(Alexandria, Va.) — The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry, is proud to announce the appointment of four Faculty members as Chairs for the PHTA Center of Excellence, a new education initiative designed to support workforce development and provide high-quality, practical training for professionals across the pool, spa, and hot tub industry.
The inaugural Faculty Chair team includes Isaac Keselman, Master CBP; Kevin Poe, CBP, CPO-I; Jamie Novak; and Rick Harvey. Together, they bring decades of experience spanning pool and spa construction, service and repair, technical training, marketing, sales, operations, leadership, and business development.
“The strength of the Center of Excellence starts with the people behind it,” said Sabeena Hickman, President & CEO. “Our Faculty Chairs are more than instructors. They are industry leaders helping shape the future of pool and spa education. Their expertise will help ensure the Center of Excellence delivers relevant, real-world training that industry professionals can rely on.”
As Faculty Chairs, these individuals will play a critical role in advancing the Center of Excellence beyond the classroom. Their responsibilities include helping shape curriculum, recruiting and mentoring faculty, supporting the development of learning pathways, and ensuring course content remains aligned with current industry practices, technologies, standards, and workforce needs.
Isaac Keselman, Master CBP, will serve as the Faculty Chair for Building & Engineering. He brings four decades of experience in the pool and spa industry. His career has included roles from service technician to President of Aqua Doctor and COO of Azureon. With deep experience in aquatic design, construction, leadership, and industry engagement through NESPA and PHTA, Keselman brings an independent, industry-wide perspective to the Center of Excellence.