All grown up: the Florida 2003 Pool & Spa Show finds a bigger home in Orlando - Trade Shows

Leaving behind the cozy comforts of an Orlando hotel it's called home for the past several years, the Florida 2003 Pool & Spa Show, slated for Feb. 21-23, is taking its act on the road--just up International Drive to the Orange County Convention Center.

"The Florida show has grown up," says Wendy Parker, marketing and meeting manager at National Spa & Pool Institute-Florida. "Things were getting cramped for us at our previous site. It's a big move for us."

Nearly every aspect of the Florida show will see improvement, from wider aisles on the show floor, to larger rooms for the Continuing Education classes, to plenty of parking for attendees.

"With the move to the convention center, we were able to increase the square footage to a standard-booth size," Parker says. Not only did booth size jump from 8-by-10-square-feet to 10-by-10-square feet, but there also will be more exhibitors--30, to be exact.

Each of the more than 200 slots will be filled. In fact, exhibitor space was sold out before Thanksgiving. "I think manufacturers are recognizing the strength of the Florida pool market and how seriously the people who come to this show take it," Parker says.

Hitting the books

More than 40 hours of Continuing Education classes will be available during the show, as well as two pre-show seminars being offered for the first time this year. Educational programming is an important part of the Florida show because of the state's CE requirements for pool builders, says Parker.

"Licensed contractors have to maintain 14 Continuing Education hours every two years," she says. "But if they come to the show every year, they can earn enough credits to renew their licenses without having to take any additional classes."

Among the more critical classes offered this year is an administrative core course on the Florida Building Code. Taught by Dan Johnson, owner/president of Swim Inc. in Sarasota, Fla., the four-hour class fulfills another state education mandate, which came in the wake of building code revisions that took effect in 2002.

Highlights of this year's class lineup include a pair of courses being taught by Brian Van Bower, co-founder of Genesis 3 and owner of Aquatic Consultants Inc. in Miami. "You Can Be Better!" presents the keys to professional and personal self-improvement by adopting a positive mental outlook.

Van Bower's second class, "Unusual Projects for a New World," will include Skip Phillips and David Tisherman, the other Genesis 3 founders. The trio will examine the types and styles of waterscape projects being designed today on an international level.

Of a more basic nature, "Computer Sales Tools" will be taught by Ed Bogel, president of Constructive Software Solutions. Bogel will explain how CAD programs can automatically interface drawings with quoting, estimating and accounting software to better manage job sales, construction and administration. "This one should be helpful to a lot of folks," Parker comments.

Other offerings include an army of technical and business classes. Technical courses include "Fundamentals of Heat Pump Pool Heaters," "The Do's and Don'ts of Electronic Chlorine Generation" and "Alternative Plaster Surfaces."

Business courses include "Growing Your Waterfeature Business," "Hiring for Talent" and "Florida Construction Lien Laws."

The cost for each class is $50 per day for members ($100 for nonmembers) if registrations are received prior to Feb. 7. Following that date, registration is $100 daily. There is no charge to audit a course, but Continuing Education certification is not available.

Two new educational opportunities are also available this year. A Certified Pool/Spa Operators Course for commercial pools, run by the National Swimming Pool Foundation, will be conducted Feb. 19-20. The cost is $225.

A special Sales & Marketing Conference is scheduled for Feb. 20-21. The first day will be devoted to a keynote session by Terry Sisco of Exsellerate, "who has a long history of working with retailers like Bloomingdale's and Hudson & Dayton," Parker says. The second day will involve breakout sessions devoted to various trade concerns.

Fun times

The Florida show also offers serious entertainment for attendees. After last year's sold-out party at Universal Studios, this year's celebration shifts to nearby SeaWorld Orlando for "Conch Coolout: A Night in Key West" on Feb. 21.

NSPI members and guests will have the opportunity to enjoy dinner, a private whale and dolphin show, and the chance for close encounters of the petting kind with dolphins and stingrays. Also included in the package are unlimited rides on the Kraken, reportedly Orlando's longest, tallest and fastest floorless roller coaster.

Cost for the evening is $65 each for NSPI members and $15 for children. Nonmembers pay $100 apiece.

"We'll be the only ones in the park," Parker says. "It's going to be a lot of fun."

