Buck Hall’s expertise and zest for life endeared him to many in the pool and spa industry. The senior director of sales for Lonza Water Treatment’s Pro Dealer business died on Feb. 23 from cardiac arrest. He was 62.
Hall joined Arch Chemicals in 2004 and remained when the company was acquired by Lonza in 2011. Based in the Greater Atlanta area, Hall was responsible for developing and directing implementation of the HTH Water Products sales and marketing strategy for the poolife brand in the dealer segment. “He loved this industry and was phenomenal with customers,” said Stephen Heard, senior business director, Lonza Water Products, and a friend of 25 years. “He never had a bad word to say about anyone. I like to say he was loved by most and respected by all.”
Hall obtained a Bachelor’s degree in education from University of Georgia. His 26-year pool/spa career included a consulting business that he started in the 1990s, with Pentair as the main client. By 1999, Hall was at Girvan Co. In the early 2000s, he became Pentair’s vice president of business development. Hall also was active in APSP’s Manufacturers Council.
Charlie Gunter can attest to Hall’s expertise. “He was a good friend, a mentor in the chemical business for me,” said the vice president of WEK & Associates, a Texas-based manufacturers’ rep firm. “Buck had a tremendous command of product knowledge and was a true asset on any sales call.”
A lifelong fan of his alma mater’s Georgia Bulldogs, Hall also liked karaoke and barbecuing. In fact, cooking on his Big Green Egg was a hobby, and he loved competitive chili contests with friends to see who could make it the hottest and actually eat it. But golfing was a passion. Hall was part of a group that has golfed in Myrtle Beach, S.C., every year since 1980. “We met on a golf course,” Gunter recalled. “I was paired up with Buck. … By the end of the course, I knew I had a friend for life.”
Hall is survived by his wife, Deborah; children Shannon, Matthew and Adrian; daughter and son-in-law Kalli and Paul Williams; and granddaughter Kenlee.
