AquaStar Pool Products, the Ventura, Calif-based manufacturer of pool equipment, has made a key internal promotion and added three director-level staffers, chosen for their diverse skills coming from inside and outside the industry.
“I’m really excited about the expansion of our corporate team and know that this group will be making waves in the swimming pool industry for years to come” said Olaf Mjelde, president and founder the company. “Our team is ready for the challenge of serving in these unprecedented times within the swimming pool and spa industry.”
Todd Pieri now serves as the company's new chief operating officer. In a decade with AquaStar, he has held multiple titles, including vice president of sales. He also brings distribution experience to the new role. “Todd has been an integral part of our company’s explosive growth over the past decade,” Mjelde said. “His knowledge of our business and customers, as well as his commitment to the team, is unparalleled.”
AquaStar also has a new director of sourcing and strategic planning. Ryan Faerber joins the company with more than 15 years' experience in consumer products, retail, private equity and manufacturing, among other industries. He will contribute his knowledge of analytics, consumer products, and sourcing activities to the firm. He also brings international experience: Most recently, he held a senior position at Harbor Freight Tools, where he worked in international markets, and he is fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese. He earned his MBA in finance from the Wharton School of Business.
Jim Ange has been hired in a full-time role, as director of engineering, after serving the firm in a consulting capacity for more than 12 years. "Jim’s experience with injection molding, research and development, and new product design has played a key role in AquaStar’s ongoing success," the company said.
Finally, Jamie Novak joins the company as director of branding and communications. The 16-year pool-industry veteran will act as a brand ambassador, drawing on her experience with brand management, customer relationships and communications. She has worked for the manufacturer Natural Chemistry, a division of Kik Consumer Products and BioLab, and recently earned her MBA from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School with concentrations in leading organizations and marketing.
