NSPI emerges from bankruptcy

Pool & Spa News, Nov 19, 2004 by Bob Dumas

The National Spa & Pool Institute has emerged from bankruptcy and is on the road to an official name change.

On Oct. 28, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia officially released the group from bankruptcy. After paperwork has been filed and approved, NSPI will become the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) and create a new organization, the International Aquatics Foundation (IAF), to handle safety and technical standards.

APSP and IAF are separate groups operating out of different offices. Carvin DiGiovanni, NSPI's senior director of technical, education and government relations, will become head of IAF, which will convert NSPI standards into IAF standards.

Jack Cergol, NSPI's chief staff executive, said at press time that he expected the new groups to debut at the 2004 International Pool & Spa Expo in Las Vegas, with a booth and literature dedicated to the new associations.

When NSPI's reorganization plan is implemented, there will be significant changes within the trade group tinder the new APSP banner.

As APSP, the group will now seek to attract members from ancillary vocations in an effort to boost numbers and give the trade group more clout.

"Landscapers, government officials, building code people, subcontractors--these are the groups we are examining [for inclusion] and that could provide us some type of value," Cergol said. "We want to build critical mass in the industry." A larger, broader member ship will provide APSP with more clout in its lobbying efforts.

In addition, NSPI has met with the National Plasterers Council, the Independent Pool & Spa Service Association and the California industry lobbying group SPEC to discuss exchanging membership lists.

With NSPI affiliates in Florida and the Northeast having some success in their state lobbying efforts, officials for the national group say that APSP will step up industry advocacy.

One of the first steps in doing that will be the revival of NSPI's dormant Government Relations Advisory Committee.

"Government relations are becoming more crucial to this industry and it should be that way," Cergol said. "[GRAC] will be reporting directly to the Board of Directors."

Improved educational opportunities also will be a primary part of the new APSP's focus. Organizers said they are in the preliminary stages of forming another organization the Swimming Pool & Spa industry Education Foundation--that would be responsible for establishing permanent industry education centers throughout the country. A committee is currently working on creating the first center in Sacramento, Calif.

"We have been talking about this for a while and we are tremendously supportive of the concept," Cergol said. "But right now, [because of Chapter 11], we can't be financially supportive. But the Board of Directors has given this a big thumbs up."

The Education Foundation would have a chairman and its own board of directors, Cergol explained, and it would oversee the fiduciary responsibility of establishing the centers.

Finally, the revamped trade organization will attempt to streamline and improve its communication structure.

Region Service Centers will be established in the group's nine regions to deliver programs and services developed by APSP National. They'll be staffed by a Region Service Center director and managed by National. Region Advisory Boards will be formed to advise center directors and elect a regional representative to the National Board of Directors.

"We are looking for accountability and responsibility on the part of those [regional] directors," Cergol said. "Communication will be two ways."

Rebecca Robledo contributed to this story.