PLEATCO POOL TECH SEARCH 2023 - OFFICIAL VOTING PAGE

I've been in the industry for over 25 years, and John is simply the most knowledgeable and professional tech I've ever met. He knows EVERYTHING! He's helped just about everyone in the Portland Metro area, from large aquatic facilities to the small family pool.

Jim is a pleasure to work with, and gives the Service Department at Valley a GREAT reputation! He comes in early, works late, whatever he needs to do to take care of the Client! He has been with us for 20+ years, and truly deserves this recognition!

I am thrilled to nominate Keith Behrendt of Clearly Poolman for the Pleatco Pool tech contest. Keith is new to the pool industry having only joined us in March, but you would think he has been here for 20 years already ! Keith's exceptional dedication, unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction, and unmatched technical expertise make him a standout service technician. His ability to diagnose and resolve complex pool issues while maintaining a friendly and professional demeanor truly sets him apart. Keith's passion for excellence and his constant pursuit of innovative solutions make him a deserving candidate for this recognition.

I am nominating myself because I accidentally stumbled upon the pool and hot tub industry and have absolutely fallen in with it and can not say enough amazing things about it. I have been a pool technician for the past three years, I genuinely enjoy this line of work, and I am always trying to learn something new every single day. I’m excited to be attending the Atlantic City Pool and Spa Show again come 2024 and I am hoping to expand my knowledge even more by learning about the building side of the industry and would be interested in taking GENESIS courses/certification classes. It would be an honor to receive this award as a PHTA member and as a consumer of Pleatco already!

Derek has been in the pool industry since he was 13 years old. When I was new in the industry his wife suggested I get to know him. Boy am I glad I did! He can do it all, and customers love him. Check out our 5 star reviews on Yelp, Next Door, Google etc, and everyone mentions his friendliness, knowledge and ability to get the job done. Among his other fine qualities, I appreciate his perseverance, willingness to brain storm the best approach to tackling challenging repair assignments. Can't think of a better person to take over my business, my baby, when I retire.

It's hard to put into just a few words why Kristine deserves this award. She has been in the industry almost her entire life, and in that time she has taken countless classes, grown into management positions at our store (and her previous store) taught endless new employees and new pool owners, selflessly assisted the service team doing openings and closings- sometimes even on her days off (which is NOT part of her job description). She does all of this while working 50+ hour weeks in the store, working on her own weekly pool service on her day off, and in the last year she was also the sole author of Pool Care for Dummies published May of this year. She's unbelievably talented and knowledgeable and this award will prove to everyone who's never met her that she really has been a perfect pool tech.

Great tech with massive range of knowledge, especially automation and heaters. He takes extra time with customers so that they can fully understand installation or repair performed.

I believe John should win because he has been in this industry for 10+ years and still strives for excellence. He is the only spa technician in our area that knows how to work on any brand/model hot tub. We have been in retail for 3+ years now. He always goes above and beyond for our customers. John always tries to make it right for the customer as long as its not too far out of line.

I have been a customer of Anthony's for over 15 yrs. This man still amazes me from his knowledge to his actions. He is always available for his customers. I know when I cal him he takes care of me like I am his only customer. I have seen the effects of covid on business in the area. Thank God this man and his teams are still with us. People in the service industry are often look down on. This company is a shining example of why we need to save Mom and Pop shops everywhere.

Courtney joined the Cambridge Pool team in the spring of 2020 as a Service Tech (as a summer job to supplement her training to be a firefighter) performing pool openings, assisting with liner installs, and pool closings, always a hard worker, with attention to detail and impeccable attendance. She returned the following season and was eager to learn and do more, and in addition to her regular workload, began assisting with pump and filter installs, plumbing, skimmer replacements, and safety cover installs. Her dedication, thouroughness, and customer service enticed us to retain her year long. Courtney enagaged in a ton of vendor provided training and became our Lead Service technician, doing repairs, running crews on installs (liners and safety cover), pump and filter installs and troubleshooting, full replumbs etc. Courtney is a hard worker who wants to work the saw, jackhammer, sledge or shovel, she is the first to arrive, and often the last to leave. Customers request her personally for their openings, or closings, as they know they can rely on her attention to detail and personable nature. Courtney is truly an MVP and would be an excellent selection for Service Tech of the Year!

Will dedicates his time and energy to our customers to give them the best experience as well as educate them. Will is patient and willing to go to all lengths to complete a job. He is even willing to go out on Sundays and in any weather condition. There is never a time that Will says no to a job or to help anyone out. He is our go-to tech and we couldn't be happier to have him a part of our team. He is our definition of a team leader and role model for our service and building team.

