EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
- Graduated Orange Glen High School in 1971 - Honor Roll Student
- Hydraulics school - Delavan, Wisconsin 1981.
- Structural engineering classes - Dallas, Palm Springs, and San Diego.
- Certified Pool Operator (C.P.O.) graduate - Phoenix.
- SPI certified level technical courses - CBP & CSP
- Genesis 3 Construction School – 2 days (San Diego 1999, Baltimore 2005, Orlando 2006)
- Level I – Genesis School Curriculum Attended (14 schools) Course work included: Soils Engineering, Structural Engineering, Hydraulics, and Art History
- Level II - Genesis School Curriculum Attended (2 schools). Course work included: Landscape Design (Jim Van Sweden, Zen of Boston), Feng Shui, and Water in Architecture (Helen Arahuete, Lautner and Associates), Concrete Finishes and Staining, Reading Blueprints and Architectural Nomenclature
- Professional Drawing School - 5 day course (2 schools)
- Professional Presentation School – 5 day course (2 schools)
- Fountain Design School – 3 day course, Toronto (2 schools)
- Landscape Lighting – 2 day course, Austin (1 school)
- Completed in excess of twenty classes on chemical balances in pools and spas, and manufacturer schools for equipment repair (i.e., pumps, motors, filters, and heaters).
- Co-founder of Genesis 3 Design Group. Host of the most advanced design school in the USA.
- Elements of Design – 20 hours
- Measured Perspective – 20 hours
- Architectural Theory – Palomar College
- Architectural Recognition and Vocabulary – 20 hours
- Color Theory – 20 hours
- Certified as a Professional Watershape Designer (Cert. # KM 002-05) by the Society of Watershape Designers and I.A.C.E.T. 2005
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
- Collins Phillips Tool Corporation, Escondido, CA– 1968-1975
- Manufacturing precision measuring instruments for aerospace.
- Harold Phillips Corporation dba Pool King, Escondido, CA– 1975-1994
- President - Business encompasses retail, repair and pool service with 550 to 1100 pools on weekly service. Lic.#C53-372323.
- Questar Pools and Spas, Escondido, CA– 1981- Present
- President - Pool, spa, and waterfeature design and construction company. The second pool built won a design award and Questar has won well in excess of 100 local and international design awards including: "International Best of Show", "Master of Design"2003, Pool and Spa News. (Questar has declined to voluntarily enter any awards programs since 2000) Lic. #C53-399956.
- Pi Tape Corporation, Escondido, CA– 2007 - Present
- Purchased June 2007. Family business that was originally "Collins Phillips Tool Corporation"
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Industry's Choice - Top 50 Builders Nationally in 1997, 1998 and 2000.
- The Boston based Robb Report Magazine identified Questar Pools/Skip Phillips as "Internationally...the most influential pool designer." Skip was selected as one of the elite "Club 21" members in September 1994, along with such names as Armani, Ferrari, and Cartier.
- IQ Magazine/Catalogue in Hamburg, Germany also identified Questar as the sole resource for innovative pool design on a global level.
- Profiled in the 2001 "Orange County Home Show" television production.
- Questar is profiled in the Barnes & Noble Spring 2002 edition of Dream Pools.
- Featured in a six-page profile in Better Homes and Gardens' special interest publication Garden, Deck and Landscape, Summer 2002 edition.
- Received the highest possible scores in all categories of the Los Angeles edition of The Franklin Report. Categories: Quality- "Highest Imaginable", Value- "Worth Every Penny", Recommend - "My First and Only Choice".
- Aqua Magazine, October 2004, "Skip Phillips is Mr. Vanishing Edge. Period. End of story."
- Architectural Digest, January 2005, pool and spa profiled, Meeting the Horizon in California
- The Robb Report Collection Magazine, July 2005, Water Works article "Skip Phillips is widely recognized as one of the greats in the industry" "often touted as the finest infinity-edge pool designer in the world".
- Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications Garden Ideas and Outdoor living, Summer 2005 edition, Panoramic Oasis article, "The pool design is so interesting and Unique." "Our entire backyard is a very special place because of it."
- Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications Garden, Deck & Landscape, Summer 2005 edition, Elements of Nature article, "Phillips created an exquisite visual centerpiece unlike any other water feature."
- Winner of a 2005 Master of Design Award from Pool & Spa News
- The Home Show, television program aired January 29, 2005 interviews Skip as a guest expert profiling his projects.
- HGTV profiles Questar projects, April 2006.
- The World's Finest, book published in 2006 by Creative Classics, B.C. Canada. Author Michael Caldwell writes "Accolades abound for what many believe is the finest pool designer in the world".
- Piscine Oggi of Italy December 2006 profiles Skip Phillips as a premier pool designer/builder from America.
- Four Sided Transformation- Genesis 3 co-founder Skip Phillips renovated this slick perimeter overflow pool. Project profiled in Pool & Spa News, May 29, 2009 issue.
- Crediting Teamwork- For the good of the industry, recognize everyone involved. Article written for Pool & Spa News, May 29, 2009 issue.
- Shotcrete Magazine Fall 2011 - A Shotcrete Success Story
Questar Pools is routinely requested to grace the covers and pages of San Diego Magazine, Decor & Style, San Diego Home & Garden Magazine, Custom Builder Magazine, Home Magazine, San Diego Home Book, numerous manufacturers' brochures and trade publications, including the cover of the book entitled "The Professional Pool Maintenance Manual", and 11 pool photos on the Internet for Wise Software. Profiled in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Millionaire Magazine, Splash Magazine in Australia, and Piscine Oggi in Italy.
