Press Releases
Premier Pools and Spas Opens Locations in Virginia Beach, VA, and Lubbock, TX
PPAS is the largest pool builder in the world. They’ve won numerous awards, including the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) International Award of Excellence for Design. Premier was recently recognized as one of the top 500 franchises in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500®.
The President of Premier Franchise Management, Aaron Gurley, is proud to announce the owners of each location: John Witte & Chip Rudolph in Virginia Beach and Kevin Romero in Lubbock.
Premier continues building its reputation for innovative design and excellent customer service with these new additions. And it all begins with an in-home consultation where Premier works with each client to bring their backyard vision to life without going over budget.

“As we continue to grow, we invite you to explore the opportunity we are presenting you with.”
~ Paul Porter, founder
Premier began offering franchise opportunities in 2014 to like-minded entrepreneurs with high standards for quality and value. If you’re interested in owning a Premier franchise, please visit premierpoolsfranchise.com or call (844) 366-2102.
Virginia Beach, VA | Owner: John Witte & Chip Rudolf
After visiting PPAS in California, John and Chip discovered that Premier aligned with their values and entrepreneurial spirit. They decided to seize the opportunity and establish a family business to pass down to future generations.
John Witte has been in advertising and sales since 1996. He worked as an Account Executive for the Virginia Pilot Newspaper, Local Sales Manager for WVEC (ABC), and Director of Local Sales for WTKR News 3 (CBS). Chip Rudolf is the President of Rudolf Construction and formerly the Director of Preconstruction with KBS, VP of Construction with Advantis, and Project Managers with Armada Hoffler Construction.
John Witte and Chip Rudolf are local guys who love Virginia Beach are eager to serve their community. John graduated from Old Dominion University with a BS in Business Administration. John is married to Wendy, and they have two boys–Luke and Ethan. Chip Rudolf is a Graduate of Virginia Tech in Building Construction. He is married to Christy, and they have three children–Carley, Chase, and Cobe.
Lubbock, TX | Owners: Kevin Romero
Before joining the Premier family, Kevin Romero spent 15 years owning and operating a custom home building business where he built pools alongside the homes he constructed. Kevin’s knowledge of the construction industry and his attention to detail make him an ideal candidate to represent Premier Pools & Spas in Lubbock, Texas. “I chose Premier because of their business model, which inspires growth across many markets, including fiberglass and pool service.”
Kevin and his wife, Lacy, have two children. Their son, Kase, plays football at Lubbock Cooper. Their daughter, Preslee, loves to play basketball. Kevin and Lacy grew up in the Lubbock area and attended Texas Tech University.
About Premier Pools & Spas
Founded in 1988, Premier Pools & Spas (PPAS) has a reputation for first-class results within the customer’s budget.
Owner/CEO Paul Porter and his son, Brian Porter, hosted season 7 of the DIY TV show Pool Kings, where they built ten spectacular pools.
PPAS builds and services swimming pools and spas for homeowners across the country.
News
New Poolsafe Removable Mesh Safety Fences available in 4 colors
Poolsafe LLC, offers its new mesh, removable safety fencing with four color options. Built to provide an extra layer of protection around swimming pools, this fencing comes with patented heat-welded borders and poles in brown, beige, gray, and black colors to match the latest in backyard décor.
The fence’s patented ClearGuard™ Mesh comes in a black color offering superior visibility and a low-profile look that homeowners love. The Triton™ Gate is lockable and self-closing, with a curved top bar to deter climbing and a Tri-Pod Truss system that maintains alignment under heavy daily use — meaning fewer callbacks for your crew. Available in both 4ft and 5ft heights.
Four colors. Two heights. One reliable pool fence.
https://poolsafe.com/
(888) 489-2282
About Poolsafe, LLC
Poolsafe is a manufacturer of high-quality pool safety fences and a trusted provider of installation, replacement, and service for both fences and automatic pool covers throughout California. Poolsafe is committed to helping create safer backyard environments with durable, professionally installed safety solutions.
