Read the Press Release and Member Announcement

Wauconda, Ill. — September 5, 2025 — The National Plasterers Council (NPC) today announced the release of its Fall 2025 Education Schedule, now live on the NPC Events Calendar. Contractors, service pros, builders, and applicators can browse dates, locations, and registration details for courses offered across the U.S. and online. Events Calendar

“At NPC, we build education that’s practical and immediately useful on the job,” said Jason Weber, Executive Director of the National Plasterers Council. “This fall’s lineup makes it easier than ever for crews to certify, recertify, and sharpen skills—whether you prefer a full-day class in your region or a focused online session.”

Program highlights for Fall 2025

• Start-Up Technician Certification — In Person (Full-Day): Hands-on instruction in the NPC method for proper start-up of plastered pools, taught by seasoned field experts. In-person offerings are scheduled throughout the fall on the NPC Events Calendar. 
• Start-Up Technician Certification — Online (3-Hours): A concise, expert-led course that certifies technicians in NPC’s start-up method and best practices for water chemistry during the critical curing period—ideal for teams needing a flexible option. Online Registration
  

What the Start-Up Technician course covers

Participants learn the essentials that help ensure a durable, high-quality finish on newly plastered or refinished pools, including:

1. Historical background of plastered pool finishes
2. Plastering materials & application basics
3. Pool water chemistry fundamentals
4. Test kits & testing methodology
5. General start-up procedures & timelines
6. Understanding the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI)
7. Identifying common problems & solutions, plus Q&A and certification exam
   

How to register

• View the full Fall 2025 schedule and register: NPC Events Calendar (courses, dates, locations, and details are updated continuously). Events Calendar
• Prefer online? Register for the NPC Start-Up Technician Certification – Online session (3-Hours). Online Registration

About the National Plasterers Council (NPC)

The National Plasterers Council advances best practices for swimming pool plaster application, start-up, and care through education, certification, and technical resources. NPC is headquartered at 1000 N. Rand Road, Suite 214, Wauconda, IL 60084. For general inquiries, contact 847-416-7272 or mail@npconline.org. https://www.nationalplastererscouncil.com/

Media Contact:
National Plasterers Council (NPC)
1000 N. Rand Road, Suite 214, Wauconda, IL 60084
(847) 416-7272 | mail@npconline.org

"Chris brings a wealth of knowledge in executive leadership, marketing and education to the industry. This knowledge, along with Chris' passion for educating and industry advocacy, will serve to continue to increase the value of the NPC for members and the swimming pool trades," said Shaun Goldberg, Chairperson of the NPC. Mr. Marcano's more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing and educating to the pool industry has cultivated a deep understanding of the intricacies in the field.

Mr. Marcano has been an active NPC member and participant in several NPC programs. Mr. Goldberg continues, "Chris has a keen understanding of the NPC. He has been an active contributor to the NPC's marketing and education committees. Additionally, Chris is a co-host of the NPC podcast, "Smooth Finish". We know he'll continue to share his expertise and grow the NPC. The NPC is extremely excited to have Chris in the Executive Director role." Beyond the NPC, Mr. Marcano also has extensive involvement with the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) on several committees.

NPC's outgoing Executive Director, Jeff Henderson commented, "As the NPC continues to grow in membership and programs, the Board of Directors and I believe the timing was right to find the next Executive Director; someone who will take the NPC to the next level. Chris is that person."

"Based in the heart of America, Kansas City, I find joy in all things pool and spa. I'm looking forward to bringing my professionalism and dedication for the industry directly to the NPC," Mr. Marcano said. "The NPC continues to develop membership programs for all facets of the industry and I'm looking forward to continue the professional development across the entire membership base."

The NPC will continue to provide direct access to its Director of Technical Services (DTS), Kent Westfall for NPC members and pool owners. Mr. Westfall has operated as NPC's DTS for one year and during this time, he has been able to help hundreds of pool owners and professionals seeking information about their plastered pool. Seeing the success of that program versus the difficulty the NPC has had in sourcing pool inspectors during these unprecedented times, it has become evident that the pool inspection program cannot continue under the current conditions.

