Florida Pool Association Joins National Group
Florida Pool Association joins national group, Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, after nearly two decades.
The Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA) has signed an affiliation agreement with the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), nearly two decades after it formally ended its earlier relationship with the national industry organization.
This development represents the concluding phase of PHTA’s long-term plan to bring all regions back under its umbrella, in one form or another.
Under PHTA’s predecessor, the National Spa & Pool Institute (NSPI), Florida was designated as Region 7. In 2000, certain regions, including Region 7, gained more autonomy by becoming affiliates rather than full-blown entities of NSPI.
In 2008, FSPA declared itself a fully independent association. Since the 2019 merger of APSP and the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) to form PHTA, the national group has slowly re-acquired or affiliated with organizations that had become independent, such as the California Pool and Spa Association (CPSA) and the Texas Pool and Spa Coalition (TPSC).
After the Northeast Spa and Pool Association (NESPA), the largest of the regions, signed an affiliation agreement several years before that, Florida had been the final holdout.
Effective January 1, 2027, all regional groups become part of or an affiliate of PHTA.
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PHTA president and chief executive Sabeena Hickman described the move as the logical next step, noting that the two bodies have deepened collaborations on government advocacy issues over recent years.
“FSPA is so strong in Florida in terms of the relationships that they have with their members,” Hickman said. “This will help us to speak with one voice.”
The new affiliation agreement combines state and national resources while preserving FSPA’s autonomy, and it ensures that members of either organization automatically receive membership in the other.
The association will continue to govern and operate independently, allowing its members to benefit from FSPA’s Florida ties, government advocacy, and market expertise, as well as PHTA’s educational and certification programs, standards development, workforce initiatives, research, and government advocacy.
“This affiliation allows us to maintain the identity, leadership, and local relationships that make FSPA strong while giving our members access to an even broader network of education, resources, and expertise,” explained FSPA president Keith Johnson.
The agreement is intended to position both FSPA and PHTA members for future success, with FSPA chapters remaining intact and under the governance of the Florida organization.
