Alexandria, Va., Sept. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) announced today that it has expanded its interest categories and is currently seeking User-Consumer interest category participants to serve on the Standards Consensus Committee (SCC) official consensus voting body. The SCC is responsible for reviewing and voting on all pool and hot tub performance standards to be approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
The User-Consumer interest category is defined as “any individual/entity that uses swimming pools, spas, swim spas, and hot tubs or components. This includes but is not limited to homeowners, owners or operators of, or service professionals engaged with, swimming pools, spas, swim spas, or hot tubs, or members of consumer and public safety advocate organizations.”
“There are approximately 10.4 million residential pools in the United States and the expansion of our interest categories demonstrates the industry’s commitment to providing an avenue for consumers to provide input on our consensus standards,” said PHTA Director of Standards Susan J. Hilaski. “User-Consumer participation is vital to the success of our standards development process.”
Members of PHTA’s SCC are classified into one of four interest categories: General Interest, Producer, User-Consumer or User-Government. Participants in PHTA’s standards development process include subject matter experts, such as academics and public health representatives, architects, engineers, consultants, product manufacturers, and other organizations and individuals with expertise or interest in advancing the pool and hot tub industry.
Currently, individuals serving on the SCC are:
General Interest
Gary J. Burkitt, III, G. Burkitt Consulting
Frank H. Goldstein, CSP, CBP, Chesapeake Aquatic Consultants, LCC
Florence A. Higgins, R.S., Higgins Environmental Solutions
Tony Mendez, MasterCorp, Inc.
Chuck Neuman, Water Technology Inc.
Rick Root, World Waterpark Association
Shawn Strausbaugh, International Code Council
Mike Teemant, CSG Consultants
Producer
John Bently, CSP, CBP, Carefree Pools, Inc.
Don Cesarone, Jr., Van Kirk & Sons, Inc.
Nathan Coelho, Master Spas, Inc.
Lars Hagen, Team Horner Group
Scott Heusser, CPO, CPOI, CPI, CAEA, Idaho Aquatic Services, LLC / Idaho Pool Remodeling
John O'Hare, Hayward Industries, Inc.
Bill Svendsen, S.R. Smith LLC
Michael Tinkler, Latham Pool Products, Inc.
User-Consumer
Brian Cresse, Walt Disney World Parks & Resorts
Louis Sam Fruia, United Independent School District
Connie Harvey, American Red Cross
Kris Bridges, SCC Chair, City of Martinsville, VA (SCC CHAIR)
Justin DeWitt, P.E., LEEDAP, Division of Environmental Health, Illinois Department of Public Health
User-Government
William V. Funk Jr., Cecil County Government
Katie O. Moore, R.S., CPO, Texas Department of State Health Services
Jun Naotsuka, Washington State Department of Health, Office of Health and Safety
Thomas Pitcherello, SCC Vice Chair, N.J. Department of Community Affairs, Division of Codes and Standards (SCC VICE CHAIR)
Thomas Vyles, REHS/RS, Town of Flower Mound
To be considered for a User-Consumer position on the SCC, applicants must complete the SCC Application Form by September 25, 2020, and adhere to PHTA’s Procedures for American National Standards, Antitrust Policy, and Volunteer Code of Conduct. For more information about the ANSI standards development process or SCC, please contact standards@phta.org or visit the PHTA Participate in Standards webpage.
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About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with nearly 3,500 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $36.5B pool, hot tub, and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge, and profitability. Additionally, PHTA facilitates the expansion of swimming, water safety, and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer, and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit www.phta.org.