Every year at this time, we profile some of the industry’s most powerful people. These are the professionals who are changing — or trying to change — aquatics for the better. They don’t just talk. They act. And they get things done. But it’s the way they get things done that I really want to talk about.
When we choose our list of power players, we’re not just looking for people who wield power; we’re looking for people who command influence. We’re looking for people with the power to help you.
In fact, while the professionals featured here are important, they wouldn’t be able to accomplish as much without you. Put another way, when it comes to the ability to change aquatics, you have as much power as they do.
Think about it. Michael Beach, one our Power 25, can give all the seminars in the world about the dangers of recreational water illnesses. But it won’t mean much unless you, the operator or manager of a facility, take action to thwart RWIs.
As an operator, you rule a kingdom. The policies you set have the power to make changes, not just in your facility, but also in people’s lives. You can decide tomorrow to implement a new lifeguard vision screening policy and, in so doing, very possibly save a life. To me, that’s exciting. But it’s also a bit daunting because, to borrow a line from a popular movie, with great power comes great responsibility.
Where should you use that power? What is the most important policy to change? What should you be focused on? These are all questions the men and women featured on these pages can help you answer. They have done the research, sweated the details and put in the time to help you use yours as wisely as possible — and run the best facility you can.
Speaking of changes for the better, you may have noticed by now that Aquatics International has taken on a new look. Along with our more modern logo, we’ve made some other subtle changes. The biggest are in our Newsroom, which now packs even more information on the pages, with tags and labels to help you decide where to spend your limited time. The Buzz section alerts you to emerging industry trends.
We hope these changes make the magazine even more valuable to you. But we want to hear what you think. So take it for a spin, see how it feels, and drop me a line or give me a call. What do you like? What would you like to see changed?
Remember, you got the power.
