The PHTA Standards Consensus Committee announced the appointment of a new vice chair and four new voting members. The committee is PHTA’s official consensus voting body, responsible for reviewing and voting on all pool and hot tub standards to be approved by the American National Standards Institute. The members are classified into one of four interest categories: producer, user-government, user-consumer or general interest.
The new committee vice chair is Bruce Carney, owner of American Pools & Spas in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, who is a member in the producer interest category. Carney has worked in the pool industry since 1970 in various capacities, including construction, design, renovation, facility evaluation and maintenance. He was involved with both the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals and the National Swimming Pool Foundation before they merged into the PHTA and has also been both a trainer and a presenter for the American Red Cross.
The committee’s four new voting members are:
- Kevin Baugh, user-government
Baugh is an environmental health specialist III for the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment in Olathe, Kansas. He earned a master of environmental policy and management and a bachelor of environmental science from American Public University Systems. Baugh holds several professional certifications, including Certified Pool & Spa Operator and Certified Environmental Scientist. - Megan Ferraro, user-consumer
Ferraro is executive director of The ZAC Foundation in Malvern, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor’s in political science from Villanova University. Ferraro has been an advocate for water safety for over 10 years and serves as co-chair for both the CA Water Safety Coalition Board and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance Advisory Committee. - Alan Korn, user-consumer
Korn is executive director and general counsel of Abbey’s Hope Charitable Foundation in Washington, DC. He earned his juris doctor from Washington University Law School and his bachelor’s from Indiana University. He has worked in the water safety and product safety community for over 25 years, including the original development and further revisions of the Virginia Graeme Baker Act. - Lexi Schmidt, user-consumer
Schmidt is a senior mechanical engineer at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. She holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering and a professional engineer license for the state of Florida. At Walt Disney World, she has spent nearly 10 years working on commercial pool systems and consulting on new build designs.
“I’d like to congratulate Bruce and welcome the new members of the Standards Consensus Committee,” says committee chair Kris Bridges, building official/zoning administrator for Martinsville, Virginia. “I know our new members will bring a significant breadth of knowledge from the areas of pool compliance, advocacy, construction and operation.”
PHTA is the leading industry organization recognized by the American National Standards Institute to develop and promote national consensus standards for residential and public swimming pools and hot tubs. In 2023, PHTA is proudly celebrating 40 years of being an American National Standards Institute Accredited Standards Developer.
For more information, please visit the Standards Consensus Committee webpage on the PHTA website or contact standards@phta.org.
