Jonny Nalepa had a passion for art and water from an early age. He excelled in his school art classes and often found himself distracted, doing more drawing in class than reading. Growing up in Miami, he also had an affinity for water. Whether it was jumping in pools for work, going to the beach or getting out on the boat, kneeboarding and wakeboarding, the water was where he spent his weekends. Jonny grew up, in and around swimming pools as part of his family business. So he's been working on pools one way or another for his entire life. He's a second generation pool pro with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He got his start at a young age working with the family business, Pool Rangers, Inc. By the time he was 8 years old, he was already riding around in his dads work truck helping service and repair 5 star condominium pools in Miami Beach and running around commercial pump rooms. 

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Jonny eventually progressed within the family business from pool maintenance and repairs to establishing a warranty division with leading swimming pool equipment manufacturers, managing finances and overseeing operations. Being in the field, working on and experiencing countless swimming pools, Jonny always had an eye for good design and functionality. His creative mindset and intellectual understanding of pool functionality always had him thinking how this pool could have been done better. 

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So in 2015 he began to focus on design. He acquired an Associates of Arts (AA) degree in Architecture and an Associates of Science (AS) degree in Aquatic Engineering. He also completed an online Masterclass with world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. Soon, Jonny landed a Senior Design Associate position at an internationally acclaimed design and consulting firm specializing in upscale and unusual pool and watershape designs. He worked there for 5 years designing and producing complete construction documents for swimming pools from all over the world. He worked with architects, developers, contractors and homeowners - a lot of which were celebrities - on projects from the Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands to Haiti, Jamaica, Canada. One of the most expensive pool projects he worked on was estimated at $3.5 million for the pool alone!

 

Jonny recently left this role to peruse his own venture...But as part of his previous position, he's been mentioned in numerous Luxury Pools Magazine articles for his contribution to his team. As part of his new company, Smart Aquatics, he's also been featured in an article for Lifestyle Media Group. His passion for pools also led him to start Pool Insider - a website showcasing the coolest pools and poolside experiences from all over the world. As a result, Jonny has been featured in Pool Pro Magazines 30 under 40 for his eagerness, drive and talent in the pool industry. Jonny is currently also pursuing his Society of Watershape Designers Master certification with  the Watershapes University - an international educational entity specializing in instructional and educational progressive schooling for those involved in the design, engineering, and construction of swimming pools, spas, water features, and outdoor living areas.