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Mike Kitchen
Mike Kitchen is the chief operating officer of Wellness Shop, one of Canada’s leading hot tub and wellness retailers. Over his 15 years with the company, he has played a key role in expanding to nine locations across Ontario, developing a strong e-commerce presence and strengthening both service and retail operations. Kitchen has led large-scale initiatives, including Salesforce CRM/ERP implementation and operational improvements that have elevated the customer experience. Recognized as one of SpaRetailer’s 30 Under 40 in 2024, Kitchen is passionate about building high-performance teams, fostering a culture of accountability and growth and driving innovation within the wellness retail industry.
Mike Kitchen
Wellness Shop/Jacuzzi Ontario
Chief operating officer
Nine locations across Ontario, Canada
Casey Loewen
Casey Loewen began his career in the spa industry in 1991 while in college, answering an ad for a delivery helper at a local spa company. From there, he transitioned into service and later into sales. Over the years, he has worked on the manufacturing side as the owner of a factory producing outdoor kitchens and has managed large-scale operations for retail spa locations in Southern California. In 2021, Loewen relocated to Hawaii, where he became the owner/operator of Spa Guy Hawaii. He and his wife, Venessa, are raising their five children and enjoying life in the South Pacific.
Casey Loewen
Spa Guy Hawaii
Owner
Two locations on Oahu and Maui, Hawaii
Cody Hendrickson
Cody Hendrickson, founder of Innovo Spa, launched the company in 2020 during the pandemic. He developed a hot tub cleaning and management program that has become an industry standard. Today, Innovo Spa operates three locations in Michigan, serves over 1,400 customers and manages 150-200 hot tubs weekly, while maintaining strong relationships with dealerships across the state.
Cody Hendrickson
Innovo Spa
CEO
Three locations in Traverse City, Grand Rapids and Detroit, Michigan
Michael Swartz
Michael Swartz graduated from college in 1999 and moved to Summit County, Colorado, for one winter to ski before starting his job search. Swartz was already good at fixing things — a trait he picked up from his dad — when a friend asked, “Can you help fix my hot tub?” That simple question became the start of Heavenly Times Hot Tubs & Billiards.
After building a trusted service business, Swartz expanded into retail, opening his first store in 2001. Seventeen years later, he partnered to open Arctic Spas Denver. Today, Heavenly Times services over 650 hot tubs weekly and has earned the “Arctic Spas Dealer of the Year” award a record 18 times.
Swartz’s business philosophy prioritizes his employees, believing their well-being is the key to delivering exceptional customer service.
Michael Swartz
Heavenly Times Hot Tubs & Billiards / Arctic Spas Denver
Owner / Co-owner
Locations in Dillon and Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Chet Lockwood
Chet Lockwood entered the hot tub industry in the late 1970s, starting out digging trenches for in-ground spa installations. Over the years, he has gained experience across nearly every facet of the business, including manufacturing, retail, serving as a manufacturers’ representative and working as a national sales manager. Today, Lockwood leads as a multistore retail manager and owner. His long-standing love for the industry is matched by his appreciation for customer connections, which he considers one of the most rewarding parts of the business.
Chet Lockwood
Owner
The Hot Tub Wherehouse
Two Bay Area locations in Santa Clara and Gilroy, California
Angi Hess
Nimisha Patel joined the family business in 2010 after the death of her father. Determined to continue his legacy, Patel, along with her brother and their spouses, expanded Galaxy Home Recreation from three to six locations, transitioning the business from a primarily billiard store into a leading hot tub destination. Today, Galaxy Home Recreation is a top dealer for brands like Jacuzzi, Sundance Spas, Cal Spas and Nordic Hot Tubs and has earned numerous industry awards. Patel has worked in all aspects of the business but focuses on purchasing decisions across the multicategory retail stores. Her favorite part of working in the hot tub industry is the continuous learning and personal and professional growth while building relationships with vendors, fellow retailers, her team and customers.
Angi Hess
Vice president/general manager
Spas and More!
Two locations in Sunset Park, Missouri, and Overland Park, Kansas