PHTA Launches Strategic Action Plan

The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance is proud to unveil its official strategic plan — the first of its kind for the alliance. This detailed plan clearly defines PHTA’s core purpose, mission statement, core values, pillars and more.

“This plan will serve as our foundation, define our priorities and chart PHTA’s pathway into the future,” says PHTA President and CEO Sabeena Hickman, CAE.

Hickman took the lead on creating the strategic plan along with the PHTA strategic planning team, including members of the board of directors and the leadership team. Together, the team successfully developed the first strategic plan for the unified group. The strategic plan and tactical plan were approved at their recent August board of directors meeting.

The process started in December when the PHTA sent a comprehensive survey to all members and conducted an environmental scan to identify the challenges and opportunities that will impact the industry in the coming years. PHTA Chairman of the Board Chris Curcio states, “Our goal was to be inclusive and transparent throughout the process and get as much input as possible from the members that we serve.” 

“Once we reviewed the results, we turned our focus to creating the PHTA mission and vision statements and identifying broad themes and goals to address the challenges and opportunities identified in the environmental scan,” Hickman explains.

Building upon the PHTA’s values and goals, the strategic planning team formulated three core pillars: educate, advocate, and elevate. These three pillars focus on education programs and delivery, government relations and advocacy, certification and professionalism, chapter relations, and PHTA’s spiritual purpose.

“We are now working to finalize development of implementation plans with our committees and councils, and execution of the strategic plan will start in the last quarter of 2020,” Hickman adds.

The final approved PHTA strategic plan is as follows: 

Core Purpose – To promote safe and healthy pool and hot tub environments for people to share enjoyable aquatic experiences.

Mission Statement – The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance protects and advances the common interests of the industry by providing education, advocacy, standards development, research and market growth to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge and profitability.

Educate Industry Professionals – Offers education and resources for members to expand their business and achieve personal success.

• Create an educational platform to increase the number, diversity and quality of educational and training opportunities.
• Create pathways of learning for careers in the profession.
• Increase the number of skilled professionals through our training and apprenticeship programs. 

Advocate for the Industry – Improves the business environment by advocating and promoting the benefits of the aquatics industry. 

• Influence policymakers and regulators on key industry issues.
• Create an outreach plan that demonstrates the value of backyard pools, hot tubs and aquatics activity. 
• Serve as a trusted resource through industry coalitions and partnerships with allied associations and philanthropic giving. 

Elevate to the Highest Standards – Create programs and practices to enable our members to reach their pinnacle. 

• Seek the highest possible level of uniform certification and licensing standards.
• Establish and promote professional industry-wide standards that conform to quality and safeguard integrity. 
• Strengthen collaborative relationships between international, national, and state affiliates to best serve our industry.  

Core Values

• Accountability
• Continuous improvement
• Engagement
• Inclusion and diversity 
• Innovation and thought leadership 
• Integrity
• Openness and transparency
• Results orientation
• Trust

For more information, please contact Janay Rickwalder, PHTA’s vice president of marketing and communications, at [email protected] or (703) 357-3918.