My Biz: The swimming pool of your dreams

Nov 12, 2023

Agile Aquatic designs custom pools in Iowa

Aug. 6, 2023 5:00 am

CEDAR RAPIDS — If you’re putting in a swimming pool in your backyard, why not make it like a resort?

That’s the motivation behind the work that Rick Whiteaker does with his Cedar Rapids-based business, Agile Aquatic.

The custom pool company helps homeowners create healthy, safe swimming pools that can become an outdoor oasis.

“It's just like another area of your home, like your living room or your kitchen, and you can design those kinds of elements in an outdoor space,” Whiteaker said.

Whiteaker grew up working in a family pool business and then spent time in the construction industry. With his new venture, he combines his decades of experience and knowledge with the latest technologies for private pools.

Agile Aquatic offers pool consultation, design and construction services in Eastern and central Iowa.

“We work hands-on and collaboratively with general contractors and industry experts both locally and from out of state to bring a pool project to completion,” Whiteaker said. “We take time to get the design and engineering done properly.”

The company, he said, makes pools as environmentally healthy as possible, focusing on quality over quantity.

“It's about making sure we get the right hydraulics and right chemical systems in there so they can have this clean, crystal-clear water that doesn't give a whole lot of trouble.”

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Whiteaker said the process of designing a swimming pool and an oasis starts with a lot of discussion.

“Our process starts out with a discussion about a body of water,” he said. “And then we move on to the environment around that body of water and how they want to enjoy the space together.

“We try to identify the elements and start working on concepts and finding out what seems to be the touch points with the customer about what they get excited about and educate them.

“That's what this whole thing is about it, about educating. We're not here to really sell anybody anything, we're here to help them buy. We want to give them ideas that maybe they haven't thought of or haven't been exposed to and tell them why you do this versus that and what the benefits might be.”

“We take a full approach to designing your space, whether it's a residential space or a commercial space,” Whiteaker added. “It’s outdoor living design, and we take a holistic and helpful approach to that, and also a very sustainable approach.”

From there, Whiteaker helps homeowners decide on the right type of pool project, whether a custom concrete pool or a fiberglass pool.

One option is Thursday Pools.

“It’s the first fiberglass pool company to develop a zero-entry pool,” said Amy Belice, Whiteaker’s wife and the business’ co-owner. “They are very unique and durable. The owners are engineers and have been pretty innovative.

“Fiberglas pools have come a long way over the last 10 or 20 years. They're much improved, and people like them because they are cool and fun.”

Agile Aquatic is working on installing one of the Thursday Pools for a customer and also is coordinating construction of a large concrete pool that features a waterfall and a large wall of Lightstreams Glass tile.

That pool also “has a moat below its infinity edge and there will be seating with the moat surrounding,” said Whiteaker, noting the main pool also has an attached custom spa.

Agile Aquatic is incorporating pool technology used in other parts of the country and the world. For example, the business is partnering with Exceptional Water Systems out of Arizona for an innovative water sanitation system using nano bubbles.

“Swimming pools are a lot of fun,” Whiteaker said. “And I really enjoy watching the projects come together.

“This really is about how to work with the right people to make things happen and have their ideas and how we can implement them. Our customers do a lot of traveling, and they see things that have been created and they want to know how to take that and bring it back to their own environment.

“And we can help because we know a lot of professionals across the United States and the world to get expertise from people who have done this before so we can use proven technology. We have lot of customers comment that they never knew you could do something like this.”

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Owners: Rick Whiteaker, Amy Belice

Address: Cedar Rapids

Phone: (319) 551-9559

Website: https://agileaquatic.com/