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- 30 Years in the Pool Industry: A Wonderful Culture to Dive Into
The pool industry has evolved dramatically over the past few decades. Steve Zorn, former Sales Leader for the Pentair Pool Business Unit, retired in May after a 30-year career with Pentair. We sat down with Steve to learn about his experiences over the years and to reminisce on memories and moments that made his career in the pool industry special.
Pentair: Hi Steve, thanks so much for joining me today. To kick things off, I'd like to learn more about you. When did you start with Pentair and what were you doing at the time?
Steve: In 1993, I joined Pac Fab. We were a fairly small pump and filter factory in the swimming pool business, and I came on as the Southern California Regional Manager.
Pentair: Did you ever expect to go into the swimming pool industry?
Steve: I actually started working for a distributor, and then a pool cleaner company. From that, the folks at Pac Fab reached out and asked me if I'd consider working for them. The funny thing is, at the time, they'd laid out a vision to merge with a company called Purex — a large equipment manufacturer based in Southern California. Their whole vision was to have a full line equipment set for the builder and the dealer, so we could sell everything.
Pentair: A one stop shop?
Steve: Right! Pump, filter, heater, lights, automation — just like we have at Pentair today. But in 1993, when they were asking me to join Pac Fab, they had that vision, that goal. It was a great vision that sounded terrific, and there was a group of us — some of them are still here at Pentair — that went on that journey to start adding on the different brands to create a full line.
Pentair: Do you remember any of those brands?
Steve: Oh, absolutely. We picked up Compool®, which was an automation line and sort of the embassy of our nation today, we've got Rainbow accessories, Kreepy Krauly® cleaners, American Products, which is the Moore Park factory, the Purex factory, which made WhisperFlo® pumps and our heater line at the time. We picked up Sta-Rite along the way, which was a wonderful filtration and pump business. And we just kept adding to the bundle of products as we grew up!
Pentair: Nowadays, there are so many products to choose from, and some are truly unique. Out of all the products you encountered in your career, are there any that stand out to you as particularly memorable?
Steve: Well, the WhisperFlo was kind of our darling back in the day. We just retired it after all these years. About 20 years ago, we transformed the WhisperFlo into the IntelliFlo®.
Steve: It, quite frankly, put Pentair on the map as a leader. From there, we brought in automation... you would use our automation because of the pump, colored lights because of the automation. We used the IntelliFlo and the variable speed energy efficiency to push us to the forefront of business needs.
Pentair: And now, the IntelliFlo has gone through three generations of innovation to make it even more energy efficient while staying whisper-quiet. It's so fascinating to hear about the pool industry history you saw unfolding first-hand. Were there any other significant changes you saw in the industry over the last 30 years?
Steve: Well, I think our heater technology has really developed very quickly. It started with our original Purex heater, and then with the acquisition of Sta-Rite came a whole new footprint. That sort of catapulted us to where we are in terms of the ETi® High-Efficiency Pool and Spa Heater.
Pentair: Speaking of energy efficiency, why was it important to you to work for a company that prioritizes sustainability?
Steve: Well, going back to the variable speed pumps, that was something where we had a team of people working very closely with utility companies. It started in California but it spread very quickly across the nation, and the utilities saw the variable speed pump as a win where they could partner with [the industry] to drive some behaviors around the pool with an item that would use electricity, but in a very smart way. People could still filter the pool properly, still use the water features properly, but not waste the additional energy. That was very exciting to be involved with.
Pentair: So people immediately saw the value of these pumps?
Steve: Actually, the utility partners saw this, backed us with a ton of education and consumer rebates, and that helped us really drive the message of energy efficiency. Essentially, it became something really good for pool owners, really good for the economy, really good for utilities, and really good for Pentair.
Pentair: So, obviously your 30-year journey at Pentair spanned a lot of interesting moments. Do you have any favorite memories from your career?
Steve: One of my favorites was the early years of understanding and believing and then teaching the benefits of variable speed pumps. That actually was terrific. Before that, when we purchased American Products, they had what was called the Spectrum Amerlite® (SAM) light for pools and the Spectrum AquaLight (SAL) light for spas. It was a game changer. It kind of made Pentair the brand for innovative and exciting products.
Pentair: That must have been so exciting — to show people for the very first time what the future of pools looks like.
Steve: Oh, it was great! And then Pentair did a wonderful job of investing in its people and investing in the growth of its technology, and we got kind of the upper hand with leading in those areas. Paired with the support in the field and our extensive product line, we packaged full systems to the homeowner and the builder. It set us up to be where we are today.
Pentair: What do you think the future holds for the pool industry and for Pentair?
Steve: The pool industry has really grown up. Pools have become not just a luxury, but an item where families love to have it, they love for it to be the center of their kids' and friends' backyard experience. It's kind of like part of the family, and it's a great part. The pool industry has really blossomed, but what sets us apart is our innovation over the years. We keep pushing the envelope of what are the right products that make the best experience for homeowners, and therefore a better experience for builders, dealers, and service professionals that tend to those pools.
Pentair: I love that you called out that pools are really a huge focus for families, because we hear from pool professionals that helping families embrace enjoyment is what inspires them. What does it mean to you knowing that you've helped people curate and prioritize family time over the years?
Steve: It's wonderful! And it's wonderful working with our dealers and the people that do the installations. They're creating that showpiece in backyards, and it could be a simple pool, but a simple pool is the American Dream for some people. It's so much fun working day in and day out with installers who create that dream for the homeowner.
Pentair: Right, through and through, people are at the heart of what we do.
Steve: Absolutely! And we get to support them, educate them on how to get better energy efficiency, and provide problem solving. It's really special to be involved in something that truly brings the American Dream to life.
Pentair: If you could go back in time to give yourself one piece of career advice, what would you say?
Steve: You know, I don't know what I could say. I'm blessed a bit, because I grew up in a really wonderful growth industry, a really fun industry... I came in when great innovation and modern technologies helped growth. I was part of a great team that embraced and capitalized on that early vision and kept building on that. I can't say I would change a thing!
Pentair: And you truly have an amazing story to tell as a result! So, as you've mentioned, the industry is still embracing these innovations and growing. Do you have any advice to people looking to start a career in the pool industry or with Pentair?
Steve: I would say that the future is still going to be focused on innovation. Expect new product development, expect continuation in making the pool easier to use for homeowners, and have a passion for solving pain points. Pentair is making things easier to use and easier to maintain, so the future of the pool industry is definitely bright.
Pentair: Absolutely agree, Steve! Thank you so much for sitting down and chatting about your incredible career today. Before we part ways, is there anything else you'd like to add?
Steve: The team that I've been part of has been wonderful. When I say that, I mean the whole Pentair team — the people in the field, our customer service team, the people in the factories, our truck drivers. Everyone! All those people enjoy the pool business, and they know that if we give a good experience to customers, dealers, and installers, that we'd all benefit from that. We all pull for the customers, and it has been a wonderful culture to dive into.
From 1993 to 2023, Steve Zorn made an incredible impact. Unbeknownst to many pool owners across the U.S., he was part of a team involved with many new product introductions that shaped the pool industry and their backyard oases alike. The future is bright due to big thinkers like Steve and everyday heroes that help homeowners chase the American Dream.
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the article belong solely to Steve Zorn, and not necessarily to Pentair or other groups or individuals.