Yvette Gammon, Owner of Gammon Pools and NPC Chairman stated, "While the Pool Inspector Referral Program has a history of success, since the COVID pandemic we have found it very difficult to assist folks in locating an inspector. All of us in the industry understand the strain we have been under to simply meet the demands of our everyday business needs. This has extended into the service side of the National Plasterers Council."

She continues, "By discontinuing the referral program, we can now devote more time to helping the industry through our Ask the Expert program. With the new technologies we've all had to learn in the last couple of years, there is no reason why we can't use this to help more people in less time."

To learn more about the NPC and its Ask the Expert program, visit npconline.org.

Be sure to register for this year's Annual Conference located at the Intercontinental Buckhead in Atlanta, GA February 9-11, 2022.

Ask the Expert!

These are short fun videos often shot by volunteers using the camera on their phones*. They are "tricks of the trade" members have discovered and want to share with you!

You can find Tech Tidbits on NPC's YouTube channel NPC Tech Tidbits - YouTube.

Watch Now >>

* Remember, the views and opinions expressed in these videos are not vetted nor endorsed by NPC, and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of the NPC.

In service to the pool community and pool owners, the NPC is releasing its re-formatted and updated Start-up Card. This tool has been used by thousands of pool professionals and pool owners for years to start-up their freshly plastered pool. The NPC is announcing this new promotional campaign providing ways in which pool owners and pool professionals can obtain this valuable resource free of charge.

Later this spring, the NPC will be launching its first ever Online Start-up Certification Class, which students can take on demand. This new offering, previewed at NPC's Annual Conference in February 2021, has already graduated dozens of certified Start-up Technicians with the very latest information and science in the proper start-up of a plastered pool or spa.

Inevitably, every pool season, the interior finishes of plastered pools and spas are ruined by improper water treatment. The good news is that there is a science behind proper start-up and maintenance techniques, and plastered pools can be easily and properly maintained guaranteeing years of usage. Pool owners not wishing to fall prey to improper start-up by unqualified pool professionals should visit the NPC website at NPConline.org and search the Member Directory to find an NPC certified pool technician in their area.

"As busy as we all are in the pool industry this year, it is important that we educate pool owners and pool technicians about starting and maintaining customers' pools. So, we at the NPC decided to use all our messaging platforms in unison to get the word out about this very important issue," said Yvette Gammon, President of Gammon Pools and Chairman of the NPC.

The NPC has launched this campaign to help build the public's knowledge about the proper initial start-up of cementitious interior pool and spa finishes and the importance of proper maintenance thereafter in relation to the aesthetic, functionality and lifespan of their plaster pool surface. Pool owners should look for NPC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and at the NPC consumer website at nationalplastererscouncil.com for videos and technical bulletins that will help protect their pool or spa investment. Pool technicians who wish to take the NPC's Start-up Class should look for the registration announcement in the coming weeks for the online class at npconline.org and in social media.

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About NPC
The National Plasterers Council (NPC) is an international trade association dedicated to advancing the research, application, care, and maintenance of cementitious interior pool finishes. The NPC is committed to bringing comprehensive information about pool plastering characteristics, applications, design and technology to users, product designers, engineers, and architects. Further, NPC is focused on enhancing the ability of its members to meet the emerging demands of the market through sharing knowledge and best practices. For more information, visit NPConline.org. NPC is on Facebook at @NationalPlasterersCouncil, Twitter at @NPC88, and Instagram at thenpc_. Visit our YouTube channel at youtube.com/nationalplastererscouncil. For questions regarding this press release, or the National Plasterers Council in general, please do not hesitate to contact NPC headquarters at any time. Our email is nationalplastercouncil@gmail.comand our phone number is (847) 416-7272.

