For Nilson Silva, the pool industry is about creating spaces where families can connect. After gaining experience at Joe Lucia Pools and Al White Pools, he launched his own company, Master Touch Outdoor Living. Building his business allowed him to put his early experience in pool operations, customer service and jobsite coordination into practice.
Brian Menzies can trace his pool career all the way back to age 10, when he helped a family friend distribute flyers in exchange for chicken salad sandwiches. By high school, he was working at a Pinch A Penny store for $6.55 an hour, filling bleach jugs alongside his best friend.
Jordan Snyder’s path through the pool industry has touched nearly every corner of the business — retail, service and repair. He’s held roles as service manager, area manager and retail store manager for leading organizations, experiences that helped him sharpen his skills and gain a 360-degree view of the trade.
For Andrew Kroncke, what started as a college summer job on the factory floor at Midwest Canvas grew into a full-fledged career. His first tasks were making solar covers, boxing products and loading trucks. Over the years, his responsibilities expanded to include managing production facilities, purchasing raw materials and overseeing trucking. That wide-ranging exposure taught him how to navigate nearly every aspect of the business.
When Alexandra Bridgewater joined Hayward in 2021, she brought her hospitality background and a passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences. Starting on the Hayward Rewards team as a channel marketing coordinator, she proved herself as someone eager to listen to pool professionals and implement meaningful changes.
As a second-generation pool professional, Cameron Baird started working in the industry at just 15 under the guidance of his father in the renovation sector.
Nelly Allen’s career has shown her that leadership in the pool industry is primarily about people. She has worked across nearly every corner of the business, from service and repairs to retail, commercial aquatics and construction. Today, she serves as director of sales and communication at The Amenity Collective, which operates across North America.
For Mikayla Rodgers, the pool industry is about connections. In 2014, she started helping her now-husband with his father’s pool route at Triton Pools & Spas.
In four years, Hunter Peterson has advanced from service technician to service manager at Patriot Pool and Spa. He began in May 2021 as a technician, learning the ins and outs of both residential and commercial pool care.
For Maddy Vandiver, pools have always felt like home. A competitive swimmer in her youth, her first jobs in the industry were as a lifeguard, swim instructor and coach. That early connection to the water eventually led her to the service side of the business, where she found her true calling.
Adam Aguirre started servicing a few neighborhood pools for extra cash his senior year of high school in 2015. What began as a weekend side hustle evolved into a career path.
We are deep into the process of selecting our 30 Under 40 winners for 2025. But every year when the list comes out, we hear the same complaint.