dedication to the industry. This award is sponsored by RB Retail & Service Software.
Mike Todd, President of Rainbow Pools & Living Art Designs, is an industry leader with a deep commitment to raising the industry’s standards. Todd leads with positivity and respect, earning the trust of both his staff and his customers. Todd was previously named the BioGuard Retailer of the Year and serves on the Northeast Spa & Pool Association (NESPA) Board of Directors. He understands the importance of giving back and supports Step Into Swim, PHTA’s drowning prevention initiative. Todd holds several industry certifications, including Certified Builder Professional (CBP), Certified Pool & Spa Service Professional (CSP), and CPO.

IHTA Hot Tub Retailer of the Year
Scott Clark, The Spa and Sauna Co.
The International Hot Tub Association (IHTA) Hot Tub Retailer of the Year Award is a peer-nominated award recognizing one outstanding hot tub retailer who has advanced the hot tub retail profession through outstanding achievements and dedication to the hot tub industry.
Scott Clark, Owner and Operator of The Spa and Sauna Co., exemplifies unwavering commitment and leadership within the pool and hot tub industry. He and his team continually demonstrate excellence through customer care, innovation, and industry advocacy. Clark is an active member of the IHTA Retailer Subcommittee and helps develop training and education for other hot tub retailers. He is known for his humble leadership, commitment to innovation, and deep knowledge of the hot tub industry. Clark believes in the power of collaboration and openly shares best practices with other businesses.

Volunteer of the Year
Steve Barnes, AquaStar Pool Products
The Volunteer of the Year Award is bestowed upon one prominent individual each year who has made distinguished contributions that raise professionalism in the aquatic community through their volunteering with PHTA.
Steve Barnes, Director of Science and Compliance at AquaStar Pool Products, demonstrates a steadfast commitment to advancing the pool and hot tub industry. He has served on countless industry committees, including the PHTA Standards Process Committee, PHTA-16 Standard Writing Committee, PHTA Technical Advisory Council, and International Code Council (ICC) International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) Code Development Committee. Over his 40-year career in the industry, he has worked tirelessly to improve and enhance industry standards that keep swimmers and professionals safe.

Young Professionals of the Year
The Young Professional of the Year Award is a peer-nominated award recognizing a forward-thinking leader under the age of 40 who will be the voice and next generation of pool and spa professionals. In 2025, PHTA recognizes two outstanding young professionals.
Alexa Blanda, Mill Bergen Pools
Alexa Blanda, Service Manager at Mill Bergen Pools, sets an example for all pool professionals with her dedication, innovation, and leadership. She has already had a meaningful impact on the industry through serving on the NESPA Membership Committee, chairing the PHTA Service Council, championing the PHTA Registered Apprenticeship Programs, and collaborating on the PHTA Service Technician Manual used by thousands of certified professionals. Blanda is a Certified Pool & Spa Maintenance Specialist (CMS) and a Certified Pool & Spa Service Technician (CST) who cares deeply about strengthening the entire industry.

Johnathan Nies, Counsilman-Hunsaker
Johnathan Nies, Project Director at Counsilman-Hunsaker, is dedicated to advancing the safety and standards of the pool and hot tub industry. He is a PHTA CPO Instructor, leading all CPO courses at Counsilman-Hunsaker to ensure that his colleagues are well-trained in safety practices and regulatory compliance. He is known for his professionalism, integrity, leadership, and dedication and is deeply committed to advancing the industry through innovation, education, and steadfast dedication to excellence.

Chapter of the Year
Penn-Jersey Pool & Spa Association
The Chapter of the Year Award recognizes one outstanding chapter that has set a stellar example for the organization, advancing and enhancing the industry through strong leadership, community outreach, and providing their members with the highest quality of programs, activities, and services.
The Penn-Jersey Pool & Spa Association has successfully grown into a robust pool and spa industry community, with hundreds of engaged members. From giving pool and hot tub professionals a break during the busy season to enjoy a Phillies game, to launching the Women in the Industry (WITI) Walk to raise funding and awareness for drowning prevention, to hosting a hospitality event at the annual Pool & Spa Show, this chapter knows how to create and sustain a dedicated base. Everything the Penn-Jersey Pool & Spa Association does is in support of making the industry stronger and the community more connected.

For more information, please contact Amy Willer, PHTA’s Director of Content and Communications, at [email protected] or 703-838-0083, ext. 121.
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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.
Industry News
Latham Rings Nasdaq Opening Bell Commemorating 70th Anniversary & 5 Year IPO
Latham Group, Inc. – the largest designer and manufacturer of in-ground residential swimming pools in North America, Australia and New Zealand, visited the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square.
The team at Latham proudly rang the Nasdaq Opening Bell. The industry leader took a moment to celebrate its 70th anniversary and five years as a public company, highlighting continued growth, strong market performance, and resilience in a shifting residential construction landscape.
The achievement follows a year of solid performance for Latham Group Inc., which reported 7% year-over-year revenue growth in 2025, even as the broader residential construction market faced ongoing economic headwinds.