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"Kent brings a wealth of pool plastering knowledge and experience to this position," said Yvette Gammon, Chairperson of the NPC. Mr. Westfall has more than 40 years of experience in the pool industry, mastering nearly every aspect of pool construction, pool plastering and remodeling. He has been licensed with the Contractors State License Board during the past 33 years.

Mr. Westfall has been an active NPC member and participant in several NPC programs. Mrs. Gammon continues, "Kent knows the NPC well. He has been an active teacher at NPC Conferences and Certified Start-Up Technician Classes. He has also been a real supporter of our Pool Inspector Program and has worked with our team at headquarters to answer questions from the industry. We are excited to have Kent take this position."

NPC's Executive Director, Jeff Henderson, commented, "The NPC created this position five years ago when Greg Garrett took the position. We learned during that time that the industry and NPC members found this to be a very helpful asset to the Council. We are pleased to keep this position in place with someone as knowledgeable and well regarded as Mr. Westfall."

"I want to thank the NPC and its leadership for having the confidence in me to take this role," Mr. Westfall said. "The NPC has developed a great deal of information and material for our industry. I am pleased to take that knowledge to the field and help educate and support NPC members across the country."

About NPC
The National Plasterers Council (NPC) is an international trade association dedicated to advancing the research, application, care, and maintenance of cementitious interior pool finishes. The NPC is committed to bringing comprehensive information about pool plastering characteristics, applications, design and technology to users, product designers, engineers and architects. Further, NPC is focused on enhancing the ability of its members to meet the emerging demands of the market through sharing knowledge and best practices. For more information, visit NPConline.org.

For questions regarding this press release, or the National Plasterers Council in general, Please do not hesitate to contact NPC headquarters at any time. Our email is nationalplastercouncil@gmail.com and our phone number is (847) 416-7272.

First Podcast Covers the Pool Industry’s COVID-19 Response

June 1, 2020; Wauconda, Illinois -- The National Plasterers Council (NPC) has debuted a new offering for the pool industry with “Smooth Finish”, a new podcast series.
 
“The NPC’s mission is to be the utmost authority in the preparation, application, materials, start-ups and preservation of cementitious pool interior finishes,” said Brent Lane, Artistry in Mosaics in Fort Pierce, FL, and Chair of the Marketing Committee. “We look to utilize this new platform to discuss all topics related to this mission and other matters relative to our members and the community by hosting and collaborating with other associations in the swimming pool business, industry experts, NPC members, and vendors specific to the topic at hand.  We’re hoping to be entertaining but striving to be enlightening.”

Read more ...

April 21, 2020; Wauconda, Illinois -- During its second quarter board and committee meetings last week, the National Plasterers Council (NPC) confirmed Rob Romano as the next Vice Chair of the NPC.  Mr. Romano’s term begins immediately.  He joins current NPC Chair Yvette Gammon,  Gammon Pools, Inc. in El Cajon, CA; Immediate Past Chair Lee Valenzuela, New Image Pool Interiors in Clovis, CA;  Treasurer, Rob Burkett, Burkett’s Pool Plastering in Salida, CA;  Past Chair Scott McKenna, Gardner Pool Plastering, El Cajon, CA;  and Members at Large to the Executive Committee, Jay Eaton, Cal Plastering, Phoenix, AZ and Dave Schilli, Schilli Plastering Company, Bridgeton, MO .

Mr. Romano serves as General Manager at the David Cooke Plaster Company.  He also sits on the Board of Directors at the Northeast Spa & Pool Association (NESPA).  Rob is also a Certified Building Professional (CBP), a Certified Service Professional (CSP) and brings decades of pool industry experience to the NPC leadership.

“I am excited to be a part of this dynamic association,” said Rob Romano. He added, “The NPC continues to prove itself to be the utmost authority in cementitious pool and spa finishes, and I am thrilled to be a part of their journey.”

Yvette Gammon, president of Gammon Pools and in her first year as NPC Chair said, “On behalf of the entire NPC board I want to thank and congratulate Rob for all he has contributed to the NPC and the great work he’ll offer us in the years ahead.”

