(Alexandria, Va.) — The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry, is inviting public review and comment on the proposed revision of the PHTA-6 Standard for Residential Portable Spas and Exercise Spas.

As an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited standards developer, PHTA follows a consensus-based standards development process that includes public review and comment opportunities for proposed standards revisions.

The draft revision of the PHTA-6 standard focuses on site-specific installation and consumer use of residential portable spas and exercise spas after delivery to the end user. Proposed updates are intended to improve enforceability, support regulatory alignment, address certification gaps, and enhance safety continuity throughout the industry.

The revised draft also includes updated language and new content designed to reflect current industry practices, technologies, and requirements.

The public review period for the draft PHTA-6 standard opens May 22, 2026, and closes July 6, 2026. During this time, industry professionals, regulatory agencies, and other interested parties are encouraged to review the draft and submit comments for consideration.

The public review announcement was published in ANSI Standards Action on May 22, 2026.

The draft standard and instructions for submitting comments are available on the PHTA-6 webpage at phta.org.

For additional information, please contact PHTA’s Standards Department at [email protected] or call (703) 838-0083.

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.

COVINGTON, LA., May 14, 2026 — POOLCORP, the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool and outdoor living products, recently announced the appointment of John Watwood as President and Chief Executive Officer.

Watwood joined the company in January 2026 as Executive Vice President and has quickly made an impact after spending much of his time in POOLCORP sales centers, meeting with customers, engaging with suppliers, and aligning closely with teams across the business. With extensive leadership experience in industrial and specialty distribution, Watwood brings a deep understanding of how to build high-performing teams, strengthen customer connections, and create long-term value in the industry.

Prior to joining POOLCORP, Watwood served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations at Motion Industries, a leading distributor of industrial parts and value-added solutions and a subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company. During his career, he has led large-scale sales and operations organizations focused on customer growth, supply chain excellence, and market expansion.

“John has gained the trust of our employees, customers, and suppliers in a very short period of time,” said Kenny St. Romain, Senior Vice President at POOLCORP. “He understands distribution at its core, but more importantly, he understands the value of relationships and the local support that our customers need. Our field teams have seen firsthand his commitment to listening, supporting our customers, and helping us continue to evolve our already successful service model. There’s real excitement across the organization about where we’re headed under John’s leadership.”

Watwood’s appointment marks the next chapter for POOLCORP as the company continues to invest in customer-focused solutions, sales and service excellence, operational capabilities, and technology-enabled experiences designed to help industry professionals grow and operate more efficiently.

About Pool Corporation

POOLCORP is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool and related outdoor living products. The Company operates approximately 455 sales centers in North America, Europe, and Australia, through which it distributes more than 200,000 products to roughly 125,000 wholesale customers, including pool builders, retail stores, and service professionals. For more information, please visit www.poolcorp.com.

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