In a statement on LinkedIn, the company said:
“For seven decades, innovation has been at the core of what we do, made possible by the trusted builders and partners who bring these backyards to life every day.
Together, we’ve helped transform backyards into spaces where families gather and memories are made.
Here’s to 70 years of progress, partnership, and what we’ll build next!”
Photo Credit: Latham, The Pool Company
Industry News
SPS PoolCare Expands Enterprise Platform with ServiceTitan
SPS’s Recent Acquisition of Pool Troopers Accelerates Company’s Investment in Scaled Infrastructure with ServiceTitan Powering Over 30 Branch Locations Across Five States and Standardizing Operations across the Service Cycle
LOS ANGELES – March 17, 2026— ServiceTitan (Nasdaq: TTAN), the software platform that powers the trades, today announced that SPS PoolCare, the largest residential swimming pool services platform in the United States, is standardizing their 30+ branch locations across five states on the ServiceTitan platform. By unifying their family of brands on ServiceTitan, SPS will leverage a single, enterprise-grade system to unify its vast operations, accelerate its high-velocity acquisition strategy, and scale its platform.
“SPS is demonstrating how purpose-built technology can transform a traditionally fragmented industry,” said Connor Theilmann, Chief Business Officer of ServiceTitan. “Their leadership team has made a deliberate investment in enterprise infrastructure, and we’re proud to support their continued growth. Standardizing on ServiceTitan will allow SPS to meet the needs of a large, multi-location operation, with Fraser Ramseyer, Storr Group, and the SPS leadership team making this one of the most seamless large-scale integrations we’ve ever seen.”
The move reflects SPS PoolCare’s continued investment in enterprise-grade infrastructure, as it advances its position as the dominant market leader in a highly fragmented industry. Founded in 2021 and backed by Storr Group, an investment firm that builds and scales industry-leading platforms, SPS PoolCare operates across Texas, Florida, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia, where it employs more than 1,000 team members and is on track to perform more than two million weekly recurring pool services in 2026. ServiceTitan’s cloud-based platform serves as SPS PoolCare’s technology backbone, enabling SPS to manage complexity across geography, workforce scale, and service frequency.
“We’ve worked closely with the ServiceTitan team for several years, and this decision reflects the trust and alignment we’ve built as long-term partners,” said Lance Martin, CEO and COO of SPS PoolCare. “Our objective has always been to build a durable platform that enables our team to deliver exceptional service to our customers. Standardizing on ServiceTitan gives us the operational visibility, integration speed, and performance discipline required to scale responsibly and create long-term value.”
Ranked #1 on Pool and Spa News Top 50 Service list, SPS continues to solidify its position as the industry leader, driven by the company’s ability to pair high-velocity revenue growth with a deep commitment to staff training and retention, active industry leadership, and an early adopter of innovative technology within the pool service space. SPS PoolCare is dedicated to the communities it serves, ensuring that its national scale translates into a positive local impact across its entire service footprint.
“From inception, our thesis at Storr Group has been to build the pool industry’s first scaled category-defining operating platform,” Fraser Ramseyer, CEO of Storr Group and Founder of SPS PoolCare. “Technology is not ancillary to that vision – it is foundational. ServiceTitan provides the infrastructure necessary to integrate acquisitions efficiently, drive operational consistency, and support disciplined expansion.”
SPS PoolCare’s focus on being the employer-of-choice is supported by ServiceTitan’s mobile-first capabilities, which empower their over 1,000 staff team members with the tools they need to succeed in the field.
ServiceTitan continues to invest in purpose-built technology for the pool industry, offering features like route optimization, automated chemical tracking, and integrated project management for renovations. By providing real-time visibility into multi-location operations, ServiceTitan enables enterprise-scale businesses like SPS PoolCare to make data-driven decisions that fuel organic growth.
About ServiceTitan ServiceTitan is the software platform that powers trades businesses. The company’s cloud-based, end-to-end solution gives contractors the tools they need to run and grow their business, manage their back office, and provide a stellar customer experience. By bringing an integrated SaaS platform to an industry historically underserved by technology, ServiceTitan is equipping tradespeople with the technology they need to keep the world running.
About SPS PoolCare
As the #1 swimming pool services company in the United States, SPS PoolCare is on track to perform over 2,000,000 weekly recurring pool services in 2026 and employs more than 1,000 staff across five states. Backed by Storr Group, the company is focused on growing its family of brands across the Sun Belt, as it continues to make owning a pool a joy. SPS PoolCare is committed to creating a world-class service experience for its customers and being an employer-of-choice for its team members. Read more at spspoolcare.com.
About Storr Group
Storr Group is an operationally focused lower-middle-market private equity firm that backs, builds, and scales industry-leading platforms. With a rich background in business building, Storr combines world-class operators with strategic M&A, deep integration, and sophisticated technology to drive sustainable growth and long-term value. To partner today, visit storrgroup.com.
Press Contact
Max Wertheimer
ServiceTitan, Inc.
© 2026 ServiceTitan. All rights reserved. ServiceTitan, the ServiceTitan logo, and all ServiceTitan product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or unregistered trademarks of ServiceTitan, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other brand names and marks mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks of their respective holder(s).
Industry News
Honoring the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Pool Pro Award Winners With Pentair Pool
Celebrating the long-standing industry leaders whose dedication, vision,
and service-first mindset have shaped the future of the aquatics industry.
The Pentair Pool Pro Awards shine a spotlight on pool professionals who elevate the
standard of excellence — those who champion safety, embrace innovation, and support
the next generation of industry talent. Among this year’s honorees, the Lifetime
Achievement Award holds special significance. It recognizes individuals whose years of
service, leadership, and impact have left lasting imprints on their teams, their customers,
and the pool community at large.
The 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award winners exemplify what it means to lead with
purpose. Their stories reflect a shared commitment to uplifting others, advancing the
industry, and showing what’s possible through hard work, humility, and a dedication to
doing things the right way.

