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PHTA UPDATES
Yesterday, PHTA launched the Registered Pool Maintenance and Service Technician Apprenticeship Program to help build a more skilled and diverse workforce and expand the workforce of service professionals in the aquatics industry. As a registered apprenticeship program, this program has been validated by the U.S. Department of Labor and provides employers access to larger talent pools. The PHTA Board of Directors was joined by Kirk Jefferson, Apprenticeship and Training Representative, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship, for an official signing at PHTA headquarters in Alexandria. Free to PHTA members, the program will help close the skills gap in the pool and tub industry by allowing individuals to earn wages while receiving hands-on training to successfully fill the need for skilled service technician and maintenance professionals. Visit apprenticeship.phta.org to learn more.   
PHTA is excited to announce its newest Strategic Partner, Hayward. The PHTA Strategic Partnership Program creates special opportunities for companies that promote the association’s initiatives, including education, advocacy, and market outreach. As part of the Strategic Partnership Program, PHTA will recognize Hayward’s commitment to the pool and hot tub industry by helping them maximize brand visibility, connect with thousands of engaged industry professionals, and unlock valuable opportunities.
Olympian and PHTA Vice President of Partnerships & Development Rowdy Gaines was commentating at the Olympics all of last week. NBC shared a clip of the ROWDY CAM, giving a behind-the-scenes look at Rowdy watching the men's 4 x 100 medley relay final. Watching the clip, you can see why Rowdy is such an important figure in our industry—his passion and enthusiasm are undeniable!
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) and PHTA have partnered to raise both awareness and funds for drowning prevention. ISHOF will use its broadcast and media platforms to encourage donations for Every Child A Swimmer. PHTA and Step Into Swim will be responsible for the administration of all Every Child A Swimmer donations, including donor acknowledgments and issuance of grant awards.
PHTA is accepting nomations for the PHTA Awards until Friday, August 27! Winners will be honored at the Awards of Excellence Reception at PSP/DeckExpo in November. Nominate a colleague, an industry professional you know, or even yourself! PHTA Awards include: —Builder of the Year
—Service Professional of the Year —Retailer of the Year —Young Professional of the Year —Chapter of the Year —PHTA Fellow EDUCATION AND EVENTS
At the crux of your personal and business success is training and competency. WAHC is the perfect opportunity to gain incredible education and maintain your certification. As an IACET Accredited Provider, PHTA offers CEUs for its programs that qualify under the ANSI/IACET Standard. Attendees can earn up to 11 PHTA CEUs for the two full session days, equaling 1.1 AICET CEUs. At WAHC, you'll gain critical knowledge and ideas that you can take home and apply right away, helping you to maintain the trust of your customers and position your business for growth.
 PHTA and ICC are offering courses on the International Swimming Pool & Spa Code (ISPSC): one course on the 2018 version and one course on the 2021 version. The ISPSC is a comprehensive pool and spa code concentrating on all aspects of pool and spa design and construction. The code addresses quality, safety, energy, and conservation per the ANSI/APSP approved standards. Student builders will examine the benefits of adopting the code. Officials are provided an explanation of the code and the practices the code is built on. These two courses meet the needs of both builders and inspectors.
As we focus on continuing to improve our certification program and processes, and to help our credential holders more easily manage their certifications, we are pleased to announce that all certification renewal dates will now be December 31 of their respective renewal year. For example, if you were set for an August renewal this year, it is now December 31, 2021. If you are up for renewal in June of 2022, it will now be December 31, 2022.
Join the California Pool & Spa Association (CPSA) on Wednesday, August 18 at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT for a FREE webinar. Panelists John Dudek, Benefits Division Leader with Aqualine Insurance Services, and Jack Leavy, Regional Vice President, Business Markets with Principal Financial Group, will walk you through the steps to making sure your business and your equity are adequately protected now and in the future. Although this webinar is geared towards a California audience, all PHTA members are welcome.
