Westin Runnels, 35

Regional manager
Southern Leisure Spas & Patio
Flower Mound, Texas

Westin Runnels began his career in the hot tub industry in 2019 as lead technician for Southern Leisure Spas & Patio. Initially focused on servicing the south-central Texas market, his skill and dedication opened doors beyond the service side. In 2022, Runnels took on the challenge of opening and managing Southern Leisure’s newest showroom in San Antonio, a milestone that showed his strength in sales and leadership. Just two years later, he advanced to regional manager, overseeing the growing Austin and San Antonio markets.

For Runnels, the best part of the job is the company’s strong teamwork culture. “When I come in to work every day, I know I am a part of an excellent team with the drive to ensure customer-focused solutions and company growth,” he says. “Whether it’s a technician in the field or a sales representative, we all work together for a common goal.” That goal, he says, is “to be the best we can be representing the hot tub and wellness industry.”

Opening the San Antonio showroom was a pivotal moment for Runnels. “My expertise in the hot tub industry was mainly focused on the service side, but could I run a showroom successfully? Turns out, yes!” Runnels says. “In the months after we opened the doors, I surpassed my revenue and quota goals, all while offering the best, honest and most helpful advice I could to our customers.” This achievement reinforced his belief in honest, unbiased customer service as the cornerstone of long-term success.

Runnels credits a heartfelt desire to help others for his ability to navigate difficulties — “whether it is a hard-to-find leak, delivering a hot tub up a hill and a flight of stairs or managing a showroom,” he says. 

Runnels hopes to expand his leadership footprint by managing additional showrooms and cultivating a culture centered on people and positivity. His commitment to honesty is his guiding principle: “Honesty is the best policy,” he says. “If I know we have made an impact on a customer in a positive way through unbiased, honest advice and an enjoyable experience, we have left a mark that will continue to spread.” 

Away from the showroom, Runnels’ world revolves around his wife, Carie, and their two sons. “It’s such a joy to watch them grow and learn about life,” he says. “Who knows — maybe one day they will enjoy the hot tub industry. I sure know my youngest son loves being in a hot tub.”