For a couple of years, we’ve printed the mentors of our 30 Under 40 recipients on the last page of the magazine (page 70). We do this for a few reasons, and I’m not sure we’ve ever highlighted those. For one, it never hurts to reflect on the people who helped you get where you are today. It’s so easy to feel alone, and remembering that people are willing to help and support you is a great comfort. One of the purposes of 30 Under 40 is to encourage young professionals to grow their careers and stay in the pool industry. Having mentors in the field can help keep people around longer. Showcasing these relationships in PoolPro hopefully will encourage others to seek mentors or become one.
If you get a print copy of PoolPro, you may notice something special — our very first Spanish edition. Omar Falcon, owner of Falcon Pools and one of 2024’s 30 Under 40 honorees, drove home the need for this when he told us, “In both Latin America and the United States, the majority of workers are Latino, and I believe we should recognize our great effort and contribution to this industry. I want to be remembered as the Latin American who elevated our minority to be recognized as the most important workforce within the industry and achieved equal access to the opportunities the industry offers.” Thank you so much to the companies who sponsored this issue and see the value in reaching out and supporting this key demographic.
And it’s the trade show time of year again. We’ll be at The Pool & Spa Show (#3545), the Western Pool & Spa Show (#621), the Southwest Pool & Spa Show (#331) and the National Plasterers Council Conference. Please stop by and say hi!
Best,
Megan Kendrick, publisher, CPO
