Cleveland Williams of Polynesian Pools is not your average pool guy Though he was born in New Zealand, he grew up in Australia, where his father began building pools in 1972. “I’m Maori, though not full-blooded. My great grandparents were from England” Cleveland notes. “I was a big outback, outdoors guy. Kangaroo, snakes – I was a real bush basher.” He loved his time in Australia and grew to love the swimming pool industry as well, often helping his father. “I started as a little boy, earning money by making lunches for the workers,” he says. “From there, I’ve learned just about every aspect of swimming pool design and construction. I’m honoring my father by carrying on the tradition.”
His parents moved to Las Vegas in 1985 to pursue better opportunities, and in 1986, his father won the highest award offered by the National Spa and Pool Institute. Cleveland soon joined his parents in Las Vegas, where he built pools for 23 years. It was there that he met his wife. In 1988, they were married in St. George, later moving there in 2008 with their five sons and one daughter to open Polynesian Pools.
When COVID upended the pool construction industry, Cleveland shifted into resurfacing and remodeling, though he still does some building and repair. “It’s a great blessing for us… to work in people’s backyards,” he says.
Cleveland became an authorized ecoFINISH dealer in 2022, for which he obtained special licensing, certification, training, and equipment to carry and install the pool finishing product. “With all my experience building pools, I know that other products don’t hold up as well as ecoFINISH,” he confirms. Polynesian Pools is the only ecoFINISH dealer in southern Utah. “Most finishes are bonded to concrete pools mechanically, but ecoFINISH is chemically bonded, which creates a much stronger bond” he explains. The product has a ten-year warranty instead of the customary five-year warranty for cement materials. Made from polyethylene, the finish is impervious to water, UV resistant, chemical resistant, adheres well, and comes in 20 different colors. “We are really excited about EcoFINISH technology. It’s amazing,” Cleveland says. Using ecoFINISH, Polynesian Pools recently resurfaced the new bumper boat pool at Fiesta Fun Center in St. George. “They wanted ecoFINISH because they were tired of other resurfacing options,” Cleveland remarks. “It’s an excellent alternative to traditional plaster.” Cleveland loves more than just working with “the best product out there.” He particularly appreciates his customers. “They keep me alive and in business, so I make sure I do them right,” he says. He also loves the opportunities for growth and continuing education. “I’m always learning,” he states. “I like the challenges. We learn through challenges.”