The Conch Coolout party may be the centerpiece of the show's off-floor affairs, but the calendar includes other social events. Kicking off the show again this year is a golf tournament on Feb. 20. The four-person scramble event moves to the North Shore Golf Club in southeast Orlando, which is one of the city's newer and most popular courses. Play is limited to 144 people, and $5 of the $99 cost goes to the NSPI-Florida Scholarship Fund.

A welcome reception will be held poolside Feb. 20 at the Rosen Centre Hotel, one of two official hotels for this year's show. The following evening, recipients of the NSPI-Florida 2003 Design Awards will be honored at a special reception. Both receptions are free.

The center of it all

Unlike previous Florida shows, which were contained within a single hotel, this year's event has two headquarter locations: The Rosen Centre and the Sheraton World Resort. Both are within walking distance of the convention center and various attractions, shopping and nightlife.

"We don't think it will be a problem," Parker says. "People who want to socialize will always find a way to get together."

To register for the show, entertainment events and educational sessions, visit www.fpsaonline.org. Hotel phone numbers: Rosen Centre, (800) 204-7234; Sheraton World Resort, (800) 327-0363.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Florida Pool & Spa Show exhibitors

A&A Manufacturing                        216
A&B Brush                                122
A.O. Smith                               748
Accumetric                               303
Adjust-A-Brush                           421
Advantis Technologies                    431
Air Energy                               407
Air Supply of the Future                 200
Aladdin Equipment Co.                    636
Alaglass Pools                           151
Allied Universal Corp.                   400
American Granby                          535
American Leak Detection                  526
AmeriGas                                 440
Anchor Industries                       742B
Anderson Manufacturing Co.               218
AquaCal                                  633
Aqua magazine                            424
Aqua Vac Systems                         648
Aquascape Designs                        632
Aquatherm Industries                     351
Aquatic Access                           604
Artistic Paver Manufacturing             641
Auto Pilot                               633
Baker Manufacturing                      106
Balboa Instruments                       109
BioLab                                   408
Blue-White Industries                    304
Brenntag Mid South Clearwater            237
Bug Solutions                            418
C.L. Industries                          436
Calorex USA                              351
Cantar/Polyair Corp.                     341
Canvas Nursery, The                      447
Capo Industries                          443
Chemical Automation
  Technologies                           448
Clear-Tech Automation                    542
Clormatic/Huron Tech Corp.               232
Confer Plastics                          117
Constructive Software Solutions          444
Coral Seas/Yellow Out                    141
Cover-Pools                              522
Coverstar/A Automatic Cover
  Specialists                            430
Covertech Fabricating                    102
Crystal Fountains                        209
Custom Mosaics                           646
Dal-Tile                                 116
Del Ozone                                302
Delair Group                             423
Design Imaging Group/Pool Design
  Software                               426
Diamond Pool Products                    304
Eco-Matic Saltwater Pool Systems         305
Emerson Motors                           120
Energy Utilization Systems               223
Environmental Test Systems               419
Escalade Sports                          123
Fafco                                    145
FeherGuard Products Ltd.                 207
Fiberstars                               530
Filbur Manufacturing                     226
First Filter                             706
Fix A Leak/Marlig Industries             806
FleetBoss                                254
Florida Agriculture Dept.                233
Florida Sales Associates                 420
Florida Stucco Corp.                     313
Florida Water Products                   600
GB Home Equity                           808
GE                                       311
Giammanco (A.J.) & Associates            210
Goldline Controls                        202
Gorman Co.                               317
Groupe Focus Temp International          428
Gunn Sales                               208
Halco Lighting                           307
Hammerhead Patented Performance          412
Harmsco                                  300
Hayward Pool Products                    215
HTH Water Products                       229
HornerXpress                             633
Horner Equipment                         633
Huber Engineered Materials               533
Hydro Spa                                147
Hydrochem Systems/MAPEI                  649
Imerys                                   524
Industrial Test Systems                  406
Inlays                                   118
Innovative Concrete
  Technology Corp.                       201
Insurance By Ken Brown                   402
Inter-Fab                                549
Intermatic                               606
IPS Enzymes/Carefree                     744
ITT Hydro Air                            107
Jack's Magic                             211
