Connect with us

PREMIUM SPONSORS

Press Releases

Step Into Swim Helps Over 6,000 Kids Learn To Swim

Step Into Swim Grants Help Over 6,000 Children Learn To Swim

Published

on

Step Into Swim Program Helps Over 6,000 Kids Learn To Swim

(Alexandria, Va.) – Step Into Swim, an initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), has recently distributed $99,590 in grant funds to 22 facilities across the country, reaching 6,297 children.

Step Into Swim is the philanthropic arm of PHTA, dedicated to drowning prevention. Drowning is the number one cause of unintentional death in children ages 1-4. It has been proven that formal swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 90%, and Step Into Swim’s grants are being used specifically for this purpose.

In May, the PHTA Board of Directors committed to donating $500,000 to fund the Step Into Swim grants. This first round of grants has reached all across the country, from California, Arizona, and Nevada to Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, and many states in between. The grants were distributed to YMCAs, community centers, city parks and recreation departments, camps, and other facilities that are giving swimming lessons to youth in their community.

“I am at a loss of words on the incredible generosity of our PHTA Board of Directors’ recent gift of $500,000 to Step Into Swim,” says Olympian Rowdy Gaines, PHTA Vice President of Partnerships & Development. “With these funds, we will be able to make an immediate impact across the country to so many lesson providers, specifically those who reach out to all of our underserved communities with free or reduced-cost lessons.”

Step Into Swim will continue to distribute grants to more facilities throughout the summer, reaching thousands of children and giving them the life-saving skill of swimming.

To learn more about Step Into Swim, visit www.stepintoswim.org.

For more information, please contact Janay Rickwalder, PHTA’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, at [email protected] or 703.357.3918.

###

About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with nearly 3,500 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $36.5B pool, hot tub and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge and profitability. Additionally, PHTA facilitates the expansion of 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.

5/5 - (3 votes)

Marianne Trusty

Marianne Trusty is a Press Correspondent for the pool & spa industry. A published author and social media influencer reaching over 20 million people around the world each day. Contact Marianne about publishing op-editorials, breaking pool news and press releases at [email protected].

Industry News

Hayward Holdings Names New Chief Accounting Officer

Published

on

CHARLOTTE, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Hayward Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HAYW) (“Hayward” or the “Company”), a leading global pool and outdoor living technology company, today announced the appointment of Jared Arrowood as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, effective immediately. As principal accounting officer, Arrowood will oversee the Company’s global financial reporting, tax, operational finance and technical accounting functions.

“Jared’s experience as a financial executive for publicly traded global organizations and his deep understanding of our business make him exceptionally well suited for this role,” said Eifion Jones, Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer. “I am confident his technical expertise, leadership and business perspective will continue to strengthen our finance organization and support long-term value creation for shareholders.”

Arrowood will continue to report to Jones as part of his financial leadership team.

Arrowood joined Hayward in 2023 as Assistant Corporate Controller and was promoted to Vice President, Corporate Controller in 2024. He has helped strengthen the Company’s financial processes, controls and continuous improvement efforts across the global controllership organization. Prior to Hayward, Arrowood spent 17 years at SPX FLOW, including serving as Vice President of Finance for its Mixing Solutions division.

He holds a Master of Accounting from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School and a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is a certified public accountant.

About Hayward Holdings, Inc.
Hayward Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HAYW) is a leading global specialty water management company focused on designing and manufacturing pool and outdoor living technology and industrial flow control products. Driven by a mission to transform the experience of water, Hayward offers a comprehensive portfolio of energy‑efficient and sustainable pool equipment—including pumps, heaters, sanitizers, filters, LED lighting, water features, and cleaners—integrated through its intuitive, IoT‑enabled SmartPad™ platform. The Company also provides industrial thermoplastic valves and process control products serving a wide range of applications.

Investor Relations Contact: 
Kevin Maczka
[email protected] 

Media Relations Contact: 
Misty Zelent
[email protected]

Rate this post

Continue Reading

Press Releases

Daldorado Names Marcia Gyles Director of Sales

Published

on

Marcia Gyles, newly appointed Director of Sales at Daldorado

Daldorado, a leading innovator in the commercial aquatic industry, announces the appointment of Marcia Gyles as its new Director of Sales. Bringing a distinguished track record of high-impact leadership to the role, Gyles’s comprehensive sales approach will span the entire industry ecosystem, serving distributors, contractors, and facility owners alike as she accelerates revenue growth and scales national operations.

In her new role, Gyles will manage the entire United States, leveraging her deep market expertise to provide unlimited access to Daldorado’s expansive product line. She is tasked with representing the company’s full portfolio of high-performance aquatic solutions—including its signature Rim-Flow systems, Main Drains, and highly anticipated products currently in development.

