Industry Professionals (please read message 1 before posting (no replies)

[wmccall]

We are indeed fortunate to have many Industry Professionals that frequent this forum and contribute to its sucess in many ways.   Despite what some disturbed person in Colorado may say, this board is one of the most succesful of its kind because of its variety of owners, industry professionals, and shoppers.    I have created this thread as a vehicle for those industry professionals, who choose to, to give us a brief introduction of themselves, their experience, and their affiliations.

I'm asking that these professionals add a message to this thread and limit the message to the points above and any thing else you feel relevent.   Please confine your message to your own material, not referencing the post of others outside your organization.

Replies to any message, comments about other posts, or posts by those not in the Industry will be deleted.

PS - Usually we ask that dealers/companies not advertise their website or company in their posts or profiles.  However, here  in this thread, people are coming to specifically find out more about you and I think it wouldn't be a huge crime to include your website in this thread only.

[Micah]

 My name is Micah.  I am a 20+ year veteran of the pool and spa industry.  I currently have 3 stores one in West Covina, another in Santa Clarita, Ca. and the third in Oxnard, Ca.  We are in an area where there are no other spa stores, so we have the ability to sell any brand we want. We sell  Marquis, Hotspring Spas, Dimension One and Artesian Spas.  I have an unusual insight to most spa companies as we are the warranty service station for many other spa companies. My specialty is water chemistry. 
 If anyone is confused about spas or would just like to ask a few questions please feel free to contact me. my email is micah@WhiteSwanSpas.com .  If you would like to come see me click the link below for directions.

www.WhiteSwanSpas.com

[The_real_Clown_Shoes]

My name's AJ Cassidy.  I've been a Hot Spring salesman in Iowa since January of 2005.  I've got a lot of family in the industry- my stepdad and his family started Hawkeye spas in the 80s out in California.  I've been to Top Gun.  That's about it, I guess.

[loosenupspas]

I am Tom Smith, owner of Loosen-Up Spas and Hot Tubs, located in Sanford, Florida-a lovely area.  Our 5th year in operation.  We sell the full line up of Maax products, California Coperages, Coleman Performance Spas and Maaxims.  That is it.........

[Chas]

Well friends, it's time to move on. We have been selling tubs since 1986, and we closed up shop just this week. That would be June 22, 2014.

UPDATE - It's August 2024. I can't believe we have been retired as long as we have. We are enjoying every minute of it! Still in Ventura, another home in (can you believe this: ) Hot Springs Village, AR. Family around us, lovin' on a bunch of grands.

Hope survived cancer three years ago, and has been cancer free since.

It was a very successful, very loooong run! We met a lot of great people, and would like to think that we helped them enjoy life just that much more.

Working with Watkins was great. People, product, all top notch.

The stores are closed (no, my kids did NOT want to take over the business, go figure) but we still answer the phone. I'm still a warranty station for Watkins Wellness (new name) and we also take care of our out-of-warranty customers. We have a LOT of those!

To you - my web friends - all the best.

Chas

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Hey!  My name is Jim, or you can call me "Jacuzzi Jim" or JJ for short. We sell "Jacuzzi" brand spa's hence the nick name, I have been in the spa world for 6 years, I am not a store owner but about as close to one as you can get,  I did service for the first 3 years and sales the last 3 going on 4 now. Please feel free to PM me, or I can and do give out my phone number if you wish to call and discuss things in person.

[soak-king]

My name is Jerry and I sell

• HotSpring Spas

• Tiger River Spas

• Hot Spot Spas

• Solana Spas

• above ground pools

• fireplaces and stoves

for a company in SOUTH East Texas who have been fortunate enough to have a 20+ yr relationship with Watkins Mfg. and build in-ground pools and spas.

I'm relatively new to this industry but I'm having a blast.

I am also one of a few who can geographically call Terminator a Northerner!  ;D  ;)

[stuart]

My real last name is Stuart...Most people have called me Stu or Stuart for years as a first name so I'm used to it.

I've been in spa world for over 20 years, been a technician for most of that in addition to several years as a delivery guy, chemical maintenance person, factory rep, store owner, salesman, show team member, Dealer advisory board member and even consultant.

I've helped design spas, written sales tracks and chemical programs and even articles for trade magazines.

I currently own one of the largest stores in Colorado (although Bill PM'd me to let me know he wasn't referring to me with the disturbed comment, musta meant spaman) and write a tech column for Spa Retailer Magazine.

In all these years I've sold and serviced most major brands, toured most of their factories and been through many of their sales and service training classes.

We currently sell Marquis and D1...

I've made it a point to make it to almost every major trade show in the last 20 years (except this year because of cancer). In addition to this I've had the privilege of servicing and selling thousands of spas of varied brands and owned many, many different spas.

In my younger show selling days most of the industry knew me as “The Cowboy” because I always wore jeans, a black sport coat and trademark Cowboy hat (helped customers remember me from show to show).

I met spaman on the forum and hired him to run my company last year he’s done a great job through my illness and recovery!

Never hesitate to PM me, ask a question on the board or even question my opinion…I really like learning by struggling through issues!

[Steve]

Not as creative as Term and I can't rhyme...

My name is Steve and I use the alias "Steve" to hide my real identity so Jim won't get me fired from my current job!

I'm no longer in the spa industry but was for 15+ years. Most of that was with Beachcomber spas in Edmonton. I have been a sales rep for a couple other manufacturers for the remainder and started my own business consulting company teaching sales & marketing strategies to both spa and non-spa related businesses.