News
2026 Coverings Installation & Design Award Winners Announced
March 31, 2026 – LAS VEGAS – Coverings (coverings.com), the largest international event for
the ceramic tile and natural stone industry in North America, has presented Coverings
Installation & Design (CID) Awards to 25 remarkable projects for their artistry and innovative use of materials for tile and stone applications. The 2026 award recipients were celebrated during the CID Awards Reception & Ceremony, held March 31 at Coverings 2026 in Las Vegas,
Nevada.
Architects, builders, contractors, designers, installers and other professionals in the tile and
stone industry showcased their creative design work and masterful installation skills through the annual CID Awards program. The 2026 winners were recognized for their admirable
achievements in the design and installation of tile and stone across residential, institutional and commercial projects.
Projects were judged by a panel of editors and industry leaders who assessed the project
submissions based on nine design and installation categorical designations: Artistic Installation, Commercial Ceramic Tile Design, Commercial Ceramic Tile Installation, Commercial Stone Design, Commercial Stone Installation, Residential Ceramic Tile Design, Residential Ceramic Tile Installation, Residential Stone Design and Residential Stone Installation.
Project entries receiving special recognition were awarded across the following 11 categories:
Artistic Design, Artistic Design: Cultural Institution, Artistic Design: Transportation, Commercial Ceramic Tile Design, Commercial Ceramic Installation, Exterior Porcelain Panel Installation, Glass Tile Pool Design, International Design, Residential Ceramic Tile Design: Penthouse, Residential Stone Design and Residential Stone Installation.
2026 CID Award Winners – Design and Installation:
Artistic Installation
San Diego International Airport
All Source Company Building Group
San Diego, Calif., United States
Commercial Ceramic Tile Design
The Club @ Crafted Clermont
Visual Studio Plus
Clermont, Fla., United States
Commercial Ceramic Tile Installation
Grand Helios Hotel
David Allen Company
Orlando, Fla., United States
Commercial Stone Design
Cote Korean Steakhouse at The Venetian
M.Teixeira Soapstone
Las Vegas, Nev., United States
Commercial Stone Design
Gipson Play Plaza Feature Wall
MVVA / NEW YORK QUARRIES
Raleigh, N.C., United States
Commercial Stone Installation
Utah State Capitol – North Capitol Building
KEPCO+
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Residential Ceramic Tile Design
Odyssey
Ryan Hughes Design
Tampa, Fla., United States
Residential Ceramic Tile Design
MIRAVILLE
Vivid Decor Design
Miami, Fla., United States
Residential Ceramic Tile Installation
Tile Artistry In The West Hills
Columbia River Tile & Stone Inc.
Portland, Ore., United States
Residential Stone Design
Splendid Retreat
EOLO A & I DESIGN
Miami, Fla., United States
Residential Stone Installation
Private Orlando Estate with Ventilated Limestone Facade
Stone Tile Group
Orlando, Fla., United States
2026 CID Award Winners – Special Recognitions:
Artistic Design
“Woven Earth” at the Nashville Zoo
Rhoda Kahler LLC
Nashville, Tenn., United States
Artistic Design: Cultural Institution
El Llamado
Siempre Estudio Creativo
Chicago, Ill., United States
Commercial Ceramic Tile Design
Heritage Valley Mosaic
Koupe Design Studio
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Artistic Design: Transportation
Capstan Station
Interstyle Ceramic & Glass
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Commercial Ceramic Tile Installation
Sub Zero Atlanta Showroom
Gordy Tile Co.