“We are thrilled to welcome a professional of Marcia’s high caliber to the Daldorado leadership team,” said Rob Lawson, Founder/CEO. “Her unparalleled expertise in channel sales and sophisticated account management makes her the perfect fit to elevate our national footprint as we shift to a distribution sales model. Marcia’s dynamic energy and master strategic vision will play a critical role in setting the tone for our sales pipeline and achieving our aggressive scaling goals.”

As Director of Sales, Gyles will oversee regular sales forecasting, manage cross-functional collaborations with marketing and operations for seasonal inventory planning, and maintain a commanding field presence. Her role involves an extensive travel schedule which includes conducting on-site commercial installation visits and providing master-class training for Daldorado’s extensive distribution and design networks.

About Daldorado

Daldorado is a leading innovator and manufacturer of high-quality commercial aquatic drainage systems and perimeter grating solutions. Committed to safety, durability, and superior engineering, Daldorado serves major commercial aquatic facilities, waterparks, and competitive swimming venues globally.

5/5 - (3 votes)

Continue Reading

Press Releases

FSPA and PHTA Reunite Through Historic Affiliation

Published

on

FSPA and PHTA Reunite Through Historic Affiliation

(Sarasota, Fl. / Alexandria, Va.) — The Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA) and the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) today announced a new affiliation agreement, effective January 1, 2027, bringing together two leading organizations with a shared commitment to advancing the pool, spa, and hot tub industry.

The affiliation represents both a new chapter and a return to shared roots. FSPA operated as Region VII of the National Spa & Pool Institute (NSPI) during the 1960s and 1970s, transitioned to an independent affiliate in 2001, and became fully independent in 2008. Nearly two decades later, FSPA and PHTA are reuniting through a modern affiliation model designed to combine strong state and national resources while preserving FSPA’s autonomy.

Under the affiliation, FSPA will continue to independently govern and operate its organization, while FSPA members will also gain membership in PHTA. The relationship brings together FSPA’s deep Florida relationships, state advocacy, chapter network, and market expertise with PHTA’s national education and certification programs, standards development, workforce initiatives, research, advocacy, and industry resources.

“FSPA has always been focused on delivering meaningful value to our members and strengthening the industry in Florida,” says Keith Johnson, President of FSPA. “This affiliation allows us to maintain the identity, leadership, and local relationships that make FSPA strong while giving our members access to an even broader network of education, resources, and expertise. It is an exciting opportunity to bring our organizations back together in a way that positions our members and our industry for the future.”

The organizations already have a strong history of collaboration, including FSPA’s partnership with PHTA’s Step Into Swim drowning prevention initiative, which has expanded significantly since 2020—funding more than 180,000 swim lessons in 2025 alone—while increasing support for community learn-to-swim programs.

“There is tremendous power in bringing the industry together while continuing to recognize the importance of strong state and local leadership,” says Scott Frost, Chairman of the PHTA Board of Directors. “FSPA has an extraordinary history and presence in Florida, and PHTA brings national scale and resources that can complement that strength. Together, we can create greater opportunities for our members, speak with a stronger industry voice, and continue raising the level of professionalism throughout the industry.”

The affiliation is designed to expand access to education and certification, strengthen workforce development, increase advocacy influence, enhance consumer safety initiatives, and provide members with additional resources and benefits. The FSPA-PHTA affiliation takes effect January 1, 2027.

For more information, please contact Amy Willer, PHTA’s Senior Director of Content and Communications, at
[email protected] or 703-838-0083, ext. 121.

###

About the Florida Swimming Pool Association

The Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA) is a nonprofit trade association representing Florida’s swimming pool, spa, and hot tub industry. For more than 50 years, FSPA has served as a trusted resource for pool builders, service professionals, manufacturers, and suppliers while promoting professionalism, education, and safety across the industry. Through advocacy, training, and consumer outreach, FSPA works to protect the interests of its members and advances best practices in pool and spa construction, maintenance, and design. FSPA also supports drowning prevention and water safety initiatives through its charitable arm, the Florida Swims Foundation, which provides funding for swim lessons and water safety education programs throughout the state. For more information, visit www.fspa.com.

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.

5/5 - (6 votes)

Continue Reading

Read the Summer Issue of Pool Magazine

Read the Summer Edition of Pool Magazine
Add Pool Magazine on Google

See more of our coverage in your search results

PHTA Mentor Program - Get Matched With a Seasoned Industry LeaderSponsored Advertisement
Sponsored Advertisement
Become a Member of the Pool & Hot Tub AllianceSponsored Advertisement

Pool News