(Alexandria, Va.) – The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry, and POOLCORP, the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related outdoor living projects, are pleased to announce the launch of Women of Water (WOW). WOW is a new initiative developed to connect, empower, and advocate for women in the pool, spa, and hot tub industry through community, education, and leadership development.
The initiative’s purpose is to further nurture an inclusive and inspired industry where women lead confidently and thrive both professionally and personally. WOW will create a strong network of support and mentorship, recruit and retain women in every sector of the industry, share strategies for success, and amplify the voices of women leaders at every level. From builders and service technicians to marketers and sales professionals, WOW is open to all.
“As a Strategic Partner of PHTA, POOLCORP is excited to support the launch of Women of Water as part of our shared commitment to investing in the future of this industry,” says Kendall Large, Vice President of Marketing at POOLCORP. “This movement reflects our belief that empowering women is key to elevating the entire pool and spa industry—and we’re proud to help create new pathways for connection, leadership, and growth.”
WOW will officially launch at the International Pool Spa Patio Expo this October 21-24 in Las Vegas, NV, with a keynote address and an educational session. Both events will be led by Heather Whelpley, a nationally recognized speaker and award-winning author known for helping women lead. The keynote, “The Power of Grounded Confidence: How to Unleash Your Authenticity and Become Unshakeable,” will be Friday, October 24 at 8 a.m. The educational session, “Mastering Tough Talks: How to Communicate with Confidence, Clarity, and Calm in Conflict and Beyond” will be Thursday, October 23 at 4 p.m. in the GENESIS® Solution Center on the show floor. Registration for the International Pool Spa Patio Expo is now open at poolspapatio.com.
“Women of Water sends a powerful message of support to the incredible women working in the pool, spa, and hot tub industry,” says Sabeena Hickman, CAE, President & CEO of PHTA. “This is an exciting expansion of PHTA’s existing strategic partnership with POOLCORP, and we are so thankful for POOLCORP’s commitment to launching this initiative.”
WOW events will continue throughout the winter, with Whelpley leading a virtual session in December 2025 titled “From Surviving to Thriving: Tools to Heal Burnout and Reclaim Calm.” Additional virtual and in-person sessions will be held in January 2026. Those interested in learning more can sign up for the WOW mailing list.
For more information about the Women of Water initiative, please contact [email protected] or 703-838-0083.
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About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with 4,000 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $62B pool, hot tub, and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth initiatives to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge, and profitability. Additionally, PHTA promotes the use of pools by expanding swimming, water safety, and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer, and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit www.phta.org.
About POOLCORP
Pool Corporation (NASDAQ: POOL) is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool and related backyard products. POOLCORP operates approximately 445 sales centers in North America, Europe, and Australia through which it distributes more than 200,000 products to roughly 125,000 wholesale customers. For more information about POOLCORP, please visit www.poolcorp.com.
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