About NPC

The National Plasterers Council (NPC) history goes back to the creation of the Plasterers Council under the auspices of the Southern California Chapter of the National Spa & Pool Institute. With the vision and work of Bruce Hughes, the Council was formed to provide a voice and support for swimming pool plasterers.  From its formation in 1988, the Council has been focused on studying plaster surface problems and the writing of technically sound practices for the industry. Other priorities include nationwide membership recruitment, new member benefits, and new educational opportunities including a pool surface applicator certification program. NPC has a very strong foundation and vision which will take the association to new levels now and in the future. For more information, visit NPConline.org.

September 4, 2019; Wauconda, Illinois - The National Plasterers Council has recently released a brand new consumer focused website - nationalplastererscouncil.com.  This new site is designed to show various pool finishes, teach pool owners the proper start up, care, and maintenance of their pool, and create a path for them to find an NPC member for their next project.  We will be updating the site with new content as it becomes available and heavily promoting the site.  We believe this will be an excellent communications tool to advance proper pool maintenance practices and promote NPC members! 

We will continue to maintain our current npconline.org site as a resource for members.  You will still go there to register for events, work on your member profile, and find the latest technical offerings from the NPC.  Of course, pool owners are welcome to visit, but we aim to use this new site as a way to draw attention to proper pool techniques and NPC members.

With the opening of the new Bakersfield warehouse, Artistry in Mosaics is now able to offer one-day delivery to pool service members in neighboring states such as Arizona and Nevada, as well as California.

Artistry in Mosaics joined the National Plasterers Council in 2018 and has provided premium mosaics and glass tile to the swimming pool industry for 32 years.

For more information, contact Artistry in Mosaics:

877-777-1393

mosaics@artistryinmosaics.com

www.artistryinmosaics.com

October 30, 2018; Wauconda, Illinois – The National Plasterers Council (NPC) would like to publicly thank and salute Greg Garrett for serving as NPC’s first ever Director of Technical Services.  Mr. Garrett started this role October 1, 2015 and handled thousands of calls and inspected hundreds of swimming pools.  Greg has decided to service the industry in another way.  Mr. Garrett will continue to support the NPC through committee work and education programs.  However, Greg’s ground-breaking work with the NPC has enabled the group to launch new efforts to support the pool industry.

The NPC will be introducing their Start Up Certification Class program online shortly after the first of the year.  This digital version of the popular class will feature an online training module complete with an online test and certificates to students that pass the exam.  Live Start Up Certification Classes will still be offered at major trade industry events and taught by dedicated volunteers, such as, Greg Musgrove, of G&B Tile & Plaster, Jana Auringer, Pebble Technology, Kent Westfall, Westfall Inspection Services, and Greg Garrett, AMT.   Be sure to visit npconline.org for more details.  “This new program will allow the NPC to reach many students that may otherwise never have a chance to attend a live education event.  Its popularity will enable the NPC to take its education curriculum to rural and International markets,” said Lee Valenzuela, Chairman of the NPC.

Also, in development, and slated for release at this year’s NPC Annual Conference in Washington D.C. this February 6-8, 2019, is a new Pool Inspector Referral Program.  For years the NPC has offered a free pool inspection referral service to pool owners.  Now, the NPC aims to enhance that program with more robust features.  Look for more updates on the program in the coming weeks at npconline.org.

In the past 12 years, Lee Valenzuela and his two partners largely took over California’s Central Valley. Valenzuela has fast-tracked it to National Plasterers Council Chairman, taking the spot just five years after joining the board.

Lee Valenzuela doesn’t mess around.

This holds true even when it comes to sports. He loves the Los Angeles Dodgers — so much so that, several times a year, he and his wife Tina drive 4 hours to L.A. to see them play.

For the most part, it’s about family: His love of the team springs largely from childhood memories of riding down to visit relatives in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley and going to Dodger Stadium.