TRADE ASSOCIATION EXPERIENCE
- Member - N.S.P.I. (National Spa and Pool Institute) and S.P.E.C. (Swimming Pool Energy Codes).
- N.S.P.I. San Diego Chapter Board 1981-1983.
- N.S.P.I. San Diego Chapter President 1983-1986.
- N.S.P.I. Region XI National Promote Chairman 1984-1987.
- N.S.P.I. Arbitration's, San Diego County 1982- Present.
- N.S.P.I. National Vice President Region XI 1987-1990. Representing California, Hawaii, and Reno for the Pool and Spa Industry.
- N.S.P.I. National Executive Board 1991-1994.
- N.S.P.I. National President 1992. I took office in Atlanta and represented 4,400 builders, manufacturers, service companies, retailers, sub-contractors, distributors and Government agencies in the U.S. and over 50 foreign countries.
- N.S.P.I. Builders Council Board Member – 1998.
- S.P.E.C. Board of Governors 1984-1994.
- S.P.E.C. Executive Board 1987-1990.
PRESENTATIONS
- Speaker - Topic "Operating A Service Company" at the National Conventions in New Orleans 1986 and Reno in 1987.
- Speaker - Topic "Building Custom Pools" at the National Convention in Reno 1993.
- Speaker - Topic "Vanishing Edge Design" at the National Conventions in Houston 1992, Anaheim 1993, New Orleans 1994, Atlanta 1995 and New Orleans 1998.
- Speaker - Topic "Building Vanishing Edge Pools" at the Regional Conventions in Reno, Ft. Lauderdale, Chicago, Portland and Atlanta from 1993 to present.
- Speaker - Topic "Building Vanishing Edge Pools" at the National Aquatech School in La Jolla 1994.
- Speaker - Topic "Building Vanishing Edge Pools" at the Western Trade Shows in Los Angeles 1996 and 1997.
- Speaker - Topic "Advanced Vanishing Edge Design" at in excess of 15 Genesis 3 Design Schools in Morro Bay, California; Lyon, France; Brisbane, Australia; and Bali, Indonesia from 1998 to present.
- Speaker - Topic "Advanced Pool and Vanishing Edge Design" for the Society of Landscape Designers in Tucson, Chicago, and at Hocking College in Ohio from 1999 to present.
- Speaker - Topic "Pool Design in the Natural Environment", Chicago Botanical Gardens 2002.
- Speaker – Topic "Advanced Pool Design" - Aqua Show 2004, Las Vegas
- Speaker - Topic "Vanishing Edge and Water in Transit" – Aqua Show, Las Vegas 2003 through 2007
- Speaker – Topic "Water In Transit Design and Working With High End Clients", – Aqua Show, Las Vegas 2005 through 2007
- Speaker – Topic "Advanced Pool Design" Pentair Pool Products National Meeting, Dallas 2006
- Speaker – Topic "Working with the High End Market" International Pool & Spa Expo – Orlando 2007
- Speaker – Topic "Advanced Hydraulics and Expanded Water In Transit" Canadian Show – Toronto 2007
- Speaker – Topic "Working with High End Clients" –Texas Pool & Spa Show, Ft. Worth 2008
- Speaker – Topic "Technical Applications of Water in Transit" –Florida Pool & Spa Show, Orlando 2008
INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATIONS
- Speaker – Topic “The Beauty of the Edge: Vanishing Edges, Perimeter Overflows and Wet Deck Projects" - Bali 2001
- Speaker – Topic "Advanced Hydraulics and Expanded Water In Transit" Canadian Show – Toronto 2007
- Speaker – Topic "Advanced Hydraulics and Expanded Water In Transit" Canadian Show – Toronto 2008
- Speaker – Topic "Water in Transit and Difficult Sites" –Verona, Italy February 2009, North American representative at international forum.
- Speaker – Topic “The Beauty of the Edge: Vanishing Edges, Perimeter
Overflows and Wet Deck Projects" Australian Show - "Splash!" 2010
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
- Hosted the first Congressional reception for the pool and spa industry in Washington D.C. in 1993.
- Made several local and national television appearances representing the pool and spa industry.
- Supplier of definitive vanishing edge design information to hundreds of pool builders internationally.
- Co-edited and co-authored "Mastering the Illusion," Pool and Spa News January 1993 and 1998.
- Co-author and co-instructor for the Pool and Spa News "Professional Curriculum" course entitled "Engineered for Illusion and Soils/Hillside Engineering."
- Aided the California State Contractors License Board in developing the new C-53 license test in 1987.
- Author of "Water in Transit", WaterShapes Magazine November/December 2002, as well as various articles for this publication.
- Board of Directors - Pool Safety Alliance
- Board of Directors - Sonarguard
- Requested to be a guest writer for Piscine Oggi Magazine in Italy – the only American profiled in that magazine.
EXPERT WITNESS/ARBITRATION EXPERIENCE
Expert witness for the State of California and civil litigation since 1984. Participated in excess of 300 cases, including jury trials, binding and non-binding arbitrations, mediations and Administrative Judge hearings. References are available upon request.
PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATIONS
Questar is honored to work with Valley Pool & Spa owner Gene Brown and his family in executing our visions in Canada. "Gene executes complex projects at a world class level!" Click here to visit Valley Pool & Spa and learn more about Gene Brown.