MasterMind Summit 2025

Steve Barnes is the Director of Science and Compliance at AquaStar Pool Products, Inc., with over four decades of experience in the pool industry. He has been an integral part of PHTA for many years, contributing to the development of industry standards and serving as a key figure in pool safety initiatives. As the Chair of the ANSI/APSP/ICC-16 (VGBA-2017) Standard Writing Committee, Steve has played a pivotal role in shaping national pool safety regulations, particularly in the area of suction entrapment prevention and high-efficiency swimming pool hydraulics systems.

Steve is also the Chair of the PHTA Standards Process Committee and has served as Vice Chair of the ICC ISPSC Code Development Committee, where he continues to help shape and refine building codes for aquatic venues. His leadership extends to various other PHTA committees, and he frequently presents at industry events to promote safety, efficiency, and compliance.

Steve's passion for pool safety and education helps AquaStar spread the word about initiatives like Step Into Swim, which helps fund water safety education and swim lessons for underserved communities. Through his advocacy and expertise, Steve empowers pool professionals to adopt best practices for safer and more efficient pools, positively impacting the industry at large.

Reggie Baudoin of Bask Pools + Outdoors LLC hails from Lafayette and graduated from Northside High School. He is a Licensed Swimming Pool Contractor and has worked in the swimming pool industry since 2002, building and servicing pools. Reggie is married to Jenny and has three children: Gracie, Aiken, and Sullivan. Reggie is active in his curch and enjoys spending time with his family.

Kirk Bianchi completely redefines what it means to design Outdoor Living Spaces.

His lifelong appreciation for classical art, architecture, and photography has given him a unique vision of how to integrate the three disciplines - landscape, pool and exterior architecture - for the ultimate fusion of total outdoor lifestyle design.

Bianchi was inspired by a trip he took to Japan in his youth. He was struck by how the Japanese architecture and landscape design blurred indoor/outdoor spaces in a simple, yet elegant way. During ASU architecture school in 1991, he began working in the pool industry, then in 1999 founded his own company, WaterScapes by Bianchi Design, as a conceptual design firm that “expresses the outdoors as a living art form.”

Many endorsements have been ascribed to Bianchi for his work. Early in his career, Phoenix Home & Garden designated him as a “Master of the Southwest,” and has featured his projects regularly over the last two decades. Phoenix Magazine awarded Bianchi as “Coolest Pool Designer,” while receiving “Design Icon” status from Sources for Design Magazine as well as “Trend Setter” by AZ Magazine. Bianchi has also received editorial recognition from AZ Food and Life, WaterShapes and Aqua Magazine, and is prominently featured in the Inspired Outdoor Living coffee table book (June 2023), as well as having received the Pinnacle Award Luxury Pools and a dozen Best of Houzz Design and Service designations.

Bianchi enjoys sharing his design approach as an instructor for GENESIS, the pool industry’s most comprehensive and complete curriculum. His Master Designer Methods course is a prerequisite for those looking to achieve their Certified Master Pool Builder & Design Professional designation, the highest level of third-party certification offered in the industry.

For those who love creating beautiful environs, Bianchi’s enthusiasm for the craft and passion for collaboration is truly engaging, helping others elevate their exterior designs to an Art Form.

Paul John Boulifard is the GENESIS® Architecture Faculty Advisor. He is a designer and architect with a wide range of professional and academic experiences. Paul John has worked on large-scale projects ranging from skyscrapers, healthcare facilities, and performing arts centers while at Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects in New Haven, Connecticut, to small-scale civic buildings at Cherry Huffman Architects in Raleigh, North Carolina. More recently, he has collaborated with Manuel Zeitlin Architects, Van Pond Architect, William C. Johnson Architect, David Kidd Architect, Root ARCH, and Centric Architecture in Nashville, Tennessee. In conjunction with these professional activities, he has taught at the university level on an adjunct basis at such notable institutions as Wesleyan University and Connecticut College, and locally at Watkins College of Art. Paul John holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture from the North Carolina State University College of Design and a Master of Architecture from the Yale University School of Architecture. He also has studied in France and Spain.

Brian Van Bower is the co-founder of GENESIS®. He has nearly 50 years of professional experience in the pool and spa industry and has long been one of the industry's most influential figures. He is CEO of Aquatic Consultants, Inc., an international consulting and design firm based in Miami with a satellite office in N. Redington Beach, Florida, specializing in upscale and unusual pool and watershape designs. He is also ambassador and co-founder of GENESIS through which his efforts have transformed the industry, and he has a long history of leadership across numerous industry organizations and programs. Additionally, he is president of BVB Consulting, LLC, which provides business consulting to consumers, business owners and industry manufacturers.