Lifetime Achievement Award Winner: Shannon Jones
Owner, Graves Pools and Spas | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
For Shannon Jones, the pool industry is more than a career — it’s a legacy. Celebrating 50
years in business, Graves Pools and Spas has been family-run for generations, and Jones is
proud to continue the mission her grandfather began… And share it with all three of her
children, who are also involved in the business. Early in her leadership journey, she created
a personal mission statement that still guides her today: to make a positive difference in
every life she meets.
That philosophy is woven through her business. Guided by servant leadership, Jones
focuses first on caring for her team, trusting that empowered employees deliver
exceptional experiences for customers. “The more I take care of them,” she says, “the more
they feel fulfilled, and the more they care for others.” Many members of her management
team have been with the company for 16, 18, even 25 years, a testament to her example-driven approach.
Jones’ commitment to excellence shows up in everyday actions, from celebrating safe
driving with the company’s “Golden Steering Wheel” award, to openly acknowledging and
correcting mistakes as part of a culture rooted in honesty. And her impact extends beyond
the business. Graves Pools and Spas supports swim education across three local YMCA chapters, providing equipment and services free of charge and hosting swim lessons in the
company’s pools. “If we save one child from drowning,” she says, “it would be worth
everything we give.”
As automation and A.I. reshape the industry, Jones is focused on bringing modern tools to
both residential and commercial customers, helping her community stay ahead of the
curve. And with all three of her children now part of the company, the future feels bright.
“Our opportunities are limitless,” she says. “And the more we grow, the more positive
differences we get to make. I’m honored to be recognized with this award, but having the
ability to make a difference in the world through my company, I’ve already won big time.”
Lifetime Achievement Award Winner: Sean Johnson
Executive Vice President, Field Services, Amenity Pool Services | New York City, NY
For Sean Johnson, the pool industry became a calling long before it became a career.
Growing up in New York City, Johnson didn’t learn to swim until he was a teenager, but he
was hooked from the moment he did. That first experience sparked a passion for aquatics
and lifeguarding that eventually led him to a career path, where he rose from an entry-level
role to leading an entire office by age 20.
Johnson’s lifelong dedication is rooted in helping people build meaningful careers. Whether
mentoring young lifeguards, developing leaders, or promoting from within, he has always
believed the strongest customer relationships start with strong teams. Throughout his
career with The Amenity Collective, a leader in aquatics, fitness, and recreation solutions,
Sean has been instrumental in the growth of its aquatics platform, including American Pool
and Amenity Pool Services, while mentoring field teams and building operational depth and
process across the organization. Under his leadership, his New York office grew from 40
commercial customers to more than 300, maintaining one of the highest customer
retention rates in the region.
His commitment to going above and beyond is perhaps best illustrated through his work
with Erickson Senior Living. Tasked with automating pools across dozens of properties,
Johnson personally visited every location — traveling more than 200 nights over three years
— to install systems, build relationships, and ensure residents enjoyed safe, perfectly
balanced pools. “It was one of the few things I got exactly right in my life,” he says, laughing.
“I made real personal friends along the way.”
Johnson also contributes beyond the industry, giving his time to Boy Scouts of America by
restoring trail systems, writing hiking guides, and continuing to serve as a scout leader. He’s
also a proud member of his local high school’s board.
Winning the Lifetime Achievement Award, he says, feels deeply personal. “I’ve worked in
this business my whole life,” Johnson shares. “To be recognized like this… it means
everything to me. I hope it shows young people that the pool industry is a real career —
something you can grow in, lead in, and truly be proud of. And beyond that, it’s just plain
fun!”
Celebrating All the 2025 Pentair Pool Pro Award Winners
In addition to the Lifetime Achievement honorees, Pentair recognized winners across
multiple categories, including Premier Pool Pro, Unsung Hero, Safety Advocate, and
Advancing Automation. Visit www.pentair.com/en-us/pool-spa/pool-pro-awards to meet
all the remarkable individuals shaping the future of pools one customer at a time.
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