Submit Your Entries for the 2010 Awards of Excellence Competition
The entry submission site for the 40th International Awards of Excellence competition is now open! The deadline for submissions is Sunday, August 15. The annual Awards of Excellence (AOE) recognize the most beautiful and creative installations of pools, hot tubs and water features across the United States and around the world. The competition is open only to APSP-member builders, designers, service and retail firms. To enter, visit the entry site here, where you will also find award categories, helpful photography hints, judging criteria and entry rules and regulations. Best of luck with your submissions!
Salt Water Pools: Chlorine by Another Name
Many of us have either heard--or heard of--pool owners and operators who didn't know that salt water pools are actually chlorine pools. To help clear up some of the confusion, Geoffrey Brown teaches us some of the most common misunderstandings about salt water pools. Read the article here, published in the July, 2010 Recreational Water Quality Newsletter, a publication of the APSP Recreational Water Quality committee.
EXPO Educational Programs for Builders and Service Professionals
Pool and spa builders and service professionals can register to be certified through the APSP educational programs offered at the International Pool|Spa|Patio Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada this fall. Service professionals can register for the Technical Service Institute and Certified Service Professional (CSP) prep course and exam, while builders have the opportunity to register for the Advanced Builders Institute and Certified Building Professional (CBP) prep course and exam. Learn more about the programs here on apsp.org.
APSP and IPSSA Gather for Texas Fishing Tournament
On Saturday, June 5, the Texas chapters of IPSSA and APSP combined forces to host their first ever “statewide fishing tournament” fundraiser. Proceeds from the event benefited the Aquatic Professionals Education Council (APEC), the Texas lobbying group for pool industry professionals. Why a fishing tournament? "All of the local chapters have golf tournaments," stated Steve French, owner of Travis pool covers, and the committee leader who pulled the event together. "This was a great way to reach other chapter members -like me- who would rather fish than play golf." Read more on MyAPSP.org here.
"Sky High Pool" Photo Album
Earlier this month we featured the engineering marvel, Marina Bay Sands hotel pool, built 55 stories above the ground. The builders, Natare Corporation of Indianapolis, recently posted a photo album of their “sky-high pool” on MyAPSP.org. To accommodate the sway of the building, movement joints were installed between the main pool, each with a unique range of motion and a total range of motion of 19.68 inches. Natare wrote in the Builder Open Industry group that they also built an adjustable jacking system to allow for settlement of the building over time, and the continuing function of the infinity edge. View the photos from Natare here or read the original discussion on MyAPSP.org here.
Online Tools: Facebook Reaches 500 Million Members
This morning, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the social networking site is now used by more than 500 million members worldwide. Are you one of these active users? If so, you know how many businesses are taking advantage of the network’s audience by creating business pages. APSP has a page on Facebook to connect with its members and provide timely information, and the National Water Safety Month’s Facebook page is used to promote the message of water safety all year long. Business pages also have options for the owner to post photos, videos, links and blogs and a “Reviews” section where Facebook-using customers can read and write reviews for the company. You can create a free business page on Facebook here, and tap that 500 million member market!
Steven Metz, APSP member and active volunteer, is the president and co-owner of Central Jersey Pools of Freehold, N. J. and a 29-year industry veteran.