Abby joined our company approximately three years ago, and right from the start, she left a lasting impression on me with her thirst for knowledge. Unlike any other employee, she chose to extend her training by an additional two weeks to ensure she mastered everything comprehensively before entering the field. Once she began working in the field, Abby showcased her exceptional abilities. She became a troubleshooting expert, adept at problem-solving, and excelled at managing service routes, surpassing anyone I had seen before. It wasn’t long before she decided to expand her skills into maintenance and repair, where she proved to be a natural. Shortly after, we opened our first retail location, which Abby took charge of completely. She isn’t just there to promote our products; she also assists people in understanding pool-related issues and offers innovative solutions. Abby has acquired multiple certifications in her field and has become my indispensable right hand, handling everything from phone calls and accounting to payroll. She’s even ready to step into the field when needed. Abby has earned the trust of our other technicians, who rely on her to answer questions and guide them through challenging situations. Remarkably, at only 23 years old (she was 21 when she joined us), she has proven herself to be an all-around superstar in this industry. Other companies have attempted to lure her away, but she remains loyal to us. Abby is a diligent worker, highly educated, and an individual I depend on every day. There is no one more deserving of the “Perfect POOL Girl” award than Abigail Crosby.

Ted, my father, has spent the last 35 years of his life working with customer to help them ensure that they maximize their experience in the pool/spa/swim spa category. He strives to maintain and please a growing customer base of satisfied customers!

Cory was recently promoted to Senior Maintenance Technician. An example of why is he will mercilessly demand that every technician vacuum every pool they maintain, even if it is clean. The client is paying for it, so do it. He previously had no official authority over his fellow technicians, but he commands respect from his peers. Every client requests him because he has an impeccable standard for his craft.

I have been in the pool industry my whole life, successfully owning and operating a service and repair business full time for almost 7 years now after purchasing my father’s company. • I am CPO certified. • I have had a registered contractor’s license since I began running my company and working it full time. • I have been the President of my local IPSSA Chapter for 4 years now and will be transitioning to the Regional Director this coming February. • I have also served on a handful of IPSSA National committees. These include the Individual Membership Committee, Young Professionals Committee, Associate Member Approval Committee, National Bylaws Taskforce and IPSSA’s Marketing Committee. • I am nominated and will most likely be awarded IPSSA’s first ever “Pool Professional of Tomorrow” award at the Weekend of Inspiration Conference in February. • I am also a nominee for Pool Nation’s “Pool Guy of the Year” award at the PSP Expo in Las Vegas this November. • Lastly, I have ran a service route of close to 400 accounts while managing 11 employees in the North County San Diego area.

Good day. Please allow me to nominate myself, Travis Fleetwood, as the 2023 Pleatco Pool Technician of The Year. As the Pool Tech for Fort Stewart, GA, I maintain/service five (5) pools and two (2) splash pads with a total of 1.5 million gallons of water with three checks a daily. During our most recent pool season, I maintained/serviced all areas without any downtime for maintenance or repairs while exceeding all water sample requirements set forth by the state and the United States government. As a result, my employer (TSAY) in conjunction with the Department of Public Works at Fort Stewart named me Employee of the Month for September 2023.Having gained the confidence maintaining the pools and splash pads on Fort Stewart since being AFO certified since 2015, I created a Pool Area Maintenance company in July of this year. Currently, I am servicing four (4) pool areas and negotiating with two (2) Homeowner Associations to begin servicing their 13 pools in 2024. As a Service-Disabled Veteran, who was stationed at Fort Stewart, I am humbled to service the service members and their families in this great community. Because I know they work so hard, I believe that they have earned the right to play just as hard in a well-maintained aquatic facility. And hopefully, the pool is maintained by a Pleatco Pool Tech nominee named Travis Fleetwood. Thank you and God bless!

Lawrence Flores has owned and operated his repair business and retail store since 1995 and has provided excellent and honest service to the community. Lawrence is still servicing an repairing pools at the age of 72 and shows no sign of slowing down. Lawrence is the pool tech of the year because of his dedication to his work and his expertise in working on the "dinosaurs" that are still out there.

