Skimmer, America’s most widely-used pool service platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Orenda Technologies (a HASA Company), a trailblazer in water treatment solutions. This collaboration aims to enhance the user experience for pool professionals by integrating the Orenda Calculator™, with its Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) and dosage recommendation engine, into Skimmer’s software.

The inclusion of Orenda’s LSI calculator and dosage recommendation engine within Skimmer’s platform marks a significant milestone in pool service technology. The LSI serves as an impartial measurement of water balance, specifically gauging calcium carbonate saturation. By assessing whether the water is aggressive/corrosive, balanced, or scale-forming, the LSI plays a pivotal role in ensuring optimal water chemistry. 

This, combined with Skimmer’s easy-to-use, all-in-one software will give tens of thousands of pool pros access to water quality insights right in the Skimmer app. 

“Partnering with Orenda and HASA aligns seamlessly with our commitment to providing pool professionals with cutting-edge tools,” says Jack Nelson, CEO of Skimmer. 

Integrating the Orenda Calculator™ into Skimmer empowers our customers to make informed decisions that directly impact water quality and customer satisfaction,” says Nelson.

“We are excited to integrate with partner software that helps pool professionals up their game, and that can expand upon the app we have built. Skimmer is a powerful tool that helps thousands of pros improve their business every day. This integration allows for us to help those same pool pros even further. With this partnership, Skimmer users will be able to save chemistry results and history, which is something our customers have asked of us for years.  This partnership makes that possible,” says Eric Knight, VP of Pro Marketing at HASA/Orenda. 

The integration is slated for launch in the coming months, promising a user-friendly experience that streamlines pool maintenance. This collaboration underscores both companies’ dedication to innovation and customer-centric solutions within the pool maintenance industry.

For more information on the Langelier Saturation Index and its impact on water chemistry, visit Orenda’s blog at https://blog.orendatech.com/langelier-saturation-index.

About Skimmer:

Skimmer is America’s most widely used pool service platform. The company is on a mission to modernize the pool and spa service and repair industry through easy-to-use software and best-in-class support. Over 25,000 pool service professionals servicing 500,000 pools in North America use Skimmer to get organized, get paid faster, and grow their businesses.

About Orenda:

Orenda (a HASA Company) is at the forefront of revolutionizing water treatment solutions for pools, emphasizing the importance of proper water chemistry and sustainability. Through its advanced technology and expertise, Orenda helps optimize pool water quality by empowering pool professionals with industry-leading products and educational resources.

About HASA:

HASA, Inc. is a leading producer and distributor of high-quality water treatment products used to sanitize and maintain water systems, including swimming pools, water tanks and containment vessels for recreational, industrial, and municipal end markets. Founded in 1964, the company operates out of facilities in California, Arizona, Washington, Nevada and Texas. Over its 60-year history, HASA has established a strong reputation for supplying superior products through excellent logistics and distribution capabilities. Additional information about HASA is available at www.hasa.com

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:

Jes Ellacott

[email protected]

Pleatco, owned by Pentair, and longtime co-sponsors GENESIS / Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), along with AQUA Magazine, are proud to present the winners of the 2023 Pleatco Pool Tech Search. These outstanding achievers stood out in the pool and spa industry and were nominated and voted for by their peers. Please join us in congratulating the Pleatco Pool Tech Search winners. 

Grand Finalist – Cristina Forcione, Seychelles Pools & Spas – Lasalle, Quebec, Canada 

“I am feeling immensely grateful and honored to receive recognition from Pleatco Pool Tech Search. I have put in a lot of sweat, tears, and effort to reach this milestone, and this recognition validates my unwavering belief in my abilities. It is a testament to my skills, knowledge, and expertise in the field, and I am truly humbled by this honor.” 

 Grand Finalist – Wes Kane, Pools Unlimited Incorporated – Elliot City, Maryland 

“I am feeling absolutely thrilled to have received recognition from the Pleatco Pool Tech Search. This is the first time that I have won an award or been a part of such a prestigious event, and I must say that it feels truly humbling and exhilarating at the same time. Being acknowledged for my work in this field is an incredible honor, and it gives me a renewed sense of purpose to continue striving for excellence in everything that I do.” 

Lifetime Achievement Awards – Rob Stewart, ROBCO Water – Hammond, Ontario, Canada 

“It’s an honor and a feather in my cap, plus it’s nice to be a part of something bigger. Winning this gives me an opportunity to share my wealth of knowledge, the value of education and understanding water chemistry, as well as the importance of communicating with your customers.” 

Young Leader Award Winner – Benjamin Gardea, Cody Pools – San Antonio, Texas 

“It means so much. The ability to have a platform to bring education and awareness to my fellow pool pros is incredible. Watching my friends, family and coworkers support me in getting here also makes this award mean so much more.” 

Customer Service Award – Joe Puccio, Clean & Clear Pools – Houston, Texas 

“I think it’s pretty cool to receive this honor! It’s more than just about me. My customers voted to support me and my business. I’m also excited about the training that is offered. Everyone involved will have some bragging rights! It’s all about teamwork – it takes a team!” 

Advancing Technology Award – Branden Lewis, Lewis Pool Service – Centerville, Tenn. 

“I am thrilled to have received this honor! The grand prize is truly amazing – not only does it come with an unforgettable experience, but also with a set of classes that will equip me with the knowledge and skills necessary to take my company to the next level. Learning more is crucial to becoming a better entrepreneur.” 