Known for being honest (handsome & funny) and to the point and I really enjoy teaching potential customers the key aspects of buying a spa and eliminating the BS factor. Always feel free to PM me...

If it's not appropriate that I be in this section Bill due to the fact that I'm no longer in the spa biz, I'm OK with you removing this...

[East_TX_Spa]

I'm Chris, but I go by my Top Gun call sign which is Terminator.  Most folks just call me Term.  I manage East Texas Spas in Longview, TX.  We also have a store in Tyler as well as HotSpring Spas of Shreveport in Louisiana.

All three of our stores sell HotSpring, Tiger River, HotSpot and Solana Spas exclusively and have been doing so for 23 years.  We employ 3 full-time, factory trained service personnel to take care of our customers.  We do not work on other brands of spas, but we will dispose of your spa for free should you wish to trade it in on a new HotSpring.

Our company has been chosen "Territory Dealer of the Year" on numerous occasions due to our outstanding record and dedication to customer service.  In 2007, we were honored to receive the Locksin-Thompson Dealer of the Year Award from Watkins, one of the highest forms of recognition in the industry.  We eat, drink, sleep and breathe HotSpring Spas and customer satisfaction.

I come to this forum to learn, to help, but mainly to try and spread good cheer.  I look at spas as an enhancement to the quality of life, and it gives me great personal enjoyment to play my small part.  There are many, many knowledgeable folks on this forum and that's what makes it the best of its kind.

If you are ever in East Texas, you always have an open invitation to stop by and have a Shiner Bock Beer, a cigar, and pleasant company!

Terminator

[hottub.pool_boy]

My name is David Scarritt, along with my lovely wife, we own Scarritt Spas and Pools in Connecticut.

We have two locations- Bristol, CT. and Torrington, CT.

Visit us there or http://www.scarritt.com.

You may contact me personally- scarritt at sbcglobal dot net

2008 marks our 25th year servicing and selling HotSpring spas. In addition, we sell Tiger River, Solana, Hot Spot spas and another line yet to be unveiled by Watkins Manufacturing.

My contributions to forums generally involve water chemistry help and hot tub troubleshooting. We have a lot of fun in this business. We bring families together and soothe aches and pains, We also eat, drink, sleep and breathe Hot Spring spas and customer satisfaction. Thank you to the moderators for creating this area.

[hottubber]

I'm Back...Hottubber here. I've been away from this forum for quite some time,

My name is David. I've been selling Sundance Spas since 1983. I have 4 retail

locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  (I feel like I'm at an AA

meeting)        

I own National Pools & Spas, founded in 1955 and still family owned and

operated.

I absolutely love to see some of the questions posed on this forum. Any

assistance I can be to help resolve chemical issues or quandries as to what

actually is the best "value for your dollar" is what I'm

here for. I truly enjoy sales and will do my best to be forthright in offering my

unbiased opinions.

I've met alot of people on this forum and look to reunite with them again.  

[Water Boy]

Hello my name is Ed, and work for an Arctic Spa dealer in Kansas. We have been an Arctic Spas dealer since 1997. We just recently won Arctic Spas Dealer of the Year, Outstanding Service 2007. I have been in the business for 6 1/2 years now. We sell Arctic Spas, Coyote Spas, Above Ground Pools, and all the chemicals and accessories that go along with both. We also have 2 full time service crews that service spas, and above ground and in ground swimming pools. We offer a maintenance plan for our pool and spa customers where we will come out once a week to clean and maintain the pool or spa. It comes with small fee, and we can go out more than once if the customer’s pool or spa gets heavy use.

I joined the forum to help answer questions about Arctic Spas, and spas in general. I also have lots of experience in water chemistry and water maintenance, so I am here to help in any way that I can.

[BauerN]

My name is Michael.  I manage the service, warranty, and install department for a Bullfrog dealer in Western Montana.

In addition to technical work, I spend a great deal of time in the sales department - #2 in my store, behind the GM.

We are one of the top Bullfrog Spa dealers in the Northwest.  

As I do perform work on all makes and models (and have a very technical background prior to joining the spa industry) - I hope I can be of help from time to time on service type problems.

I notice we don't have a lot of Bullfrog people on the forum - so I also hope I can help with any questions on this very unique technology.

Please feel free to PM if more in-depth information is ever needed.

http://bullfrogspas.com

[Tom]

Good thread, nice to meet you all.  

I'm a writer, basically.  As the Communications guy for Arctic Spas, I write media releases, ad copy (when Marketing needs help), corporate documents, award applications, and the like.  Also responsible for some internal and external memos, and our three newsletters (for dealers, customers, and staff).  Customer issues that arrive electronically (via forums or email) are also mine to handle.

About three years ago, I was assigned to frequent the forums in order to:
1. Identify and counter "brand bashing" (that's settled down a lot!)
2. Provide accurate and factual information about our product and company
3. Act as a corporate spokesman and represent the brand in a manner that is professional, neutral, and impartial
4. Respond as quickly as possible to posted customer issues and work to resolve them.

As a result of this, in December 2006 I was invited to become a moderator at another spa forum.  

I've owned one (entry-level Beachcomber) hot tub before working at Arctic.

Off the job, I do some free-lance writing, read a lot, enjoy dancing (ballroom, social, and square dance), walk a lot,  and tinker at a workbench building electronic and robotic projects.