When most people think about the pool industry, they imagine blue water and palm trees. What they don’t see are the people behind the scenes—the ones solving impossible problems, mentoring rookies, and sometimes even grilling ribs on the job site. One of those unsung heroes is Lakeland, Florida’s own John Poma, a man whose quiet persistence and generous spirit have transformed not only pools, but people’s lives. How A Florida Man Became the Heart of the Pool Industry.
The Breakthrough That Changed Everything
Back in 2019, Rudy Stankowitz, host of the Talking Pools Podcast, developed a radical new method to reduce cyanuric acid (CYA) in swimming pools without draining thousands of gallons of water. It was bold, controversial, and—at first—dismissed by critics. But while Rudy might have lit the spark, it was John Poma who fanned the flame into a wildfire of innovation.
John volunteered to take on the lion’s share of the field trials, running pool after pool under carefully controlled conditions. He documented everything, proving that the alum-based process could slash CYA levels by up to 50% without harming swimmers or equipment. His persistence turned theory into practice—and helped pool professionals in drought-stricken regions save both water and money.
“We caught a lot of slack,” John recalls. “Some people swore it was dangerous, others said it couldn’t work. But the data didn’t lie. Once you vacuumed everything to waste, the CYA was gone.”
Mentor, Builder, Friend
John’s technical skill is impressive, but it’s his heart that’s earned him a spot among the Top 10 Pool Mentors of 2025. A commercial pool builder by day and a residential service company owner by night, John still carves out time to answer questions in Facebook groups, guide young technicians, and calm fiery debates online.
Why does he do it? His answer is simple. “When I started out, there wasn’t social media. You only had whoever you worked for, and sometimes they weren’t helpful. I just want to give others the help I wish I’d had.”
He knows firsthand how lonely those early years can be. He remembers being caught in the middle of builder-versus-service disputes, accused of mistakes that weren’t his, and forced to prove that bad water chemistry—not bad workmanship—was behind expensive equipment failures. Instead of folding under pressure, John learned everything he could about pool chemistry to defend the work. That fight shaped the mentor he is today.
More Than Just Pools
But John isn’t all formulas and field reports. On job sites, he’s as likely to be manning the grill as he is testing water chemistry. His crew has enjoyed everything from ribs to seafood boils during long plumbing days—because for John, building a team is just as important as building a pool.
He’s also no stranger to Florida’s quirkier pool stories. From near-mythical alligators wandering into local hotel pools to the infamous “Florida Man” incident of the 1990s involving a vacuum outlet and one very unfortunate gentleman, John’s seen the industry’s strangest headlines turn into hard safety lessons. “That one,” he says with a chuckle, “changed the way fittings were built forever.”
The Mentor Code
Ask John what golden rule he’d pin at the top of every pool forum and his answer is blunt: “Don’t be a dick.” Behind the humor lies a deeper truth—he believes in lifting others up, not tearing them down.
It’s no wonder he’s often the first to step into a heated thread with steady advice, or the one encouraging a young tech to rethink their approach instead of dismissing them. “Every pool is different,” he says. “You treat each one a little differently. People are the same.”
Looking Ahead
With Florida’s building boom showing no signs of slowing down, John’s schedule is packed for years. Yet, even with 30-plus pools already on the books, he’s still being begged not to retire. His wife sees him a few hours each evening, weekends are sacred, and half a Saturday is usually sacrificed to finish his service accounts. It’s a demanding life—but John wouldn’t trade it.
“Pools keep me busy, but they also keep me connected,” he says. “This industry has given me everything. The least I can do is give something back.”
The Legacy of a Mentor
In November, Rudy Stankowitz will surprise one of the Top 10 Mentors with a championship belt—pool industry’s own Hall of Fame moment. John may or may not walk away with the hardware, but to the countless techs he’s guided, encouraged, and defended, he’s already a champion.
As our conversation wrapped, John left us with a simple reminder—both practical and poetic:
“Just keep the pools blue and keep moving forward.”
And that’s exactly what he’s been doing all along.
