The industry lost a titan in its history this spring.
Al Rizzo, a long-time industry leader who served as one of the most visible representatives of the Northeast Spa and Pool Association and the pool/spa-construction segment, died at his Connecticut home in May, just shy of his 87th birthday.
As a founding member and active participant in NESPA and its Connecticut chapter, as well as the Master Pools Guild, Rizzo left his mark. Industry-wide, his legacy comes in the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance’s uniform construction education and certification programs, whose beginnings he shepherded.
Forceful presence
Those who attended industry events likely noticed Rizzo. Standing 6 feet, 3 inches tall and impeccably dressed, his charm and booming voice took hold of a space quickly. He was known not only for his extensive list of accomplishments but also his style as a charismatic but forceful leader.
“He was bold — he wasn’t afraid to push back,” says Rob Romano, general manager of the Long Island division of David Cooke Plaster Co., located in South Windsor, Conn. “He had confidence through the roof. He came to do something and he was going to do it, come hell or high water. He did everything he could to make the industry better.”
These attributes served Rizzo well throughout his career. Born May 27, 1934 to a father who built pools, he started his own company, Rizzo Pools, in 1955.
He was an early member of the National Spa & Pool Institute, precursor to today’s Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, in 1958. He also joined NESPA early on and held nearly every elected or appointed position, including president in 1984 to 1985.
He started the Connecticut Swimming Pool Association in 1967 and served as its first president.
Much of Rizzo’s volunteer efforts were directed at improving builder education. He was a dominant force on the NSPI Builders Council in the 1990s and early 2000’s. He chaired its Builder Education Committee from 1994 to 2008. During this time, he spearheaded the development of the Builders Reference Manual, which provided the underpinnings for the Certified Building Professional program that came shortly after.
He also lead efforts to erect the first builder sites at the International Spa | Pool | Patio Expo in the 1990s and early 2000s. A few days before the show opened, Builders Council members would go into the convention centers and build a miniature pool, sometimes shotcrete, sometimes vinyl-lined. The vessel would serve as the site for several hands-on courses through the convention, after which it was torn down . This highlight lasted several years at the event.
“In general he’s been a champion of education in every single level that he could,” says Bob Blanda, president of Mill Bergen Pools in Brooklyn, N.Y. Upon Rizzo’s recommendation, Blanda took over the Builders Council Education Committee after Rizzo stepped down.
In Connecticut, Rizzo served as a driving force behind the service and builder licensing requirements now in place in the state, where he served for several years as chair of the Government Relations Committee.
Rizzo’s company also belonged to Master Pools Guild at its very beginning. In his later years with the organization, he became known as one of the first and most willing mentors in the Generation Next program, meant to help up-and-coming younger guild members develop their skills and knowledge with some independence from their parents who ran the businesses. In 2012, Master Pools Guild awarded Rizzo its first Lifetime Achievement Award.
“There are a lot of people in the industry who started with Al, and he got them into the business and taught them what he knew, and they went somewhere else,” says Dick Covert, executive director of the Master Pools Guild. “So he was the one person that you would pick to say, ‘Okay, can you help us out here?’ And he always did.”
Long-time friend John Romano, Rob’s father, credited Rizzo’s management style with his volume of accomplishment.
“His forcefulness kept us all focused, and he drove us relentlessly,” says John Romano, who worked with Rizzo on several association endeavors, both regional and national, including the NSPI Builders Council.
Conversations could get heated in the meeting rooms, but there was more to it than that, says Rob Romano, who viewed Rizzo as an honorary uncle.
“The second [that was over] you were drinking with him and he was your friend,” the younger Romano says. “He left a battle on the battlefield, and I respected him a lot for that. You can leave the battle on the battlefield and hug your friends when you’re done.”
Later chapters
Rizzo participated in several organizations outside the industry, such as the Board of Directors of the Better Business Bureau and the Franklin Avenue Merchants Association in Hartford.
Later in life, he maintained homes in Connecticut and Florida and spent a fair amount of time traveling, in part to see family across the country. He partially retired and sold his company to his grandson, James Galvin, several years ago, though he remained involved.
“His passion was deep,” says John Romano. “Some people like to go boating, some like to go fishing. Not only was the pool industry his life but it was his passion and his hobby.”
