The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, a non-profit education and advocacy association based in Alexandria, Virginia, have announced Charlie Claffey as its newly appointed chairman of the board for 2023. Claffey is president of Claffey Pools in Southlake, Texas, which has been in business for more than 35 years. Claffey has taken an active leadership…
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance have announced the 2022 winners of the PHTA Awards of Excellence. The PHTA describes its International Awards of Excellence program as one of the largest, most well-renowned design competitions in the pool and hot tub industry. These awards were created to recognize exceptional installations of pools, spas, hot tubs…
Two new apprenticeship programs look to elevate the pool industry to the next level. In 2021, both the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) and the Pool & Spa Apprenticeship and Training Committee (PSATC) announced the founding of apprenticeship programs for workers in the industry. The goal of each program is to enhance the work…
PHTA is looking for committed individuals to guide the organization through today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities on the PHTA Board of Directors. Whether you’re nominating yourself or a colleague, having a strong board that represents the different segments of the industry is key to long-term success and advancing the industry. Serving as a board member…
Wildfires in December. Hurricanes in November. Freezes in Texas. Drought in California. Record-breaking heat in the Pacific Northwest. These are some of the severe weather events experienced in the past year in the United States. In one way or another, they all impact water, the lifeblood of the pool industry. While the future is hard…
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) launched the Registered Pool Maintenance and Service Technician Apprenticeship Program in an effort to assist in building a more skilled and diverse workforce, expand the workforce of service professionals in the aquatics industry. As a registered apprenticeship program, this program has been validated by the U.S. Department of Labor and provides…
Sometimes, you just need a little help from your friends. Pool pro friends, that is. If you’ve been in the industry long enough, it’s likely you have a handful of trusted experts, colleagues and fellow professionals you turn to on a regular basis. “I absolutely have people who I’ve met throughout the years that I…
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance offers an online Certified Pool Operator program, which allows pool professionals to safely receive certification from the comfort of their home or office. “After the onset of the pandemic, PHTA was able to quickly adapt and transition our CPO certification program online,” says PHTA president and CEO, Sabeena Hickman….
Rowdy Gaines joined The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance as the new vice president of partnerships and development. As a three-time Olympic gold medalist, Gaines has also been inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame and International Swimming Hall of Fame. Today he is known as the Voice of Swimming and will be commentating…
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance announced that Franceen Gonzales has been appointed to chairman of the board for 2021. Gonzales is the Americas executive vice president of business development for WhiteWater West in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. A 30-year aquatics industry veteran, Gonzales started her career as a pool technician and lifeguard. She went…
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance now offers an online Certified Pool Operator program. This program, which launched earlier this year, allows pool professionals to safely receive certification from the comfort of their home or office. The Certified Pool & Spa Operator (CPO) certification program is the world’s leading education and certification program for keeping…
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance unveiled its official strategic plan — the first of its kind for the alliance. This detailed plan clearly defines PHTA’s core purpose, mission statement, values, pillars and more. “This plan will serve as our foundation, define our priorities and chart PHTA’s pathway into the future,” says Sabeena Hickman, PHTA president…