The board of directors of the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) and the National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF®) has decided not to continue with the unification process and consolidate the two organizations.
Originally, the agreement to merge was made in principle in April 2016; however, after reviewing the discovery information and recognizing the work and financial investment required to create one unified organization, both boards have decided to align their efforts, where both associations will still remain independent, but strive to enhance the collaboration and synergy between them.
The APSP and NSPF will continue to seek opportunities to work collaboratively to positively impact the aquatics community.
Early last year, the two organizations began unification negotiations with the goal of creating a unified organization. The APSP and NSPF boards met in person several times throughout 2016 and hired a professional services firm to perform due diligence analysis, facilitate strategic discussions with both boards, and conduct qualitative research with board members and key volunteer leaders.
“Both boards have been diligent, transparent, and tireless in their respective efforts to create a path forward. From the beginning of this process, the goal was to create more swimmers, more swimming pools, and more hot tubs that will allow users to gain from the health benefits of swimming activity, aquatic immersion, and hydrotherapy,” said APSP board chairman Jack Manilla and NSPF board president G. Bruce Dunn in a joint statement.
“Although the outcome is not of one unified organization, the APSP and NSPF recognize and embrace that this is the time to create accelerated change through enhanced collaborative efforts.”
The NSPF will continue to focus on encouraging healthy living through education and research, while APSP’s focus will remain on protecting the industry through government relations and standards. Both will continue to offer high quality aquatic education central to the success of the industry.
“We will continue to invest in building stronger relationships with the APSP and leadership with the hope that one day we will be able to complete this journey,” said Dunn.
Manilla agreed stating, “A shared belief in the power of partnerships and putting our members and consumers of water at the centre of everything we do is embedded in our respective cultures, and we are looking forward to collaborating on more initiatives together in 2017.”
