Pentair has the utmost confidence that the winners of its 2024 Pool Pro Award honorees are larger than life.
The awards, formerly known as the Pleatco Pool Tech Search Awards, recognize seven individuals for excellence in seven areas:
• Industry commitment and experience• A passion for pools and enjoyment of water
• Knowledge of the pool industry and its products
• Customer service and a safety-first approach
• Training and education expertise
• Demonstration of leadership and strong industry engagement
• A compelling story of success
To gain the honor, nominees go through a vetting process before being placed on a ballot. An online vote determines the finalists, who then undergo an interview by a selection committee, which chooses the honorees.
The top honor goes to one man and one woman, who are called the Grand Finalists. With this year’s theme being “Larger than Life,” the bar was set high. Learn their stories.
Amber Gardner
Director of Client Services
Collins Pool Management
McDonough, Ga.
You don’t need to be a 25-year industry veteran to be a Pentair Pool Pro Award winner.
Case in point: Amber Gardner.
Since entering the field just six years ago, Gardner has quickly climbed the ranks, starting as a receptionist at McDonough, Ga.-based Collins Pool Management and now serving as the firm’s director of client services. To help drive such a quick evolution, she earned her Certified Pool Operator, Certified Pool and Spa Service Technician and Certified Pool Inspector in that time.
Oh, and she recently achieved Certified Building Professional status.
“I’m big on certifications,” Gardner says. “When I started, I only knew the basics — just the chemistry required by code. I spent a lot of time reading and learning, listening to every podcast, every webinar.”
Before joining the pool industry, Garder worked in property management for a homeowners’ association. She was so impressed with how Collins operated the neighborhood pool that she decided to work for the company. She hasn’t looked back.
“The moment I got in here, I fell in love with the industry and Collins’ culture,” she says.
INNOVATING FOR EFFICIENCY
When she joined the company, Gardner had already practiced a hobby that would prove very beneficial to both the company and its clients.
As a certified SCUBA diver, she saw an opportunity to streamline the process of replacing pool grates to comply with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. Instead of going through the costly and time-consuming process of draining pools, Gardner and a small team of certified divers perform inspections and replacements underwater.
“Of every pool that I dove — probably around 60 or 65 — there was only one that was in compliance,” she says.
Now, thanks to her diving experience, she estimates a 43% increase in VGBA compliance among clients.
Now she’s on a mission to get as many employees SCUBA certified as possible.
“We save lives by making sure these pools are in compliance,” Gardner says.
CULTURE OF CARE
Gardner’s impact has helped elevate the company’s management style as well.
She believes that when team members feels valued and supported, their enthusiasm and care will show in the work. As she sees it, a leadership style that emphasizes mentorship and collaboration will lead to safer, cleaner pools. She reports that this people-first approach has set the company apart in a competitive industry.
Garner also made changes to help ensure client safety. She implemented an eight-page checklist that her technicians must complete for every job to ensure the safety of customers and residents. She leads weekly safety reviews, reinforcing the company’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards in pool management.
BUILDING A FUTURE
Gardner has found a way to leverage her HOA experience for the company’s benefit.
Collins Pool Management recently launched a commercial pool construction division, and Gardner played a key role in securing its first bid. With a clear goal of growing the firm’s maintenance contracts to 500 pools while establishing a fully operational construction department for HOA and developer projects, her drive and strategic vision are shaping the company’s future.
It just goes to show: “If you want it and you’re in the right company, the sky’s the limit.”
Keith Smith
Head of Renovations
Heritage Pools
North Charleston, S.C.
Keith Smith found his life’s calling in a hole in the ground — a literal hole in the ground. But more on that later.
Smith serves as the head of renovations at Heritage Pools, based in North Charleston, S.C. But before that, he was a line cook with a baby on the way.
In need of a more lucrative career, he began exploring opportunities. He took the advice of his brother-in-law, a service technician, and interviewed for a role at Heritage.
“I worked for two days just to see if they liked me and if I liked the work,” Smith recalls. “The moment I went out there — the smell of freshly excavated earth, being outside instead of in a kitchen — I fell in love with it.”
It was there at the bottom of a soon-to-be swimming pool that he discovered a path forward. “I knew this was something I wanted to pursue seriously,” Smith says.
From there, he embraced every learning opportunity. He started in maintenance, soaking up knowledge like a sponge.
“I wanted to learn everything,” he says. “I really enjoyed the mechanical side of things — working with my hands, understanding pool chemistry, learning about service and renovations. I just kept growing.”
UPWARD BOUND
Smith’s dedication didn’t go unnoticed. His commitment to customer service and high-quality work caught the attention of Heritage Pools’ leadership, who began investing in his professional development.
“Michael Gesmond, the owner, started taking me to trade shows,” Smith shares. “I got my CST certification and became the service manager before eventually leading the renovations department.”
Today, as head of renovations, Smith takes pride in breathing new life into old pools.
“I love taking something that’s 25 or 30 years old and making it new again,” he says. “A lot of pools were built without today’s safety and efficiency standards. Now, I get to improve functionality, convert outdated single drains to safer dual drains, and introduce automation and variable-speed pumps.”
One of Smith’s most rewarding projects was a concrete pool and spa renovation that desperately needed an upgrade.
“The spa had a lot of poor repairs — just band-aid solutions,” he explains. “Rather than tearing everything down, we came up with a creative way to conceal the plumbing with a step feature, finishing it with Tahoe marble and split facade stone. The transformation was incredible, and the client was thrilled.”
TECH-DRIVEN
The potential for technology plays a sizable role in Smith’s enthusiasm for the industry.
“I’ve always been fascinated by automation,” he says. “The ability to control a pool’s features — valves, lights, salt systems — from your phone is just amazing. It makes everything so much easier for homeowners.”
But beyond technology, Smith is just as passionate about his team.
“I don’t ask my crew to do anything I wouldn’t do myself,” he says. “I’ll be out there in the field working alongside them, teaching them. Last year, we did a safety cover installation together — none of us had done one before, so we learned as a team.”
GOAL ORIENTED
Winning the Pentair Pool Pro Award reminds Smith how far he’s gone in his 12 years in the industry.
And he has further yet to go. As he looks to the future, Smith is eager to expand his skill set.
“This year, I want to learn more about pool design using Structure Studio,” he says. “That’s my next big step — creating my own designs from scratch.”