Jackson Pools                            432
Jacuzzi Bros.                            541
Kafko Manufacturing                      343
Kelley Technical Coatings                416
Key Bank USA                             146
Kid Safe Pool Nets                       547
King Technology                          421
LaMotte Co.                              119
Lauderdale Tile & Marble Supply Co.      147
Letro Products                           104
Lo-Chlor                                 633
Loop-Loc Ltd.                            325
Luv-Tile                                 128
Lyon Financial                           126
Magic Hammock                            820
Magic Plastics                           206
Midwest Canvas Corp.                     301
Mortex Manufacturing                     651
Napoleon Appliance Corp.                 136
National Pool Tile Group                 609
Natural Chemistry                        810
Noble Tile Supply                        634
Odyssey Systems                          110
Optimus                                  251
Paramount Pool & Spa Systems             142
Pebble Junction                          446
Pebble Technology                        516
Pen Fabricators                          309
Pentair Pool Products                    601
Pleatco Filter Cartridge Corp.           441
Pool & Spa News                          445
Pool Barrier                             143
Pool Fact Partners                       531
Pool Service Products                    150
Pool Sitters                             228
Pool Systems Pty. Ltd.                  742A
Poolmaster                               310
Poolpower-USA                           643B
Power Vac                                451
Praher Valves                            648
Premix-Marbletite                        540
Prime Time Toys                          346
Proline Distributors                     544
Protect-A-Child Pool Fence               242
Purity Pool                              435
Quaker Plastic Corp.                     203
Raypak                                   241
RDS Manufacturing                        550
Reliance Supply Co.                     643A
Rock Formations                          349
Rocky's Reel Systems                     425
Rola-Chem Corp.                          427
Roll-A-Way Protective Pool Fence         134
Rome Manufacturing/Solarium
  Pool Heaters                           148
S.R. Smith                               417
Saftron Pool Rails                       350
San Juan Products                        800
SCP Pool Corp.                           517
SmartPool                                316
Sophisticated Systems                    442
Southern Grouts & Mortars                133
Spa Builders Systems Group               240
Spears Manufacturing Co.                 222
Speck Pumps-Pool Products                140
Sta-Rite Industries                      525
Stegmeier Corp.                          100
Stetson Development/Pour-A-Lid           708
Stingl Products                          306
Suburban Propane                         336
Sun Fiberglass Products                  149
Sunsolar Energy Technologies             247
Super Vision International               101
Superior Pool Products                   401
Swim Systems                             434
System Dynamics                          248
Taylor Technologies                      129
Terrapin Communications                  246
Thermocraft Industries                   333
Tile Specialties                         224
Tri-Star Manufacturing                   348
Turcotte                                 112
Unicel Filter Cartridges                 111
United Elchem Industries                 303
United Marketing Associates              532
Universal Packaging                      331
U.S. Silica Co.                          335
UV Clear Systems                         329
Valterra Products                        124
Vanson                                   422
Vitricon                                 220
W.R. Meadows                             537
Water Pik Technologies                   501
Water Pro                                108
Waterco USA                              332
Waterway Plastics                        314
Wells Fargo Financial Retail Services    534
World Minerals                           404
Zeotech Corp.                            308
Zodiac Pool Care                         608

List based on registration as of 12/06/02

Show Schedule

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 19

8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
CPO Course, Part 1

THURSDAY, FEB. 20

8 a.m.
Golf Tournament
North Shore Golf Club

8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
CPO Course, Part 2

9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sales & Marketing Conference

12-8 p.m.
Registration

6:30-8 p.m.
Poolside Show Kick-Off Reception
Rosen Centre Hotel

Friday, Feb. 21

7 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Registration

8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
CE Courses; Sales & Marketing Conference

12-5:30 p.m.
Exhibits open

5-6 p.m.
NSPI-Florida Design Awards Reception

7-11 p.m.
Conch Coolout: A Night In Key West
SeaWorld
(tickets required)

Saturday, Feb. 22

7 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Registration

8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
CE Courses

12-5:30 p.m.
Exhibits open

1:30-4:30 p.m.
CSP/CBP Exams (register through NSPI)

All events take place at the Orange County
Convention Center in Orlando unless otherwise

noted.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Hanley-Wood, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group