The franchiser behind builder Premier Pools & Spas and service firm Premier Pool Service has named a new president.
Aaron Gurley now will lead both the construction and service concerns. Before the promotion, he served as general manager of Premier Pools’ original office in Sacramento, Calif., which operates independent of the franchise.
The change means that Gurley will take some the presidential duties from Paul Porter, who maintains the CEO portion of his title and will focus on growing the franchise globally.
“As our firm is growing into an almost $300 million company, it continues to become more important to make sure not only that we project the same message, but also that we have all our i’s dotted and t’s crossed, and that we focus on how to be more operationally excellent,” Porter said. “I could not pick anybody better than Aaron Gurley for this position. He comes from an accounting background — he started as an actuarial — so he knows processes, systems and procedures.”
Paul Porter, CEO, Premier Pools Management Corp.
Porter said that in Gurley’s 12 years with the Sacramento Premier Pools, he played a key role in the company’s substantial growth, in part from instituting several processes, systems and software programs within the company’s operations. “I wanted him to take those same talents not only nationwide but worldwide for us,” Porter said.
Charles Lauller, who led Premier Pool Service since its inception last year, has left the company.
Premier has set fairly aggressive growth goals for 2019. Currently, the construction company has 55 locations in 23 states. The one-year-old service brand has six locations — three each in California and Texas.
By the end of next year, Premier hopes to have 25 to 50 service offices in place, reporting that several agreements are currently in the process of finalization and that the company is registering in every state.
The franchiser plans to leverage its brand recognition in markets where it already has a construction presence in opening its next services offices. But, ultimately, it expects the service brand to reach every state in the U.S.
“We can have much more density on the service side than on the construction side,” Porter said. “You could have 10 [service] franchisees in Dallas where we have one builder in Dallas.”
Premier also aims to open 15 to 20 new construction locations next year. “That’s pretty achievable,” Porter said.
As for the company’s international presence, it currently has offices in India and hopes to open more. Additionally, it has its sights on the Caribbean, Europe, South America, Mexico and Canada, Porter said.
Porter hosts the television program “Pool Kings” with his son, Brian, who also serves as the company’s vice president of business development and sales. Porter said the exposure has increased interest in his company. “And it’s creating a lot more interest in the industry as well,” he added.
Premier Franchise Management, the company behind the construction and service concerns,has offices in Granite Bay, Calif., and Pine Village, Nev.
Porter reports that Premier Pools and Premier Pool Service project 40% year-over-year growth in 2018.
