Waterfront: January 2010

Perfect In Every Way

Meet the 2009 Perfect Pool Guy and Gal

After the overwhelming success of the inaugural Perfect Pool Guy and Gal contest, Pleatco did it again. And suffice to say, this year's decision was just as tough as the last. The contest drew over 300 entries and 17,000 votes, and AQUA is pleased to congratulate winners Gene Catrini, Lasting Impressions Pool and Spa, Royal Palm Beach, Fla., and Pamela Del Secco, Diamond Pool Service, San Carlos, Calif.

"I'm very honored to represent Pleatco for their 2009 Perfect Pool Gal competition for several reasons," says Del Secco. "First of all, I have never won anything, so it is very exciting. I'm proud to have made it all the way in this competition and could not have done it without the support from my wonderful clients, who have always treated me so well.

"Although I am hardly 'perfect,' it is great to be acknowledged for doing something that I love, keeping my pools sparkling clean and safe for my customers. I take pride in my job and strive to do my best."

Del Secco hopes to use her new role as Perfect Pool Gal to encourage more women get into the industry. While she initially found the change from being an interior designer to a pool cleaner a bit daunting, it wasn't a feeling that lasted long, she says.

"I love my job more than anything I have ever done before. I can't understand why there are not more women in the industry. It is a great job. You are outdoors, it is very challenging, physical, and it really gives you a great sense of accomplishment, especially when faced with tricky repairs.

"I have to admit it is not very glamorous with all the surprises I find in the skimmers, but you cannot be afraid to get your hands dirty!"

For Catrini, being named the Pleatco Perfect Pool Guy solidifies the fact that he's doing in life what he was meant to do, he says.

"[Winning] has brought my passion for pools to a whole new level. It's great to know there are people out there who appreciate the difference between the typical 'splash and dash' pool boy and someone who loves everything about the business.

"From the first phone call I got from Pleatco, to the last day in Vegas [at the show], this whole thing and everyone I have met throughout has been top-notch and has exceeded my expectations 100 times over."

CBP Of The Year

Congratulations to Lew Akins

The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals has named Lew Akins, owner and founder of Ocean Quest Pools Pools by Lew Akins, the 2009 Certified Building Professional of the Year. Akins, a 2009 AQUA Choice winner, says the honor is "the nicest 'thank you' I've ever gotten."

The CBP of the Year is the APSP's Builders Council's lifetime achievement award, and it is presented to a Certified Building Professional and APSP member whose accomplishments have made a significant contribution to the profession.

Handbag Heaven

Lucite International sponsors Lucite handbag exhibit

While Lucite purses made their big debut in the '50s in Miami Beach, Fla., during a time when "people needed an outlet for beauty and personality," Janice Berkson told Memphis' The Commercial Appeal, it was nearly 20 years prior that the product first hit the market.

As Lucite International, a popular acrylic supplier for portable spas, celebrates the product line's 75th anniversary, it has sponsored a local Cordova, Tenn., woman's Lucite handbag collection at the "Carry Me! Lucite Handbags" exhibit at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens.

Caryn Scheidt's collection of more than 300 Lucite bags is probably one of the three biggest in the world, says Berkson. The museum is only putting 150 handbags on display, with the rest on display all over her home.

"I collect them as pieces of art," Scheidt told The Commerical, and she's careful with every single one as "many are one-of-a-kind and hard to replace if they get damaged."

Lenore Torres, of Lucite International, says the company is excited to sponsor the exhibit because "it allows the company to expand and bring the brand into today's consumer products. The beauty and design capability of Lucite is a product widely used in the design community," not to mention the pool and spa industry.

Three Coins In A Fountain

Crystal Fountains dresses up Montreal

There's a well-known area in Montreal that's famous for all forms of entertainment: theater, festivals, art, jazz. You name it, it's there. The city recently renovated the heart of this historic quarter, dubbing it Place des Festivals, and the industry's own Crystal Fountains had the privilege of bringing a visual dynamic to the square.

Crystal Fountains worked with Piscines Soucy and Daoust Lestage to bring the 110-by-460-foot square to life with 235 fountain jets spread throughout. The water feature includes LED lighting and a clear acrylic faceplate so the water appears to glow from within. A variety of jets and ChoreoSwitches can be used to choreograph different dazzling water shows.