HONORING THE WINNERS 

Winners will be honored at the 2024 Pool and Spa Show in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

About Pleatco, LLC At Pleatco, we are committed to quality. As your trusted industry leader for filter and cleaning products, we make cleaner water filtration possible so every pool and spa owner can enjoy reliability and peace of mind. The combined strength of our exclusive Pleatco Advanced Point Bonded Filtration Fabrics, Free Flow Cores and Pure Pleat Technology delivers the high-performance filtration that service professionals and end-users have come to rely on. Ready to rule the pool with an industry leader in replacement filter elements? Choose wisely. Choose Pleatco. For more information, visit www.pleatco.com. 

About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance 

The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with more than 3,700 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 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. 

About GENESIS GENESIS educates, certifies and connects pool and hot tub designers, builders and pool professionals throughout the world. Since 1998, GENESIS has taught thousands of students in best practices governing proper water vessel design, engineering, and construction. The vast GENESIS curriculum, coupled with adherence to standards, leads to excellence in education. GENESIS is a company of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance. 

About AQUA Magazine 

Since 1976, AQUA Magazine has been the leading trade publication for pool and spa retailers, builders and service professionals. Each month, thousands of pool and hot tub pros turn to the online and print pages of AQUA for its valuable mix of news, trend and product coverage. For more information, visit www.aquamagazine.com.

Wall-to-wall automation controls from Fluidra, Hayward, and Pentair lined the Folsom Eagles Lodge walls in preparation. After a while, a woman’s voice announced that training would begin. The snap-to-attention allowed one to hear a DPD tab drop. This was the beginning of the hands-on training session on wiring automation that quickly gained the attention of the manufacturing giants. What made this event a focus for the “Big 3”? This long overdue initiative in continuing education tackled a grossly underserved niche head-on.

Creating a Program Geared Towards Women

In a predominately male industry, only 9% of pool technicians in the United States are women (Zippia.com, September 2022). In sectors such as education and manufacturing women are the majority, but in this field, female pool contractors and service techs are still the minority. Despite full-time careers and entrepreneurship; we’re not given a pass on the culturally expected duties of being a woman, such as juggling children, spouses, and household management.

These added responsibilities, combined with a societal view that still leans toward women being less competent in skilled labor trades, make the traditional means of gaining education even more of a challenge. Sadly, women in co-ed environments often feel intimidated by their male peers. Not all, but a few wet tablets can make an entire bucket stink at a meeting.

Pool Girl Pro Industry Training Group

The solution? Twice a year, the PGP (Pool Girl Pro) Industry Training Group meets for in-depth and highly comprehensive master programs designed to build technical acumen for the women in the pool industry. Janet Reed and I formed PGP for just those reasons. All people, regardless of gender, should be free of ridicule in asking basic questions regarding technical installation, operation, and troubleshooting. With a primary focus on specialized hands-on training, Janet and I will strive to ensure those goals are met for those who find an all-female attendance more conducive to education.

PGP Industry Training Group had its first in-person, hands-on, all-women training in January 2020 at Leisure Supply Sacramento. This was right before the pandemic hit the world hard! Eight women from the Great Sacramento Area, Bay Area, and Central California attended a Fluidra-led training session on automation controls, variable speed pumps, and pool sweeps. During this first inaugural session, we noticed many men embracing a program that two women had developed. We welcomed them with open arms and exclusion was a non-issue. Many responded excitedly, supporting a group that their wives and daughters could attend to boost their skills without fear of harassment.

Reaching The Women of The Industry

During the pandemic, PGP was fortunate to continue offering in-person, hands-on training and webinars. We reduced the seat numbers during that timeframe to follow local social distancing regulations but provided live streaming of the events for those who could not attend in person. The streaming option allowed our group to reach more women across the country than ever before.

“I love the option to attend a virtual women’s training and gain knowledge from other women in our industry! It’s a great experience to be surrounded by other confident and determined women!” – Lindsay Brown, Oasis Pool Management, Florida.                    

Over the past couple of years, PGP events evolved to include networking and mentorship. The ladies would talk amongst each other at each in-person training, and afterward, in social settings, we would go out to dinner with presenters. This afforded us the opportunity to talk shop, family, and discuss life with each other and the vendor support system. This began the infield assistance network our group members enjoy today.

Finally, after three years, PGP is able to offer women-taught training. Our in-person and online attendees are learning the basics of wiring and automation control subpanel. They leavie our comprehensive program eager to employ those new skills in the field.

“The [wiring automation] training was delightful and well prepared. I felt the class catered to a diverse audience and was low-pressure, a factor of comfort I appreciated. I thought it to be a cohesive learning environment and the type everyone would feel welcomed to come to expand their knowledge, ask questions, and feel encouraged to pursue working in this industry.”  – Reina Arrostuto, Ohana Family Pools

Pool Girl Pro Industry Training Group is currently in the process of becoming a non-profit organization. The 501(c)(3) status will permit us the ability to provide additional quality educational opportunities, an increased number of training locations, and even more ability to support the advancement of women in the industry. Ultimately, we want to provide quality educational opportunities, more in-person training locations, and support women’s progress in the industry.

“In a sea of men, the Pool Girl Pro is a long-awaited group of women dedicated to a career in the swimming pool and spa industry and each other,” said Timber Vincent of Blue Dolphin Pool and Spa in Danville, CA. “We support one another; questions can be asked without the fear of judgment; we champion each other to be our best, and hands-on education is offered and encouraged. And together, we hope to make the industry nongender-specific. These gals are the modern Rosie the Riveter of the pool industry.”

Women can join PGP Industry Training Group on Facebook, where they can find training announcements, educational posts, and a place to ask questions when needed. To connect with women who they can consult and support on an international level. If you would like to join the group or get involved, you can find them on Facebook or email [email protected]