Meet the 2013 Pleatco Perfect Pool Guy, Pool Gal, Spa Guy

Cailley Hammel Headshot
photo of 2013 Pleatco winners
From left to right: Perfect Pool Guy Tommy Rayburn, Perfect Pool Gal Amanda Colwell and Perfect Spa Guy Dan Stebner.

During IPSPE in Las Vegas, Pleatco honored its new winners of the annual Perfect Pool Guy/Gal Awards. But this year came with a twist — in addition to honoring the Perfect Pool Guy and Gal, Pleatco passed out a brand-new award for the Perfect Spa Guy. 

At the celebration dinner, we heard from all three winners as well as the 2012 Pleatco Perfect Pool Guy, Tom Cucinotta (Lake Worth, Fla.), who shared the powerful impact of the award on his career. (Spoiler alert: it's done wonders for his business.) 

Now in its fifth year, the Pleatco Perfect Pool Guy & Gal Contest has seen more than 800 entries and 40,000 votes — and every year, the judges see more of both. 

Without futher ado, here are the winners of the 2013 competition: 

2013 Pleatco Perfect Pool Guy: Tommy Rayburn, Parrot Head Pool Service, Spring, TexasTommy Rayburn has an interesting story; with a background in sales and marketing, he entered the pool and spa industry with only his experience managing his family pool to back him up. After working at four different pool companies in 18 months, 

Rayburn saw a problem in his local pool outfits: a lack of customer service. In 2006, he decided to venture out on his own and open Parrot Head Pool Service in Spring, Texas. His bold moves paid off, though, as his company has been rated the top pool company in the Houston area since 2009, according to Angie’s List, and has won several awards from the BBB.  

“I love being outside with my clients, addressing their concerns and providing them with a safe, comfortable environment to create family memories,” he says. 

2013 Pleatco Perfect Pool Gal: Amanda Colwell, Aquatrol, Lubbock, TexasAmanda Colwell is a single mom of three with more than 10 years under her belt in the pool and spa industry. She started out doing administrative work in the office, but that would soon change. 

"About 3 weeks into my duties as office manager, my boss and a couple of the other guys were working on a spa. They decided to take a break and while they were in the other room, I grabbed the tools and fixed the darn thing!" Colwell says. "I was proud as a peacock and they were baffled I must say! How could I, a girl I suppose, fix a spa they were having trouble with? Easy. I picked up the tools. I've been picking up the tools ever since."

Now, Colwell is a service professional who often ropes her kids in the business too, as they assist in office management and pool cleaning. 

2013 Pleatco Perfect SpaGuy: Dan Stebner, Sun Peaks Aquatics, Sun Peaks, CanadaDan Stebner is the first-ever recipient of the Perfect Spa Guy award. His career began 17 years ago in Sun Peaks, Canada, fixing hot tubs in a resort village. As the resort grew, so did his career — and his passion for the hot tub industry.

“Every time someone said: 'thanks for making my vacation great Dan', it inspired me to learn more and be better at my trade," Stebner says. "Seventeen years later, I find myself as excited and motivated as I've ever been.  I have always strived to be the benchmark in my town, the guy who consistently raises the bar.” 

Dan Stebner recently wrote an article for AQUA explaining his best practices for changing spa water in cold climates — you can read it here

2013 Lifetime Achievement Award: David Pew, Backyard Oasis Pools, Raleigh, N.C.

2013 Industry Leadership Award: David Minchener, Reef Tropical Pools, Key Largo, Fla. 

Learn more about the winners in this video:

PleatcoPoolGuy WInners 2013-720 from Pleatco on Vimeo.

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