His career also started with family, when he began working for his uncle’s plaster company in high school. He knew from the start that he wanted to move up. And he did, by joining with two coworkers to start New Image Pool Interiors in Clovis, Calif. In 12 years, it has become possibly the largest plastering firm in the state’s Central Valley.

And, as of February, Valenzuela takes the reins as chairman of the National Plasterers Council, just a few years after joining the board.

Read complete Pool & Spa News article . . .

Read the Press Release Here!

Durable concrete is a difficult and complex process, but Dongell educates us about the technical aspects of the process in a basic way to ensure that best practices are used consistently.

Includes excellent demonstrative photographs by NPC's Greg Musgrove!

Click here to read the article!

In our desire to continue to offer new benefits, the NPC will shortly be releasing our new NPC LSI Calculator app for smart phones (both iPhones and Android devices).

For years NPC has stressed the value of the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) in all its educational classes and programs. The LSI is used to predict if pool or spa water is corrosive, scaling or balanced.

In our NPC Daily Water Chemistry and Maintenance card, we discuss the LSI and have charts for finding the factors used in calculating the LSI. Each water condition must be found in the charts, inserted into an equation and a calculation made.

In the field no charts are available. To address this situation the NPC Board of Directors earlier this year authorized the creation of a smart phone LSI app.

The person selected to design this app was Mr. Robert Lowry. Mr. Lowry is the author of the IPSSA Basic and Intermediate Training Manuals and 14 other books on pool and spa water chemistry. Those of you who have taken the NPC Start – Up Certification course were given the IPSSA Basic Training Manual 2016 Revised Edition Part 1 - Chemicals. Mr. Lowry is a renowned consulting chemist in the swimming pool and spa industry.

Mr. Lowry has designed the NPC LSI Calculator which will soon be available for sale and downloading from Apple iTunes App Store and Google Play to your smart phone (iPhone and Android devices). Input the essential results of your water tests including pH, Total Alkalinity, Stabilizer (CYA), Borate, Calcium Hardness, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), and Temperature and the app instantly calculates and displays the LSI.

This app uses the original mathematical equations with logarithms, square roots and adjusted carbonate alkalinity for CYA and Borates. The new NPC LSI app does not rely on inaccurate look – up tables and factors and no complicated adjustments for CYA. It is very precise and accurate and is the only app that has adjustments to LSI for borates.

You input your water test results including temperature, hit Done and the LSI number will be displayed on a colored screen. It takes less time to enter all the water test results into the app than it does to find just one factor using the charts. The LSI range of (0.0 to +0.3) will display green; the LSI numbers (– 0.3 to -0.1) will display yellow; the LSI numbers (+0.31 to +0.5) will display amber or yellow; LSI numbers greater than -0.31 and greater than + 0.51 will display red. You get real-time results in the field. No more waiting until you have the charts and a calculator to find out if the water is balanced.

You can then save your records with water test results and the LSI calculation to a history feature on the app. Records can be viewed chronologically or you can search and review by customer name. The number of records saved is only limited by your phone’s memory capability.

Protecting the pool or spa surface, plumbing and equipment and having balanced water for your customers, your family or guest are easy with the new NPC LSI Calculator app.

Available for iPone and Android

When you talk to pool plasterer Dave Schilli, he sounds pretty matter-of-fact.

Asked why he decided to be the National Plasterers Council chair, a two-year commitment, he nonchalantly says, “I was asked, so I accepted.”

It’s not until pressed that he mentions the fact that getting to be chair was the end result of years of involvement, including stints on the organization’s Membership Committee and Scholarship Committee before joining the Board of Directors and holding various executive positions there.

The fact of the matter is that when the president of St. Louis-based Schilli Plastering Co. takes on a task, he truly commits.

Consider the fact that he took stewardship of his father’s company at merely 20 years old, just months before marrying his wife of nearly 40 years. Or that he coached Junior B ice hockey for two decades while running his firm, even though a trusted advisor said he couldn’t do both.

Read the complete article here.