Atlanta, Ga., United States
Commercial Ceramic Tile Installation
1587 Prime Steakhouse
Metro Tile Contractors
Kansas City, Mo., United States
Glass Tile Pool Design
The Legend of Driftwood Hollow
GB IV Designs
Driftwood, Texas, United States
Exterior Porcelain Panel Installation
LUXURIOUS EXTERIOR RETREAT
MODERNO PORCELAIN WORKS
Phoenix, Ariz., United States
International Design
Araruama 231
CILENE LUPI | ARQ + DESIGN
São Paulo, Brazil
International Design
Casa Marratxí
Casas inHAUS
Mallorca, Spain
International Design
Hotel Kimpton Los Monteros
EL EQUIPO CREATIVO
Marbella, Spain
Residential Ceramic Tile Design: Penthouse
Brickell Penthouse
EOLO A & I DESIGN
Miami, Fla., United States
Residential Stone Installation
The Greenwich – Marble Feature Walls
Stonework Tile + Stone
New York, N.Y., United States
Residential Stone Design
European Colonial Haven
Old World Stone Imports Flooring and Design
Mapleton, Utah, United States
The judging panel for the 2026 CID Awards included: Bart Bettiga, National Tile Contractors
Association (NTCA); Catherine Hoy, Frank Advertising, representing Tile of Spain; Chris
Abbate, Novità Communications, representing Ceramics of Italy; Danielle McWilliams, Novità Communications, representing Ceramics of Italy; Eric Astrachan, Tile Council of North America (TCNA); Francisco Brown, Metropolis; Jennifer Richinelli, Stone World; Kelly Doyle, Frank Advertising, representing Tile of Spain; Kathy Meyer, Tile Council of North America (TCNA); Nyle Wadford, Neuse Tile; and Scott Carothers, Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF).
The 2026 CID Awards are sponsored by Stone World and TileLetter.
To learn more about the Coverings Installation & Design (CID) Awards, please visit
Coverings.com/cid-awards.
For more information and to register for Coverings 2026, visit: Coverings.com.
News
Beatbot Unveils iF DESIGN AWARD 2026 Winner Sora 30 along with New Sora 10 for Effortless Spring Cleaning
Award-winning innovation that elevates smart pool care into a simplistic lifestyle expression
Richmond, TX — [Mar 30, 2026] —Beatbot, a global leader in innovative pool robotics, is welcoming the spring season with the launch of two new additions to its Sora lineup: the Beatbot Sora 30, winner of the iF DESIGN AWARD 2026, and the Beatbot Sora 10, a new entry-level model designed to make intelligent pool cleaning more accessible. Built for reliable, hassle-free pool maintenance, the new Sora series helps pool owners tackle seasonal cleaning with powerful performance and thoughtful design.
The newly launched Beatbot Sora series models deliver complete cleaning coverage across floors, walls, waterlines, and platforms. Both the Beatbot Sora 30 and Sora 10 feature powerful 6,800 GPH suction, an ultra-large 5L debris capacity with 150μm filtration, and smart parking for easy retrieval, helping pool owners maintain cleaner water with less effort. The two models also feature bold color accents contrasted with deep black finishes, adding a modern visual touch that complements poolside environments.
Engineered for consistent performance, the robots actively navigate shallow areas and pool platforms, ensuring broad coverage throughout the pool. Powered by Beatbot’s innovative HydroBalance™ Structure, they deliver powerful suction and stable movement throughout the cleaning process.
The award-winning Sora 30 further distinguishes itself with a refined, minimalist design, featuring smooth contours, clean flowing lines, and a distinctive structure that gives it a recognizable look while blending naturally into backyard environments. It also enhances performance with a 10,000mAh battery, supporting up to five hours of floor cleaning for longer cleaning cycles.
The Beatbot Sora 30 is available with an MSRP of $999, while the Beatbot Sora 10 is priced at $699. Consumers now can place their orders on Beatbot’s official website and Amazon.
To provide pool owners with more choice and make spring pool maintenance even easier, Beatbot has also launched its Spring Cleaning promotion. For a limited time, select products are offered at up to 40% off on the Beatbot official website and Amazon.
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