Debbie Swearingen

My love of swimming pools began in the late 1970's when I went to work for a swimming pool cleaner company by the name of" Kreepy Krauly." I sold these pool cleaners door-to-door. We would get leads from our on site phone room or we would cold call customers at their homes. The pool cleaners were awesome and we did not have to hard sell these...we usually left it overnight and would come back the next day and the customer would buy it. We had so much fun watching this pool cleaner go up an down the walls of the swimming pools...customers watching it for what seemed to be hours in amazement. These pool cleaners were not without flaws! We were like pioneers solving problems with each new and unique problem we enountered... like the darn thing getting stuck behind the ladders or on steps, and maybe light fixtures..for instance many of the products that were made to correct these problems came about due to us trying something to retrofit the situation...like ladder guards, bumpers, and even flow regulators. We would use 90 degree pvc elbows when the cleaner would not go to the deep end like it should and we would redirect the flow in the water with their return jets to push the cleaner in another direction. This was the beginning for me...and swimming pools. I love this industry...although I get wet and dirty and can't have nice fingernails...or sweat profusely and must change my shirt several times a day...I just can't quit. It is interesting, evolving, and I am a people person...I enjoy meeting new people and working on their swimming pools. I love beautiful, pristine, blue swimming pool water...keyword "blue"...ha...ha...ha...since I tend to see a lot of green pools.

I was born in Lakeland, Florida and I grew up in Tampa, Florida. I attended Chamberlain High School and Hillsborough Community College. I have been involved in working with swimming pools...owning a service company in Orlando, Lakeland, and Atlanta Georgia. I went back to college and received a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration at VSU.

As a Florida Native...I learned to enjoy outdoor sports...I like canoeing...the beach...and outdoor concerts and other events.