When the founders of GENESIS gathered their first cohort of 30 students in Morro Bay, Calif., back in 1998, they thought it was going to be a one-time thing. But that one class evolved and expanded into what is now an educational program of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) committed to elevating the pool and spa industry through proper construction, engineering, and design principles.
GENESIS now instructs more than 1,500 students annually across in-person, virtual, and on-demand courses, but those first several years were all about getting pool professionals together in one room to learn from each other and develop lasting connections. This year, GENESIS decided to return to its roots by launching the PHTA & GENESIS Road Show, with faculty traveling the country to host smaller classes with personalized instruction.
“We heard our students say that the bigger trade shows were a little too much for them to handle,” explains Lisa Ryckeley, who serves as GENESIS Student Concierge to help guide individuals through the PHTA Certified Pool Builder and Design Professional Pathway. “They really wanted to focus in on the classes. So we went back to the early days of GENESIS to produce our own standalone events.”
Now, with the backing of the industry’s national association, these standalone stops will have the support of PHTA’s Strategic Partners, including Heritage Pool Supply Group, Hayward, Fluidra, BioLab, and Pentair. These companies were so enthused by the idea that they offered to host the Road Show at their facilities and provide students with exclusive behind- the-scenes tours and customized education sessions.
“Heritage Pool Supply Group was proud to participate in the PHTA & GENESIS Road Show,” says Mary Pottkotter, Digital Solutions Manager at Heritage Pool Supply Group. “Our goal was to empower contractors by sharing practical insights, tools, and strategies that support their long- term success in an increasingly digital world.”
The PHTA & GENESIS Road Show kicked off in April at the Heritage Pool Supply Group facility in McKinney, Texas, followed by visits to Hayward in Clemmons, N.C., and Fluidra in Carlsbad, Calif. The Road Show will conclude this November with stops at BioLab in Lawrenceville, Ga., and Pentair in Apex, N.C.
“We strategically selected the late spring and fall timeframes to not interfere with the busy construction season or trade show season,” Ryckeley explains. “We also wanted to offer more locations outside of where the industry trade shows are normally held, to reach students where they are.”
At the core of the PHTA & GENESIS Road Show is education. Each stop features a multi-day GENESIS course that covers concrete pool construction, pool remodeling, or fluid hydraulics. Some of these courses are required for individuals to earn the Certified Builder Professional (CBP) or Advanced CBP designations, and several of the stops offer certification exams onsite to make it a fully packaged experience for the students.
At the conclusion of the GENESIS course, the Strategic Partners teach an additional session related to their products and services, covering timely topics such as the digital transformation of the industry, efficient pool pads, proper pool chemistry, and variable-speed pumps. These sessions allow students to see the theories they learned about in the classroom through a real-world application.
Pottkotter explains that being able to share Heritage Pool Supply Group’s tools “helps contractors understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind adopting new technologies. When business owners see the value and purpose behind these innovations, they’re more likely to embrace them,” she says. “By investing in customer education, we not only share best practices but also reinforce our commitment to being a trusted partner.”
PART OF THE GENESIS FAMILY
One of the benefits of the smaller Road Show stops (no more than 20 students per location) is that they’re for anyone and everyone. Ryckeley notes that among Road Show attendees, there is a fairly equal distribution between those who are new to GENESIS and more experienced students.
Ryckeley has worked for GENESIS since 2003 and knows many of the students well. She was happy to see some former students reengage through the Road Show, and in some cases, bring their employees to introduce them to GENESIS education as well. For example, Jeff Parker, a Certified Master Pool Builder & Design Professional (Master CBP), attended the Heritage Pool Supply Group event along with two of his employees from Oceanscape Design, Inc. — traveling from California to Texas!
Parker and fellow Master CBP Rusty Britton of Country Leisure Manufacturing both felt the Road Show was like “getting the band back together,” Ryckeley says, because the Road Show gave them the opportunity to reconnect with GENESIS co- founder Skip Phillips, Master CBP, and GENESIS Engineering Faculty Chair Terry Brannon, P.E.
Robert Baxter, Advanced CBP, is a newer GENESIS instructor who attended the Road Show to see how other instructors lead their courses and develop more of a camaraderie with faculty and students.
The Strategic Partners play a big role in that feeling of camaraderie by hosting a social event at each stop. From bringing in food trucks to serve local fare to a night of bowling and mini golf, each Road Show had its own regional touch that made the experience unique. It also gave students, instructors, PHTA staff, and Strategic Partner representatives a chance to make introductions, network, and socialize in a more intimate setting.
“Attending the Road Show feels like going back to the old days of GENESIS,” Ryckeley says, “but everyone leaves inspired and looking forward to the future.”
This article first appeared in the October 2025 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