Bower has won well over 100 industry design awards. His work includes projects in Africa, Sri Lanka, Greece, Colombia, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada, and all across the U.S. He and his company's projects have been featured in numerous magazines and television shows, including coverage in Architectural Digest and on CNN and other local and national media outlets. He is a devoted food and wine enthusiast and pursuer of "the good life."

Terry Brannon, P.E., is the GENESIS® Engineering Faculty Chair. He began his career in public works, beginning with the cities of Irving and Tyler in Texas before founding The Brannon Corporation. He continues to specialize in public works projects, but the firm has carved out an aquatic niche using their expertise in water conveyance and treatment and structural design. Brannon is registered in 23 states as a licensed professional engineer. Now in semi-retirement from the engineering consulting business—50 years total in engineering and 40 years in aquatics—Brannon keeps himself busy sharing his experiences by writing and training engineers and contractors in the design and construction of aquatic facilities from public fountains, to splash pads, water parks, competition venues, lakes and streams, and private pools. He continues as a consultant to various construction management companies, hotels and resorts, municipalities, and branches of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Tracy Bruno holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Environmental Design from Delaware Valley University located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Her 26 years of industry experience is extensive and ranges from private and public bidding to designing and building high end residential projects. Bruno Design Associates was launched in 2012 to offer her clients a high-level concierge experience that focused on quality and service. The multifaceted nature of outdoor living has expanded over the past 15-20 years, which Bruno Design Associates has embraced through innovative design concepts, state of the art technology, and exceptional customer experience. Swimming pools are a major component for many projects and each one is unique in form and function to meet the needs of our clients. Meticulous planning and thought goes into every detail of design including shape, size, color, texture, and overall useability. To ensure the successful implementation of our design and the client’s vision we provide digital 3D modeling, section drawings, construction details, schematic layouts, material schedules and notes. I enjoy showing homeowners the full potential of their properties and offering creative solutions to meet their expectations as we develop personalized outdoor living spaces for their families to enjoy.

Scott Hackworth is the President of Industry Insights – a 20-person research firm based in Columbus, Ohio. His research aims to understand the performance and nuances of various industries, with his work featured in publications such as National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. He and his firm have studied the performance of PEOs for more than 15 years.

Scott holds a Master of Science in Predictive Analytics degree from Northwestern University, an M.B.A. from Capital University, and a B.A. in Corporate Finance from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Feras Irikat is the GENESIS® Design Faculty Advisor. He is the Director of Design & Marketing for Lunada Bay Tile, a leader in the design and production of handcrafted glass, stone, metal, wood, and ceramic tiles. An expert and innovative tile designer across all mediums, Feras holds a bachelor’s degree in interior design and a master’s degree in family and consumer sciences from San Francisco State University (SFSU), where he also did advanced graduate work and research in color theory and color psychology. He has taught color theory, applications, and psychology at SFSU, University of California Santa Cruz, West Valley College, and design seminars around the world. Feras is frequently quoted in publications such as Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, and others, and has collaborated with designers Jonathan Adler and Tommy Bahama.

Andy Kaner is President at Aquatic Consultants, Inc. Andy earned a Master of Landscape Architecture from Florida International University, where he focused on program study in site design, regional design, and urban design. He created several projects concentrating on ecology, landscape theory, history, and technique and completed his coursework with a thesis and design proposal for the re-development of the Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead, Florida. At Aquatic Consultants, Inc., Andy assists homeowners, landscape architects, architects, developers, builders, property owners, managers, and contractors worldwide in realizing their visions of creating unique environments centered on water. Projects include water walls, swimming pools, fountains, spas, cascades, therapy pools, ponds, and waterfalls.

John Kenyon is the Sales Manager and Senior Design Consultant at Gib-San Pool & Landscape Creations. John is a Master CBP with a Designer dedication, who takes practical subjects like concrete strength, hydraulics, and construction techniques and marries them with the beauty of water and surrounding landscaping. John has recently joined the university faculty of his alma mater, where he enjoys teaching both a holistic and practical approach. Whether your pool is indoor or outdoor, a postage stamp backyard, or a football field, his design experience brings a wealth of ideas to transform spaces and make dreams become reality.

