2018 was a busy year for Drakeley Pool Company - we tackled some one-of-a-kind projects, increased our focus on industry education, welcomed new team members, and revamped our entire service department. As we look forward to the year ahead, let’s take a moment to recap some achievements and memorable moments experienced in 2018.
Education
As Deputy Director of Genesis Education, Bill Drakeley is responsible for developing and delivering new educational programs to the entire pool industry. This past year, Bill taught eight classes on concrete science and pool construction techniques.
In addition to offering our industry educational courses, Drakeley Pools invested in its own team and sent employees to classes across the country to learn about pool design, construction, engineering, and more.
Construction
This past year challenged our construction team with new pool features, techniques, and approaches. We took on two projects that featured acrylic panels - not necessarily a new pool component, but definitely something fairly new to the Northeast region. With the temperature differentials we experience in the area, our design, engineering, and construction needed to account for a tremendous amount of variables. While challenging, these projects ultimately turned out to be some of our most exciting and definitely most stunning. We still have a few more water features to button up for one of the two projects (there are a total of 4 - pool, spa, oversized water feature at the entrance of the house, and garden water feature), but the first project was completed this summer and we couldn’t be happier with the results.
Celebrations
2018 marked the 20th anniversary of both the American Shotcrete Association and Genesis. As a way to show appreciation for its members, both groups hosted unforgettable events in California.
Bill accepts the 2017 Outstanding Shotcrete Project Award and reflects on his time as President of the American Shotcrete Association at their 20th Anniversary Celebration in Napa, CA.
In March, the ASA 20th Anniversary held its event in Napa where Bill and other ASA members toured wine caves (all constructed using shotcrete!), attended classes (one of which Bill taught), and concluded the trip with the Outstanding Shotcrete Project Awards Banquet. Drakeley Pool Company was awarded the Outstanding Shotcrete Project Award for our four-tiered vanishing edge pool located in Bridgewater, CT.
In April, Bill and Kerri headed to Paso Robles, CA for the Genesis 20th Anniversary celebration. This trip was packed with networking events, architectural tours, and even zip-lining! The event was a fantastic way to get to know new Genesis members, reconnect with longtime members, and speak one-on-one with vendors we work with every day.
Our Team
Drakeley Pools welcomed a couple of new team members this past year who have helped us begin to revamp internal processes.
Rebecca LoRusso began as our new Service Coordinator in April and completely overhauled the department’s operation. By implementing new software for our service technicians, Rebecca has been able to offer unprecedented communication and service to our clients.
Billy Drakeley joined the team as our Business Strategist in May, bringing his financial and investment analysis background with him to help ensure efficient operations across the company. We are extremely excited to continue our work in 2019 updating existing systems and implementing new ideas which we believe will benefit not only the company, but the clients we serve as well.
2019…and Beyond
As we enter 2019, we are ready to continue growing! Our construction team is already working on a number of projects that are set to be completed this Spring, which we’re excited to share with you. During our off-season, our team members will further their education (and Bill will continue teaching), and we will continue our work employing new internal procedures which will increase efficiency and improve our customer service.
We thank our clients, vendors, and partners for another tremendous year and we look forward to everything 2019 is sure to bring at Drakeley Pools.