Garrett
Phone
1-800-222-3650
Ken Garrett, Owner & President
When Ken was fourteen years old, he helped his parents, Bill and Winnie Garrett, build the first pool for their newly launched pool building business. This was a type of pool that was, at the time, revolutionary: a steel wall, vinyl liner pool. Little did he know this would be a life-altering experience. He worked summers and weekends during high school and college, eventually supervising the company’s construction crew.
In 1964, when their liner supplier went out of business, Bill and Winnie decided to make their own liners in a small rented space in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania. At that time, all liners were plain aqua-colored, and all pool liners were rectangles. Meanwhile, Ken received his Bachelor’s Degree in Production Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1967.
For three years after graduation Ken worked outside of the industry. But the call of the pool industry was strong, and in 1971 he rejoined the family business, which, by then was solely liner manufacturing. The business was incorporated that year as W.P. Garrett and Son, Inc.
In 1973 Ken’s father Bill passed away. That’s when Ken became President and continued expanding the business. By then the industry had grown more complex, with a great profusion of colors, printed patterns, and pool shapes.
The company prospered under Ken’s leadership; in 1991, he moved the business across the Delaware River to Trenton, New Jersey, to take advantage of the availability of the highly-skilled design and production staff that he recruited from the now-defunct Heldor Industries. It was at this time that he changed the company name to Garrett Liners, Inc.
In 2001, Ken purchased a 49,000 square foot building on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, in Fallsington, where the company is now based. In 2002, Garrett Safety Covers were added to the Garrett product lineup.
Over the years, Ken has been active in industry trade groups. He is a Past President of the Penn-Jersey Chapter of NESPA, a past board member of NESPA (Northeast Spa & Pool Association), and he served for many years on the standards-writing Technical Council of NSPI (now the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, or APSP).
Ken lives in Pennsylvania near his daughter, Victoria, her husband Jesse, and his grandsons, Garrett and Danny.
In his spare time, Ken is an avid collector of antique clocks and antique cars.
Mark Widmann, Vice President
As a child Mark could not be kept out of the water, so it only seems fitting that he has spent over 40 years in the swimming pool industry. At 20, Mark started his career in the pool industry at Heldor Industries. A living example of the saying, “hard work pays off,” Mark started out by making boxes to ship the completed liners to Heldor’s customers. He worked his way up to cutting and inspecting liners. In 1980, Heldor moved to a new home in Robbinsville, New Jersey. It was here that Mark learned the vinyl liner fabrication process. Combining his love of architecture and mechanical drawing, in 1984, Mark moved into the Design Department at Heldor Industries. Under the tuteledge of Bill Gress, a leader in the Pool Industry, Mark learned the craft of designing and the process of tailoring liners to fit properly. Upon Bill’s retirement, Mark was named Co-Manager of the Design Department at Heldor. It’s here that he honed his skills in communicating with customers across the country, assisting them with measuring, answering questions and gathering the necessary information to design their custom liners. In 1990 as Heldor was closing its doors, Mark was presented with an opportunity at W.P. Garrett & Son. In his new role as Plant and Design Manager at W.P. Garrett & Son, now Garrett Liners, Mark was able to use his skills in manufacturing and design. In 1993, Mark was named Vice President of Manufacturing, and in 2004, became part owner of Garrett Liners. Mark continues to share his insight and extensive design knowledge with the Garrett Design Team. You can also find Mark out in the field working closely with Garrett Dealers, assisting them with measurements or consulting with them on a particularly difficult design. Mark prides himself on building long-lasting relationships with Dealers, and is always available to provide training and answers to their questions. In his free time Mark can be found on the open road on his Harley.
Jim Cular, Plant Manager
In 1987 Jim began his career in the pool industry at Heldor Industries as a liner designer, learning first how to design liners using only a pencil, a sheet of paper, and a calculator. A few years later, the switch was made to computers and CAD, which reduced design time considerably.
After leaving Heldor in 1991, Jim worked for a government defense contractor and then for AquaFab Vinyl Liners, after that company took over Heldor. Later that year, Jim joined Garrett Liners in Trenton, New Jersey; not as a designer, but in the manufacturing department.
Jim applied this “hands-on” manufacturing experience and knowledge to his design work, making the liners easier to cut and assemble, while improving the fit and quality. Garrett bought their first automated cutting machine in 1997. This machine, coupled with the latest CAD software and our in-house programming, made it possible to get better quality liners to customers at a much faster pace.
In 2003, a couple years after moving from Trenton to the current facility in Fallsington, Pennsylania, Jim earned the title and responsibilities of Plant Manager.
In his free time, Jim can be found spending time with his wife, Jeanine, and their twins.
Rose Neal, Office Manager/Shipping Coordinator
After spending 11 years as a designer for Heldor Industries, Rose joined Garrett Liners in 1991. As the Office Manger, Rose supervises the daily operations of our business. In addition, she applies her extensive design experience to ensure that all of the orders we receive include the necessary information so we can expedite the order and answers dealer questions to ensure the best custom products for their clients. Rose also makes certain that products are shipped out of the Garrett plant in a timely and efficient manner. With over 37 years of industry experience, Rose is a valuable asset to the Garrett Liners Team.