Cristina is just amazing! A wonderful person with a great attitude. She always wants to learn more and shows that she is capable of anything we ask.From water chemistry and maintenance to Liner changes…. cement work…. Plumbing…. Leak detection… pool openings and closings. She is our goto pool girl. Special is the least we can say about how wonderful it is to work with her.Clients adore her. She is a winner…

Madison Frias stands out as the ideal candidate for the "Pleatco Pool Tech Search" award due to her exceptional performance, dedication, and positive impact on our organization. Her consistent contributions and commitment to going above and beyond make her a standout employee. Beyond our internal recognition of Madison as a technician, it cannot go unmentioned that her ability to take care of the customers that she interacts with is of the highest caliber of customer care. Madison receives reports from homeowners thanking her for her help and has multiple online reviews written involving her and her service.

I am recommending Reed Galloway for the Young Leader Award. Reed is a 3rd generation "pool guy". His grandfather Ed Galloway, sold pools, and his father, Tate Galloway, started his own service company in 1990. Reed has been around this business his entire life. He worked for the family company during high school, part-time, and then full-time after high school. He's never looked back. He has made it his goal to learn every inch of the service and construction industry, becoming a leader in our company. Reed will completely take over the family company at some point, however, already manages our employees, some that are more than twice his age. Reed would not send anyone to do service work that he, himself, wouldn't tackle. Reed is a respected technician amongst our clients, and receives many compliments on his knowledge and passion to succeed.

I am nominating Ben for the advanced technology award. Ben has gone above and beyond to learn, understand, and diagnose everything on our Cody pools equipment. There is not one thing we can’t send Ben to and he won’t figure out the problem the first time. Ben has been able to adjust to change with new products and assist his peers on all of our equipment related questions he might get. Ben is one of our best employees at Cody pools and I feel he would be excellent candidate for this award.

David has been a pool tech with us for 6 years and is the best. All of our customers ask for him and him only. He is thorough and detailed, always going above and beyond to leave the pool better than he found it.

I am writing to enthusiastically nominate Max Genin for the Pool Tech award. Max has consistently exhibited a remarkable commitment to his role and an unwavering dedication to ensuring our customers pools are not only well-maintained but also a source of delight for their family. Max has worked for our company for over 10 years (he started as a teenager) and has grown into a Team Lead role where he oversees our fiberglass pool construction team. He has the nickname "Aquaman" in our company. His hard work & commitment has earned him several incentive trips with our company. Going Above and Beyond is what sets Max apart. His consistent willingness to go above and beyond his regular duties. Whether it's working extra hours during peak seasons, taking proactive measures to prevent issues, or assisting with special community events, Max has always been there to lend a helping hand.Max demonstrates a deep knowledge of pool maintenance and the technicalities involved. His proficiency in troubleshooting and addressing any issues has been invaluable in maintaining the pool's pristine condition.In summary, Max is a shining example of an outstanding pool service technician. His dedication, hard work, and commitment to delivering exceptional service make him a deserving candidate for this award. We are fortunate to have Max as part of our team, and I believe his efforts deserve the recognition and appreciation that this award represents.Thank you for considering this nomination.

I have worked with Robert for 20 years. He is undoubtedly one of the best techs in the industry. There is nothing he can’t repair. He is also very personable and many of our customers have called us after service to let us know what a pleasure it was working with him. I am grateful that he is a member of our team.

Jessie has been in the pool industry for 15+ years and is always very helpful and so knowledgeable. He has great communication skills and always on stand by to help a customer over the phone as well, even when he is already working with a "full plate". I truly appreciate him.

Started my business just over a year ago, which has had many struggles as I am a very shy and quiet person. But through learning how to network and become apart of the pool community we've gotten pretty far in a short time. It's all been thanks to the friends we've made along the way! Now I'm so confident in my abilities I am the face/logo of my company!

Scott has been a cornerstone of the pool & spa industry in our area. Our customers rave about his work. He and his wife are also active in the community, creating a neighborhood-sized lights display that is the among the most popular in the region. The proceeds collected from the lights display go to local charities.

Ashley Hightower has been in this field for more than 8 Years. Every single day the pride, work ethic, kindness and eagerness to always learn more is excelled at. Ashley's puts in the effort to attend training seminars, classes and after maintaining pools for 6 years started ride along training for the last 2 to become a Service Technician. Her constant growth and drive to learn is not just an asset to Aqua Classic but an asset to know her as an individual. She has built a bond with customers that goes well above and beyond simply maintaining pools she builds lasting trust and certainty within our customers that raises the standard within our community. She is the epitome of what this search is looking to find. Someone who believes in the work she does and takes pride in having a career in this field.

Dennis has been a part of our team for a few years now. He came to us after being in the industry for many years and learning the trade from his father. He is incredibly talented and hard working for both his work family and his home family. He is a humble man, very deserving of such an award.