PHTA is starting to schedule our webinar series for the fall and winter. If you have ideas for webinar topics, we would love to hear them! Please send the title, seminar description, learning objectives, and speaker bio to Katie Junkers, PHTA Director of Education, at kjunkers@phta.org.
MEMBERSHIP
PHTA is always growing! In July, 45 companies and individuals from around the world joined PHTA. Meet our newest members and reach out to them to say hello!
PHTA Chapters around the country are hosting in-person events again! Come out and meet members in your area. —Michigan Chapter: Annual Charity Golf Tournament —Greater Houston Chapter: Annual Golf Tournament & Fundraiser —Central Arizona Chapter: Golf Tournament Looking to connect with your local chapter? Click here.
Meet Michael Panella, who currently serves on the Retail Council. Michael has been part of the pool and hot tub industry for 10 years. He enjoys volunteering because "I want to help this industry continue growing and I'm grateful for the relationships that I've built through PHTA."
STANDARDS AND CODES
PHTA is pleased to announce that the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the ANSI/PHTA/ICC-15 2021 American National Standard for Residential Swimming Pool and Spa Energy Efficiency. ANSI will publicly announce the approval of the 2021 standard in their Standards Action publication on August 6. The PHTA-15 will now enter the production phase. Thank you to all of the committee members who worked on this standard!
ADVOCACY
The PHTA Government Relations (GR) team monitors state and local legislation as well as rulemaking nationwide, advocating around the country and lobbying for legislation and rulemaking that benefits PHTA and its members. Priority issues surround the adoption of the International Swimming Pool & Spa Code (ISPSC), Portable Electric Spa Energy Efficiency via adoption of the APSP-14 Standard, Licensing/Certification/Training, Pool & Hot Tub Safety and Education, Prop 65 in California, as well as other areas. PHTA GR was actively engaged in 22 states from January 1, 2021, until July 5, 2021, and remains actively involved in California, monitoring legislation introduced daily in collaboration with CPSA. In Massachusetts, PHTA secured sponsorship for HB 424, which requires the Board of Building Regulations & Standards to adopt a swimming pool construction and installation work license and a swimming pool maintenance, service, and repair work license. PHTA is also engaged in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, advocating for current legislation that would adopt the APSP-14 standard. The following are a few highlights from the past week:
*Code Update: The New Hampshire State Building Code Review Board is reviewing adoption of the 2018 version of I-Codes, including the ISPSC. The Board will meet on August 6 and PHTA is monitoring the process for any state-specific amendments. PHTA members with feedback on any proposals or who want to engage in the code process should reach out to Nicholas Capezza, PHTA Senior Manager of Codes & External Standards, at ncapezza@phta.org. Questions or input on any legislative, regulatory, or local matters should be directed to Jason Davidson, PHTA Director of Government Relations, at jdavidson@phta.org. For a full, comprehensive report on PHTA Government Relations activities nationwide, click here. FOR YOUR BUSINESS
CNBC
Since the Tax Cut and Jobs Act was passed, there’s been a $10,000 federal deduction limit for the state and local taxes deduction, known as SALT. A growing number of states offer workarounds for some pass-through business owners to sidestep the limit. Forbes
All play an important role in a company – here are five tips to unite these pillars of success. INDUSTRY NEWS
Pool and Spa News
Whether you want to look out for red flags or perform a dedicated electrical inspection, you can learn the steps for assessing pool/spa installations for electrical safety. AQUA Magazine
Now that the variable-speed era is upon us, flow meters have seen their role grow in importance because they allow operators and service pros to use the capabilities of the VSP to their full capacity. PoolPro
“Providing commercial pool care services isn’t as simple as caring for a bigger pool for bigger cash flow,” notes one aquatic professional. You must prepare ahead of time in order to succeed if your company is considering expanding into commercial pool service.
UPCOMING EVENTS
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CPSA Webinar: How to Protect Your Pool Business and Its Equity Right Now
