December 20, 2007
Pool & Spa Safety Act Supported by APSP Enacted Into Law
Congress has approved the “Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act”. With minor modifications, it is materially the same as the bill that passed the Senate unanimously last year but narrowly failed in the House. The current bill, approved by the Senate Commerce Committee earlier, was incorporated as Title XIV of H.R. 6, the omnibus energy bill approved by the Congress and signed by the President on December 19. The House of Representatives in July passed a slightly different version of the bill, but it is the Senate version that has now been enacted, with the full support of APSP. MORE.
Industry Leaders Needed for Special Assignment
Have you been thinking that it's time to get involved and make a difference? “We need passionate people who understand that education increases professionalism and helps our overall industry become more successful,” says APSP Board Member Kathleen Carlson, one of the volunteers from various segments of the industry who have worked together as a team and laid the groundwork for APSP’s new Career Institute Initiative. APSP Chairman of the Board Gene Fields will seat the first Board of Regents of the Career Institute in January. MORE.
Regional Shows Bring in the New Year
2008 Mid America Pool & Spa Show
January 21-24, 2008, Pheasant Run Resort & Mega Expo Center, St. Charles IL
free seminars will be offered January 23-24, as well as a full-week APSP Tech School, offering TECH I and TECH II training, Monday through Friday, January 21-25, and a two-day NSPF CPO course Monday and Tuesday, January 21-22. MORE.
Atlantic City Pool & Spa Show
January 29-31, 2008, Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City NJ
Over 45 technical seminars and 20 business seminars. Enhance your knowledge with NESPA’s Advanced Pool Builders program, Mastering The Craft, Act II, a follow up to last year’s highly successful Mastering The Craft course. MORE.
Sarah Sebastian Named Director of Membership
Effective December 3, Sarah Sebastian became the APSP Director of Membership. Sarah was Director of Membership at the American Academy of Audiology, where, in a 7-year period, her team grew membership by an impressive 48%. A graduate of Radford University in Virginia, she holds a BS in psychology. MORE.
Got Consumer Research on Hot Tubs? The Industry Needs It!
If you have consumer research that you’re willing to share in order to help the hot tub industry growth initiative save time and money in the start-up phase, we need it by December 30. MORE.
APSP Gathering Information on ICC Member Code Officials. You Can Help.
APSP would like to know which code officials in your area belong to the International Code Council (ICC) so we can reach out to them to enlist their support for the adoption of the ANSI/APSP-7 Standard into the International Residential Code. Please ask the code officials you work with and send their names and email addresses to Carvin DiGiovanni. Your "grass roots" connections with these officials are precious to us.
Aquatic Training Institute Offers Online Subcontractor Package
The Aquatic Training Institute (ATI), in Gainesville, FL, is offering a special online continuing education package for applicants for the Florida Swimming Pool Specialty Contractor license. The package meets the requirement for three (3) hours of board-approved continuing education courses, consisting of one hour of workplace safety, one hour of business practices, and one hour of workers’ compensation. Upon completion of each course, the applicant can immediately print a certificate of completion to submit with his or her application. MORE.
Online Regional Awards of Excellence Begun
A new online Awards of Excellence program has been initiated in Regions 2, 3, 5, and 6, allowing members to enter, upload photos, and pay entry fees quickly and easily. The regional programs are designed to make entry simple and allow online judging, eliminating the need for judges to travel. Evaluators can log in on their regional web sites at their convenience to score and comment on “blind” entries. MORE.
NSPF® Grants Award to Study Benefits of Aquatic Exercise for Diabetics
The National Swimming Pool Foundation® has awarded a grant to explore the health benefits of aquatic exercise for people with Type 2 diabetes, which affects more than one in five Americans over the age of 60. The incidence of Type 2 diabetes has a strong genetic component and increases with age, excess weight, and inactivity. MORE.
New York Times: “A Bundle of Joy Isn’t Enough?”
Hot Tubs as “Push Present”
Alice Cunningham of Olympic Hot Tub Company brought an interesting New York Times article to the attention of Industry Currents. It appears that awarding new mothers with presents after giving birth is rapidly becoming an emerging trend in today’s society. Commonly known as a “push presents,” these gifts can be elaborate and costly. Among jewelry and other various expensive gifts, a recent article in the New York Times names hot tubs as a present bought to encourage family time together. To view the entire article, click here.
Holiday Greetings
In celebration of the holidays, Industry Currents will not appear December 26, 2007 or January 2, 2008. We wish all members a safe, happy holiday season, and a prosperous New Year. To view a special APSP holiday greeting, click here.
You can contribute to IC. Click here to find out how, or send an email to ic@APSP.org. You may also fax 703.549.0493.