After 15 years, the Independent Pool & Spa Service Association has hired a new executive director — Rose Smoot, who assumed the role on Dec. 15.
Her credentials include a Certified Association Executive designation. And while she is new to the position, she’s no stranger to IPSSA. She has managed IPSSA’s finances for several years as an employee of Cramer & Associates in Rocklin, Calif. IPSSA has taken on the firm as its management company.
Smoot’s first big event as executive director will be the annual IPSSA Leadership Weekend/BORD Meeting, slated for Feb. 9-10 in Anaheim, Calif. Approximately 150 to 200 participants are expected to attend.
She comes on board at an exciting time: At the meeting, the association also will celebrate its milestone 30th anniversary.
“I’m enjoying [working on the preparations] and getting to know the volunteers,” Smoot said.
As she familiarizes herself more with the inner workings and dynamics of the service organization, she is learning about its needs and strengths so she can help establish its priorities and goals. But, at this point, she said one thing is a top priority: “We’ll make sure we maintain the mission and that members feel they’re getting value in their membership — we’ll ensure that they get ROI on their membership.”
Where Duty Calls
Smoot’s natural talents in accounting and business became apparent early.
She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from Madison University while active in the workforce. Her resume includes nearly eight years as director of finance at the California Redevelopment Association. Next she was CFO for Consumer Attorneys of California for a couple of years, followed by 6½ years as associate executive director of finance and administration for the California Optometric Association. Now she’s affiliated with Cramer & Associates, a firm whose services include accounting, management consulting and bookkeeping services.
It appears her tendencies are genetic, as Smoot’s family has a business bent, too. She grew up in Downey, Calif., with a father who was a business agent for the Teamsters and a mother who worked for Lucky’s, a now-defunct grocery store chain. Both now are retired. Smoot’s brother was a vice president at American Funds, a wealth management company.
Her husband, Doug, was a chief lending officer at California Housing Finance Agency for 28 years before retiring. They have two grown children, a 34-year-old daughter and a 29-year-old son.
Never a Dull Moment
So what does Smoot like to do on her days off? Quite a few things, as it turns out. For 20 years, she’s enjoyed hiking and backpacking with her husband or friends. Smoot likes a challenging hike, which is why she prefers mountains with high elevations. Besides the picturesque Rockies in Colorado, she’s also trekked up mountains in four other states: California, Nevada, Oregon and Hawaii. One of her most memorable hikes was the 2015 ascent to Mount Whitney — at 14,495 feet, it’s the highest peak in the contiguous United States. She also loves going to the Sierra Mountains, an hour’s drive from home.
When she’s not out in nature, Smoot loves to bake. She even started a group called the Bon Appetit Supper Club, which challenges itself with hard dishes.
“I like to bake to relax,” she added. “My specialty is cookies, which I often bring to the office.”
Another hobby is exercise — cardio and weight lifting at her home, about five times a week. In that vein, the Smoots’ home includes an oblong pool and a six-person spa.
On a reflective note, Smoot said she places dependability toward the top of her list of values. Asked what her motto would be, if she had to put it into words, Smoot quickly responded, “My handshake is my word.”
