Commentaries, Interviews & Profiles

The Magnificent Mighty Mo
One of the world’s most extraordinary athletes is 100 years old, and she’s a swimmer. Maureen Kornfeld, aka “Might Mo” continues to compete as a master swimmer, set records for her age bracket, and inspire nearly everyone she meets – living proof of the power of spirit and the value of swimming. ...
The Gumbo of Happiness
Great food served with love is one of the most enduring and universal cornerstones of the holiday experience. For Eric Herman, culinary traditions are both literal and symbolic of the qualities that define a life well lived, and sometimes all it takes are some finely chopped onions, celery and green peppers.   ...
Remembering Bob Lowry
For more than 50 years, pioneering industry chemist, Robert W. Lowry, worked to raise the pool-service industry’s knowledge of water chemistry maintenance, becoming of the best-known educators in the history of the industry. A long-time friend and colleague, Eric Herman, pays tribute to Lowry and remembers the first time they met.   ...
A Well of Compassion
Caring for the less fortunate, while at the same time building pools for the affluent, provides a striking contrast explains Matthew Batista Naylor. Serving the “houseless” people of Palm Springs, Calif., is a crusade for many concerned local citizens but it has also pitted Naylor and an organization known as “Well in the Desert” against local politicians who he says have demonstrated a stunning lack of compassion for those who need it most. ...
Transporting Water
In his recent feature, “Defeating Drought,” Eric Herman sought to provoke an important conversation about the future of water supplies in areas prone to shortages. As the reservoir levels continue to drop in the wester U.S., one builder offers his view on a path, or more accurately a pipeline, that he believes we should follow. ...
Seeds of Integrity
Effective branding and marketing start with who you are, says Kurt Kraisinger, and as he points out in this incisive diatribe on success, there are no short cuts to integrity.   ...
In Service of Sacrifice
In a colossal effort to support a wounded veteran, Paolo Benedetti worked a series of small miracles pulling donations of material, equipment and labor to build a pool for Sgt. Brian Jergens. The result is a place where the still young man can heal from his physical and psychological injuries. ...
Defeating Drought
Dry times are inevitable, writes Eric Herman; and, at present, all indications are that much of the Western U.S. is in the early stages of what looks to be a severe drought. That’s why, he says, the sooner we face the reality of ever-increasing demand for freshwater and dwindling supply, the sooner society can push back against the potential horror and disaster of water shortages. ...
Building Educational Bridges
Watershape University is ready to meet the increasing need for industry education, both online and in person, across a spectrum of mission-critical topic areas. Co-founder, Dave Peterson, recently appeared on an episode of Ask the Master’s podcast showcasing the range of programs WU is delivering in the post-pandemic era. ...
A Million Blue Marbles
As part of Wallace “J” Nichols Year of Blue Mind, he recently offered a reading from his seminal book of the same name. Here is Chapter 9: A Million Blue Marbles, a treatise that broadens perspectives by focusing on something simple and small. ...