BioLab Promotes Staff MemberBioLab Pro Dealer Division is pleased to announce that Hunter Hadaway has been promoted to district sales manager. Hadaway is joining the Pro Sales team from BioLab's Customer Care division, where he spent the past two years working on the technical side. He holds a BS in Communications from Mississippi State and gained retail experience at Modern Pool and Spa, a BioGuard dealer in Mississippi. Hadaway's new territory includes Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Western parts of Nebraska and South Dakota, Las Vegas and El Paso, Texas.
Evosus Dashes for St. Jude'sEvosus Business Management Software, makers of an all-in-one business software program designed specifically for the pool and spa industry, decided to whip themselves into shape and run in this year’s Warrior Dash in North Plains, Ore. The Warrior Dash is the world's largest running series and raises donations for St. Jude Children's Hospital. Unlike typical running races, this race prides itself on making participants run through long stretches of mud and even leap over fire. This year's Evosus team participants include: Curt Germundson (President/CEO), Jessica Chase (Support Manager), Warren Halcott (Data Conversion Specialist)—pictured here at the finish line. The Warrior Dash has raised over $5 million dollars this year for St. Jude’s Children’s Research hospital with races throughout the US, Australia and New Zealand.
A New Leader at AquaFinesseAquaFinesse, water care product manufacturer, is pleased to announce the appointment of Timothy Pigott as vice president of U.S. Sales and marketing. With his years of experience and sales leadership, Pigott will manage and direct all US sales initiatives, including the network of independent representatives currently selling the AquaFinesse product across the country.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to guide the sales efforts for AquaFinesse here in the US and look forward to great things in 2013,” Pigott says. “We have a great product and a talented sales team, so we’re excited for a strong performance this year!”
HaloSource Grows Sales TeamHaloSource, parent company of SeaKlear, is pleased to announce it has hired Emily Goonting to the Americas team as sales operations coordinator, where she will support the SeaKlear sales team and their customers. Emily joined HaloSource in 2011 as an executive assistant. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Gonzaga University with a focus on International Business and Marketing. Having lived and traveled worldwide throughout her life, she is excited to work for a small company with a global presence and a mission to provide clean water all over the world. She learned to swim before she could walk and would love for others to enjoy clean and clear water as much as she does.
Merlin Hires Three Industry VeteransMerlin Industries, Inc. welcomes Lana Ellington, Annette Gibbs, and Kathy Decha to its corporate office staff. Ellington and Gibbs will serve in the customer service department, and Decha will join as an account executive. All three have extensive experience in the pool and spa business and have worked in multiple aspects of the industry.
As with many, Lana Ellington’s pool career began with family ties. Her husband’s family owned Heldor, an industry legend out of Morristown, NJ, where she worked in Customer Service for almost 20 years. When Heldor closed its’ doors in 1991, Ellington and her husband started a new distribution company in Netcong, NJ, called The Pool and Spa Depot.
In 2002, Ellington was hired as customer service manager at Pegasus Products, leaving to join Merlin this past February as a senior customer service representative.
Annette Gibbs worked for Riverton Pools & Garden, a pool dealer based in Cinammonson, NJ, for ten years prior to joining Merlin this February. Starting in 2003 in the sales department, she worked with Merlin on a regular basis as she headed up liner and safety cover sales, eventually growing the department to include renovations as well.
Kathy Decha comes to Merlin with 14 years of industry experience. Starting with Hayward Industries in 1999 as an inside sales rep at the corporate office in Elizabeth, NJ, she was promoted to outside retail specialist for New York and New Jersey in 2001. She moved to Pentair in 2007 and served as a territory sales manager for North and South New Jersey until 2010.
After 11 years in the manufacturing sector, Decha changed directions in 2010 and took a job in distribution at SCP-Lakewood in New Jersey. As a Business Development Representative, Decha attended trade shows and gave presentations to SCP customers about new products and changing industry practices. She started at Merlin in February as an account executive.
A New Identity: United Aqua GroupAquatech Corporation announces the launch of United Aqua Group, a new identity for the corporate parent of its growing family of professional pool construction and retail brands: Aquatech Pools, AquaCommercial and AquaValue. The three brands will remain unique under the new identity.
The launch of United Aqua Group signifies the growth and transformation of the 50 year old, member-owned organization that has become synonymous with integrity, quality and innovation in the pool building and retail industry. The new identity is designed to showcase the company’s portfolio of brands and is reflective of its dominance in the pool industry.
“We have always had a strong identity of who we are as a company, and United Aqua Group brings together this family of strong brands,” says Jeff Fausett, president and chief executive officer. “Our members build and service residential and commercial pools, own retail pool supply centers and often times build and sell through retail stores. We felt that United Aqua Group was a name that captured both our strength and sense of completeness in the market.”