Judy Hemmingway, Customer Support
Judy began her 35+ year career in the swimming pool industry at Heldor Industries in 1985. As an order processor, Judy was responsible for inputting every order that came into Heldor. And in peak season, that could mean over 200 orders a day! After Heldor closed, Judy spent a short time working for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, but realized that the pool industry was in her blood. She then went to work for AquaFab Vinyl Liners. After spending a few years at home raising her family, Judy joined Garrett Liners in 1997. At Garrett, Judy processes quotes and orders and provides outstanding customer support to the Garrett dealers.
Shannon (Mahoney) Pracko, Customer Support
Shannon brings over 20 years of pool industry experience to Garrett. She began her career at the age of 14, when she started working at Mahoney’s Pool & Spa (her dad’s company). After graduating from high school in 2002, Shannon attended Mercer County Community College and began working in retail sales at Valley Spas and Pools. She also worked in the Manufacturing and Distribution Department at Kafko. Shannon is a valuable part of the Garrett staff for over 10 years; her in depth knowledge and technical expertise make her a valuable asset to our Customer Support team.
Mark Mahoney, Northeast Regional Sales Manager
Mark brings over 40 years of industry experience to Garrett Liners; he started in the pool industry at age 12, working with his uncle. He left the industry for a brief period of time to pursue a career in music, and then worked at the the Department of Corrections. He later took over his uncle’s pool business, where he started his career. Together, with his daughter Shannon (who works in our Customer Support Department) and his two sons, he built Mahoney Pools & Spas, which he still owns and operates today. At Garrett Liners, Mark’s main focus is sales for the northeast portion of the United States. He’s been successful in establishing and maintaining strong, long-lasting relationships with Garrett Dealers by being readily available to answer any questions and to lend his industry expertise to ensure success for both Garrett and the Dealer. At Garrett, Mark can also often be found out in the field helping to troubleshoot a problem or helping to install a particularly tricky liner or cover. In his spare time, he enjoys listening to and playing music (remember the Mahoney Brothers?) and spending time with this three grown children and five grandchildren.
Chip Perkins, New England Regional Sales
Chip began his 30+ year career in the pool industry working for his family’s business in Rye, New Hampshire. While spending summers working under the guidance of his father and uncle, Chip learned how to build and service both in ground, and above ground pools. When he wasn’t working in the field, he worked in the company’s retail store, alongside his grandmother. When his family closed their retail store in 1995, Chip went to work for Florida Casual in Hampton, New Hampshire. Here he spent his time building pools in the spring and summer and running the retail store in the winter. He also spent a few years with Aqua Paradise Pools in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he sold pools, spas, and chemicals and managed their retail store. After spending his entire career working for family-owned pool companies, Chip took a position as a Customer Service Representative with Vyn-All Pool Products in Newmarket, New Hampshire. He spent 11 years with Vyn-All, moving up to Warranty Manager and then Office Manager. Chip became part of the Garrett family as the New England Regional Sales Representative in July of 2015. With his extensive practical knowledge of the pool industry, Chip has quickly become a valuable part of the Garrett team. Chip enjoys snowmobiling in the winter and is a huge auto racing fan. New Hampshire born and bred, Chip still lives there with his wife Melissa and his best little budd: his son Coleman.
Dawn Cular, Sales & Marketing Coordinator
With over 9 years years of Pool Industry experience under her belt, Dawn brings over 30 years of sales, management, marketing, and human resources expertise to our business. After 10 years with the corporate giant AT&T, Dawn preferred to work with small business and start-ups, helping them to streamline their business processes, increase their sales, and improve productivity. She also owned and operated a Pond Construction company and retail store. As part of her role as Sales & Marketing Coordinator, Dawn is responsible for managing Garrett’s presence at industry trade shows, managing the design and maintenance of the Garrett Web site, and increasing Garrett’s footprint in the pool industry. In her free time, Dawn enjoys spending time with her two children, ReBecca and Tyler.
Jeffrey Eib, Cover Department Lead/IT Manager
Jeff started working in the pool industry at Heldor Industries in 1978, where he wrote a computer program that streamlined their swimming pool liner design. Later, he wrote additional software to improve reporting and operations in variety of areas, and assisted with other technology needs at the company. In 1991, Jeff joined W.P. Garrett and Son as head of computer operations, where he created a more efficient liner design and production tracking system and managed the company’s technology needs. In 2002, when Garrett introduced safety covers into their product lineup, Jeff took on the additional role of Cover Department Lead. In this new position, Jeff automated the design of complex liners and safety covers using AutoCAD, and integrated the order entry system with Garrett’s accounting and billing software for enhanced efficiency. During his career, Jeff has worked with the NSPI Technical Committee to develop new standards for residential, in ground swimming pools.
Matt Rodgers, Design Manager
Matt joined Garrett Liners in 2005 after obtaining his Associate’s Degree in Drafting and Design from ITT. As part of the Garret Design Team, Matt is diligent in assuring that the liner and cover designs are flawless. He implements the more complex design orders Garrett receives and manages the Design Team, ensuring that all drawings are accurate and perfectly prepared for fabrication. Matt also assists dealers with measurements, as he is our in-house laser measuring expert.
Patrick (Pat) Graham, Designer
After graduating with his Associate’s Degree in Computer-Aided Design from ITT, Pat joined Garrett Liners. As a Designer, Pat’s focus is designing liners and covers to the Dealers’ exact specifications. Pat’s previous experience includes building sidewalks, driveways, and replacing septic tanks in the construction industry. Pat has been with Garrett for over 5 years.
Kristin Bauerle, Bookkeeper
