Pool Nation Awards 2022

On Nov. 16, as part of the International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo, Pool Nation held its second annual Pool Nation Awards ceremony. The event celebrates some of the pool industry’s brightest stars and most exciting products.

Among the many award recipients that night were Alisa Gotay, co-owner of 787 Serrano Construction, LLC in Socorro, Texas, and Alex Jacobs, territory sales manager for United Aqua Group based in Las Vegas, both of whom won Rookie of the Year. This is a special award created in collaboration with PoolPro magazine. Readers voted for two professionals named in PoolPro’s annual 30 Under 40 list who represent the promise of the industry’s future.

“The neat part this year was being able to have a lot of the pool guys and the pool girls who were nominated for 30 Under 40 at the show,” says Edgar De Jesus, who founded and co-hosts the “Pool Nation Podcast” along with fellow pool professionals Zac Nicklas and John Chakalis. “It was great for us to be able to meet them, have them on the podcast, hear their stories and their journeys. So many great people nominated.”

Before winning their categories, the nominees were first narrowed down from the initial 30 young professionals to nine people who have been in the industry for five years or fewer: Lindsey Lawless, Billie Jean Parrish, William Graham, Max Filho, Alex Diaz, Colton Frabasilio and Max Brown.

“All the other nominees of the year are the fabric of this industry, and I feel almost like an imposter,” Jacobs says, who after only one year working in the industry, admits that the attention has been humbling. “I appreciate those who voted for me, and that’s really who it belongs to — those who voted for me.”

Gotay says that she was initially reluctant to accept the award, as she didn’t feel she had yet earned it. “When I found out they nominated me, I was really surprised,” Gotay says. “I think that I don’t deserve it. I thought there were people out there who were more deserving, more prepared, more knowledgeable.” In the end, however, Gotay reminded herself that she needed to serve as a representative of women in the industry, to show others what is possible, adding, “We can be out there and get loud and tell people that we are here trying to build a legacy, day-by-day. We can show that nothing is impossible.”

PoolPro’s 30 Under 40 Rookies Of the Year: Alex Jacobs and Alisa Gotay
Pool Guy of the Year: Chris Mele, Pool Guardians, Tampa, Florida
Pool Girl of the Year: Michelle Watson, Shells Pool and Spa Service, Ventura, California
Lifetime Achievement Award: Wayne Ivusich, Taylor Technologies
Builder of the Year: Element Pool Company, San Antonio
Pool Company of the Year: Round Rock Pool Pros, Round Rock, Texas
Best Truck Wrap: Big Family Pools, Chandler, Arizona
Zac, John & Edgar Award: Janey Flawless, J&J Flawless Pools, Coachella Valley, California
Sales Rep of the Year: Korey Wax, Alpha West Marketing Group
Innovative Product of the Year and Best Residential Filter: AquaStar Pipeline Filter
Favorite Vac System: Hammer Head Pool Vac
Variable-Speed Pump of the Year: Hayward TriStar VS; Pool Cleaner Suction Side: Hayward The PoolCleaner; Salt System of the Year: Hayward AquaRite; Heat Pump of the Year: Hayward Heat Pro
Distributor of the Year: Heritage Pool Supply Group
Best Value Automation: Jandy iAquaLink IQ904; Automation of the Year: Jandy AquaLink RS; Heater of the Year: Jandy JXi
Favorite Net: Piranha Net
Favorite Test Kit: Taylor K2005 Test Kit