Welcome to the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance Carolinas Chapter

Building a Stronger Pool & Hot Tub Industry in the Carolinas

Advancing professionalism, safety, and education for aquatic experiences.

Core Purpose

The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance promotes safe and healthy pool and hot tub environments for people to share enjoyable aquatic experiences.

Our Mission

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.

We Educate Industry Professionals

We offer education and resources for members to expand their businesses and achieve personal success.

We Advocate for the Industry

We improve the business environment by advocating and promoting the benefits of the aquatics industry.

We Elevate to the Highest Standards

We create programs and practices to enable our members reach their pinnacle.

The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) is the world’s oldest and largest association representing swimming pool, spa, and hot tub manufacturers, manufacturers’ agents, builders, designers, distributors, suppliers, installers, retailers, and service technicians. For more than half a century, PHTA has been serving members and the public with critical industry knowledge that ranges from sound regulatory practice to industry trends and consumer attitudes. Since 1983, PHTA is the only industry organization accredited by the American National Standards Institute as the recognized Standards Development Organization to promote and develop the nation’s standards for swimming pools and hot tubs.

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PHTA enhances the business success of its member professionals and ensures consumer safety through:

  • Offering education and resources for members to expand their businesses and achieve personal success.
  • Improving the business environment by advocating and promoting the benefits of the aquatics industry.
  • Creating programs and practices to enable our members reach their pinnacle.
Kurt-Candler

A Letter from the President

Dear Members and Industry Professionals,

My name is Kurt Candler, and I am proud to serve as the President of the newly formed Carolinas Chapter of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance. In 2025, we successfully merged the North Carolina and South Carolina chapters to create a unified organization representing professionals across both states.

We’ve restructured our board to ensure strong representation from builders, wholesalers, retailers, and manufacturers in both states. Our goal is to foster collaboration and friendly competition across all sectors of the swimming pool industry, creating synergies that ultimately benefit the end user and ensure our collective success and sustainability.

Our mission is simple: Educate, Advocate, Elevate.

  • Educate: Through our partnership with Genesis, we offer “Pool University,” a comprehensive continuing education program covering all aspects of pool construction and business.
  • Advocate: Working with other PHTA chapters nationwide, we engage professional lobbyists to advocate for sensible regulations and federal policies that support our industry.
  • Elevate: Through regular Zoom meetings and in-person events, we create opportunities for networking, problem-solving, and building stronger professional relationships. By uniting a diverse group with a shared vision, we’ve expanded our perspective—and as they say, “a rising tide lifts all boats.”

What to Expect in 2025
We are excited to announce the launch of a state-of-the-art website, designed to promote our members and their businesses. This interactive platform will include access to free educational webinars led by experts in construction techniques, code compliance, business strategy, sales, and more.

Mark your calendars for November 15, 2025, when we will host our first-ever Awards Banquet Ceremony at the JW Marriott in Charlotte, NC. This event will spotlight the creativity and excellence of our members and recognize the vital support of our corporate sponsors.

Additionally, we are planning:

  • Multiple social mixers across North and South Carolina.
  • Quarterly Zoom-based educational sessions for ongoing learning and engagement.

If you haven’t yet joined the Carolinas Chapter, now is the perfect time. We invite you to become part of our growing community and elevate your business to new heights.

Respectfully,
Kurt Candler

President, PHTA Carolinas Chapter

We have an amazing diverse board of volunteers that capture all aspects of our industry. While we haven’t been able to meet in person or hold networking or educational events, we are hoping to hold some events later this year. We have been busy as a board meeting via Zoom every month. Some of the important accomplishments our chapter board (along with PHTA) we’ve conquered through 2020 are :

  • The resurrection of a PHTA NC state chapter
  • Letters to Senator to obtain “essential” status for our industry
  • Legal involvement to overrule a potential bonding grid code change

I don’t need to tell you that the pandemic has certainly put the swimming pool industry into a thankful but stressful unprecedented demand. I do hope you also realize that being part of the PHTA professional network is more important than ever. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any of the board members.

Thank you,

Lea Frederick, SWD Registered, IWI Verified Professional
PHTA NC Chapter President

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