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The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Sets Record Year with More Than $1M in Donations for Step Into Swim

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The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Sets Record Year with More Than $1M in Donations for Step Into Swim

Water safety education program funded swim lessons for 6,297 children thanks to donors, partners

Alexandria, VA (January 13, 2022) – Today, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) and its foundation celebrate the donors who made 2021 a record-setting year for Step Into Swim, an initiative committed to safe swim education. The program raised more than $1,000,000 and provided swim lessons to 6,297 children with support from major founding partner Every Child A Swimmer and other industry leaders.

In advancing its Step Into Swim initiative, PHTA continues to collaborate with individuals and donors who have a passion for protecting kids in the water. It is because of these supporters that Step Into Swim had an impactful year. The association proudly recognizes its top 2021 donors, including Bill Kent Family Foundation and Fluidra (Diamond Level); American Pools, AquaCal, Claffey Pools, and Hayward (Platinum Level); and Kiwanis International, Master Pools Guild, and Premier Pools and Spas (Gold Level).

“We are making strides to combat childhood drowning thanks to the generous donors who share in our mission to create more swimmers. Our efforts to expand Step Into Swim would not be possible without their support,” said Rowdy Gaines, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Vice President of Partnerships and Development at PHTA. “The aquatics industry has a unique opportunity to come together in the name of safe swim education. Our partners truly delivered on that in 2021.”

In 2021, Step Into Swim raised over $500,000 dollars from the pool and hot tub industry, which will be matched by the PHTA Board of Directors; provided grants to 22 facilities in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas; funded swim lessons for 6,297 children; and formed a coalition of advocates, inclusive of Every Child A Swimmer, International Swimming Hall of Fame, American Swimming Coaches Association, Florida Swimming Pool Association, National Drowning Prevention Alliance, and the United States Swimming Pool Association. The strategic coalition has generated additional dollars and visibility to further promote swimming education.

“I am in awe of how far Step Into Swim has come thanks to the leadership of Rowdy Gaines and our Champions Board, as well as the support from our members and partners,” said Sabeena Hickman, CAE, President and CEO of PHTA. “Everyone plays a special role in helping us mobilize against an important initiative to provide educational resources and access to free swimming lessons. The future is bright as we continue to build upon this momentum in 2022.” 

Donors can support Step Into Swim through tiered funding levels, including the Build A Pool, Save A Life Sponsorship where companies can pledge funds based on the number of pools built or maintenance contracts signed each year. 100 percent of funds go directly to Step Into Swim programming. Visit www.StepIntoSwim.org to see a full list of supporters and to learn more about how to get involved.

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About Pool & Hot Tub Alliance and Step Into Swim:

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.

Step Into SwimTM is an initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance and its foundation committed to safe swim education and drowning prevention. By investing in the next generation of swimmers through learn-to-swim programming, the Step Into Swim initiative instills confidence, empowers long-term participation in water activities, touts the positive benefits of water play, and advocates for safe practices. Since its inception in 2012, Step Into Swim has played a role in reducing drowning fatalities and has gifted swim lessons to more than 285,000 children with support from community organizations, partners, industry advocates, members and more. For more information, visit www.stepintoswim.org.

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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].

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Fluidra Acquires Datapool to Lead Digitalization and Efficiency in the Pool Sector

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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.

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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.

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Pool Industry Accelerates Digital Transformation with POOLCORP and JobTread as Tech Stacks Become More Connected

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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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SPS PoolCare Acquires Amenity Pool Services’ Operations in Six Sun Belt Markets

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SPS PoolCare

AUSTIN, Texas (May 21, 2026) — SPS PoolCare, the largest swimming pool services company in the United States, today announced it has acquired the majority of Amenity Pool Services’ pool service operations. The transaction, completed in two portions, spans Amenity’s commercial and residential operations in Phoenix, Tucson, and Jacksonville, Fla., as well as its residential operations in Orlando, Dallas, and Port Charlotte, Fla.

The Amenity transaction builds on SPS PoolCare’s January 2026 acquisition of Pool Troopers, which united the nation’s two largest pool service providers. Amenity Pool Services is ranked #3 on the 2025 PSN/Jandy Top 50 Service List, and together, these transactions reflect the company’s capacity to integrate large, complex operations while delivering the consistent, professional service experience that customers depend on every week.

“Amenity has outstanding team members, service standards, and customer relationships cultivated across key Sun Belt markets,” said Lance Martin, CEO of SPS PoolCare. “With this partnership, customers benefit from our expanded network of skilled technicians, advanced scheduling systems, and comprehensive service offerings that keep their pool in top condition year-round.”

SPS PoolCare, a portfolio company of Storr Group, has acquired more than 200 pool service companies since its inception in 2021. The company seeks to provide customers with continuity by preserving existing service schedules, technician relationships, and pricing structures during each transition onto ServiceTitan’s cloud-based platform. SPS PoolCare now serves more than 50,000 weekly recurring residential and commercial customers across 19 markets in five states.

“This transaction represents another significant step in executing the company’s long-term consolidation strategy and further strengthens the platform’s leadership position in the industry. We look forward to supporting the management team through the next phase of growth and integration,” added Fraser Ramseyer, founder of SPS PoolCare and founder and CEO of Storr Group. 

Nation’s largest pool services company acquires operations in Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, Orlando, Jacksonville, Fla.,and Port Charlotte, Fla. 

  • Acquisition brings new customers, skilled technicians, and expanded market presence  
  • SPS PoolCare has acquired over 200 pool service companies since its inception in 2021.
  • SPS PoolCare now serves over 50,000 weekly recurring residential and commercial customers across 19 markets in five states.

About SPS PoolCare: 

As the #1 swimming-pool service 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. The company is committed to creating a world-class service experience for its customers and to being the employer-of-choice for its team members. Read more at spspoolcare.com

About Storr Group: 

Storr Group is an operationally focused lower-middle-market investment 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. Storr Group has offices in West Palm Beach, New York City, and Austin. To partner today, visit storrgroup.com

For more information, contact: 

Madeleine Budge 

10 to 1 Public Relations 

[email protected]

(480) 514 – 1070

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