This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Certified Pool & Spa Operator certification program. This certification is awarded by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) and has been earned by more than 500,000 professionals in the hot tub, spa, and pool industry over the past five decades.
CPO is the most recognized education and certification program in the world for keeping pools safe and open. This program equips individuals with the necessary knowledge, skills and techniques to operate a pool properly. CPO certification fulfills the requirements of state and local jurisdictions for pool operator professionals.
CPO certification was the first step in realizing that all those responsible for managing swimming pools had to have some form of training to protect their patrons. The National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF), in 1973, began to create a program that could be taught and managed by qualified aquatic specialists. It introduced a text that provided the essential knowledge that an operator may need.
PHTA would like express its gratitude to Leif Zars for providing the space and additional resources that NSPF (now NSPI) needed to launch the CPO program in San Antonio, Texas in 1973. Zars was the chairman of the drain cover standard-writing committee of the national association. It was this committee that drafted the first standard cited under the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. This was done in conjunction with the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals.
Zars founded the first Instructor School Institute in Dallas, Texas, in 1978. This was a step that allowed the CPO course nationwide. Phillip Reynolds, Fontaine C. Piper, and Bruce Carney were the first 50 candidates to become certified. Piper, Reynolds, and the PHTA Instructor Assessment Committee still meet today.
CPO remained the most sought-after professional certification in the industry even after NSPF and APSP merged in 2019. CPO instructors are required to attend the CPO Instructor Assessment School twice a calendar year in order to meet the high demand. There are currently more than 700 CPO teachers around the globe who offer training in 122 countries.
The CPO certification course materials were updated and expanded over the years to keep up with technological advances. Most significant changes took place in 2005, and then again in 2021 with the release of an updated operator’s guide.
Dr. Fontaine C. piper, dean emeritus at Truman State University and chair PHTA Instructor Assessment committee, says that “the CPO program continues be the gold standard through which state health departments define and develop their individual standards.” The operational quality of aquatic facilities wouldn’t be as high without the CPO certification program.
Zach Skinner, chairperson of the CPO Advisory Council, said that PHTA deserves congratulations on its 50th anniversary. “I was a participant in my first CPO certification class in 2000. I am still amazed by the opportunities for learning and lifelong growth within this community 23-years later. As chair of the CPO Advisory Council, it has been even clearer how CPO certification provides structure to help swimming pool operators and improve safety for guests. “I look forward to the next years of program growth and expansion.”
Wayne Ivusich is vice chair of CPO Advisory Council, and a member of the PHTA’s Instructor Assessment Committee. “I’ve been in the industry for 31 years and have seen and experienced an amazing wave of education. I am glad to be a part of that wave. Congratulations on the 50th anniversary and here’s hoping for 50 more!
The 50th anniversary of the conference will be celebrated throughout the year. It culminates in the 50th Anniversary Luncheon Celebration at 2023 World Aquatic Health Conference, November 13-15 in Las Vegas, Nev.