Joseph Laurino is the President and founder of Periodic Products Inc., and is the inventor of the Company’s proprietary polymer technology. Dr. Laurino has extensive biomedical research experience with several Fortune 100 companies, and has orchestrated the development, FDA approval, and production of eight medical device products generating more than $300 million in revenues.

Prior to founding Periodic Products, Dr. Laurino was a professor of chemistry at the University of Tampa; director of operations and corporate officer for Spectral Diagnostics Inc. (Toronto/Virginia), a manufacturer of point-of-care cardiac diagnostic test products; senior vice president of research & development for ABS, a pharmaceuticals and medical devices company; clinical laboratory director and assistant professor at Brown University’s Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island; and a senior scientist at Technicon Instruments (now Bayer Diagnostics) and Roche Diagnostics.

Dr. Laurino received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Virginia, an MBA from the University of Tampa, and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Georgetown University. He has been awarded both National Institutes of Health and Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Fellowships, and has authored or co-authored over 65 papers, books and abstracts. In his current role, Dr. Laurino governs the Company’s scientific research and technology development, and has significantly expanded the Company’s patent portfolio, product applications, and international market reach. Dr. Laurino also serves as Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors.

Maria Moscato is a lecturer, fine artist, and designer based in Bologna, Italy, with a background in sustainable design and architecture. Maria has been teaching a wide range of subjects, from ceramics to microeconomics, for 20 years.

She first became involved in the pool and spa industry through her husband, who publishes Piscine Oggi, the premier pool industry publication in Italy that focuses on both residential and commercial pool design, maintenance, and technology. Maria served as a translator and editor for Piscine Oggi for over 14 years.

Maria is a certified building technician in Italy with experience in 3D modeling, AutoCAD, and Revit. She joined the GENESIS® faculty in April 2024 as the International Design & Wellness Faculty Advisor and develops design curriculum focused on the successful trends she has seen around Europe.

Skip Phillips, Master CBP, is the co-founder of GENESIS®. Skip, former owner of Questar Pools and the firm's current principal designer, is one of the world's most renowned designers and builders of custom swimming pools, spas and other forms of aquatic architecture. In 1993, the Robb Report declared Phillips "the world's most influential swimming pool designer" and since then he has received extensive coverage in trade magazines and on TV, including multiple HGTV appearances, newspapers and prestigious national publications including Better Homes & Gardens, New York Times and Wall Street Journal. He is co-founder of GENESIS and is a charter member of the Society of Watershape Designers. He is widely credited for transforming and uplifting the pool and spa industry. Phillips' body of work includes some of the most beautiful and technically advanced watershapes of the modern era.

In the role of Chairman and CEO, Kevin Post leads Counsilman-Hunsaker's executive team and leadership. With over 20 years of experience in the aquatic industry, Kevin has served a variety of client types including public and private clubs and waterparks, municipalities, universities, YMCAs, and school districts. As CEO, Kevin aims to strengthen Counsilman-Hunsaker's position as the industry leader, speaking at national conferences and major universities, and educating the industry on sustainable business practices for pools, new technologies for aquatic facilities, and the science behind risk management.

Kevin Post has been recognized in Aquatics International’s 2019 Power Issue for his efforts in making pools safer and more sustainable and again in 2021 for leading Counsilman-Hunsaker’s COVID-19 response efforts. Kevin is a contributing author to WWA’s annual development guide and The Complete Swimming Pool Guide. Kevin also serves on the Board of Directors for the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) and the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC). He also serves as Vice-Chair for the PHTA-11 and PHTA-16 standards writing committees and as the board liaison for the PHTA Commercial Council and the CPO Advisory Committee.

Jimi Smith is a Virgin Islands based photographer specializing in Architecture, Interiors, Commercial Spaces, Landscapes and Luxury Pools.

A native of Athens GA, Jimi studied early on with degrees in Engineering, Physics, Fine Art Photography, and Music. Continuing his love of education he attended the Commercial Diving Academy in Jacksonville Fl, and upon graduation Jimi took on a job with Miami Diver as an underwater ship maintenance specialist.

It was working globally with Miami Diver that Jimi frequently visited the Virgin Islands. Eventually, falling in love with the Caribbean, he decided to make St Thomas his permanent home. For over 10 years now, he has helped run a scuba diving shop on the island when he is not traveling for photography assignments.

Jimi uses both natural and artificial light when creating his images. Every image is created with great detail and attention to light. Jimi strives to make the best images possible, and no job is too large or too small.

When Jimi’s not photographing for work, you can usually find him shooting his personal landscape images at sunrise or sunset with his dog Tilt.