A Full Service Pool Management Company
About Us
Aqua-Guard Management, Inc. is a full service swimming pool management company founded in 1992. Since our beginning over 29 years ago, we have grown to over 250 employess serving the entire Chicagoland area from Fox Lake to Olympia Fields and from Yorkville to downtown Chicago. Over the years, it has been our goal to provide our neighbors with the most efficient, highest quality and most reliable service available.
To learn more about us, please review our profiles below.
Professionalism is an Important Goal at Our Company
Our success has come from finding courteous and knowledgeable staff members. Most Aqua-Guard employees have grown up with the company, learning from the company's founder and president.
Safety Is Our #1 Concern
All of Aqua-Guard's employees must complete a rigorous training program. We adhere to strict guidelines and supervise each operation closely to better serve our clients. By providing a safe and healthy work environment for young people, Aqua-Guard instills professionalism, community values, and responsibility in our lifeguards and managers.
Taking the Worry and Stress Out of Your Summer
We provide a wide range of services for all sizes of commercial and community swimming pools. From the largest operation to the smallest whirlpool, Aqua-Guard has a plan to meet your needs.
We understand that each client is unique and has different objectives; Aqua-Guard tailors each of our services to ensure that your organization is getting the highest value and best service possible. We offer lifeguard and management services, daily pool maintenance and cleaning, pump room maintenance and repairs, 24-hour emergency repair service, and health department maintenance requests. We provide payroll and comprehensive insurance, swimming lessons and aerobic classes, opening and winterizing your pools, and much more that other pool companies may not offer.
The Aqua-Guard staff is one of the best-trained and most innovative pool management companies in the Midwest. Aqua-Guard is number one when it comes to getting your pool inspected, opened, and running at the beginning of the summer. We work hard to maintain a positive working relationship with local health departments to keep our clients in compliance with all local codes and ordinances.
Notice the Aqua-Guard Difference
Look for our Aqua-Guard staff in your community. You will notice our friendly, responsible employees wearing their blue Aqua-Guard shorts and red or white Aqua-Guard tank tops.
Never hesitate to ask a question or point out a potential problem; we're here to help you enjoy your summer. We encourage regular feedback from your members using our on-line feedback form. We can only better serve our clients if we know what their concerns are.
While most pool companies keep their clients at a distance, we encourage phone calls, emails, or face-to-face meetings to discuss any issues you may have. Your feedback and comments are an "opportunity" for us to do continuously improve.
So when you want a professional, competent, and service-oriented team at your pool, contact Aqua-Guard. We will respond!
Christopher Strzalka
President & Founder
- Phone:
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1-847-277-9840
- Email:
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chris@aquaguardmanagement.com
- Employee Since:
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1992
- Lives In:
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Palatine, IL
- Family/Hobbies:
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Chris is married to Julie. He has four children. He enjoys warm weather vacations, scuba diving and boating.
- Education & Certification:
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St. Mary’s College, Winona, MN. BA degree in Criminal Justice. Chris is CPO certified and APSP tech certified. Member of the Midwest chapter of the APSP (Association of Pool and Spa Professionals).
- Favorite Part of Job:
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Chris’ favorite part of the job is working outdoors and troubleshooting pool problems. He also enjoys building relationships with the property managers and board members.
- Favorite Vacation Destination:
- St. Thomas, Scottsdale, and Orlando
Adan Soto
Head Service Tech
- Phone:
- 1-630-730-2111
- Email:
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adan@aquaguardmanagement.com
- Employee Since:
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2017
- Lives In:
-
Palatine, IL
- Family/Hobbies:
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Married with two Children, enjoys spending time with family.
- Education & Certification:
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10 years’ experience in the swimming pool industry, CPO certified, Member of Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
- Favorite Part of Job:
-
Enjoys the diverse aspects of the job through the four seasons and that everyday is different.
- Favorite Vacation Destination:
- National Parks
Matt Strzalka
- Phone:
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1-847-417-4734
- Email:
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matt@aquaguardmanagement.com
- Employee Since:
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2013
- Lives In:
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Palatine, IL
- Family/Hobbies:
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Matt enjoys playing music, reading, lifeguarding, and stonks.
- Education & Certification:
-
Matt received a bachelors in Audio Engineering with a minor in Marketing from the University of Arizona. Matt is a SGE Lifeguard instructor and is CPO certified.
- Favorite Part of Job:
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Matt loves cleaning pools and creating a fun, family friendly environment for all ages.
- Favorite Vacation Destination:
- Boulder, CO
Patricia Banasik
- Phone:
-
1-224-456-8423
- Email:
-
patricia@aquaguardmanagement.com
- Employee Since:
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2018
- Lives In:
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Schaumburg, IL
- Family/Hobbies:
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Patricia likes being outside, camping, snowboarding, and diving at school.
- Education & Certification:
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Patricia studies Social Science Secondary Education at Carthage College. She is lifeguard, CPR, and instructor certified.
- Favorite Part of Job:
-
Patricia’s favorite part of the job is getting to know the lifeguards throughout the season while being outside and around pools.
- Favorite Vacation Destination:
- Poland
I was swimming at Broad Beach on the Gold Coast of Australia. On most days the rip currents here are very strong. A rip current is where the water that has been brought in by the waves and then goes back out into the ocean, sort of like a river going the opposite way in the ocean. They usually move very fast and can take a person a couple of hundred yards in a matter of minutes. I was swimming out past a sandbar where the waves break; I was body surfing and what not. There was a kid nearby who looked to be about 16. He gradually began drifting further and further away from me. I thought he must be a good swimmer if he is out that far. He then started to yell for help and began waving his hands. The closest lifeguard was on shore about 500 yards away. I decided I'd better help him; it didn't seem like he was that far away from me until I had to keep swimming to get to him.
By the time I got to him, I realized how far we were. I remember not being able to see the shore. But I stayed calm, told him to relax and that I would help him get back to shore. I had no tube or flotation device which made the swim back brutal. I swam on my back and kept him on top of me with my arms underneath his arm pits. I swam him at least 200 yards to where we could stand. I was exhausted. He was very thankful. The funny thing was that the lifeguards saw the whole thing happen and told me that I looked like I knew what I was doing, so they just let me take care of it. Kinda lazy, I thought. But I told them I was a life guard last summer.
Aqua-Guard came highly recommended to me when I was looking for a new company 6 years ago. I have worked with Aqua-Guard at multiple facilities and my current property has just signed a 3 year contract with Aqua-Guard.
Contracts are customized to each association’s needs and expectations with no hidden fees
As a property manager, I forget I even have a pool to worry about…
Aqua-Guard’s response time is wonderful. Upper management is on site to take care of any concerns before they turn into problems…
Aqua-Guard’s best quality is their customer service. Whenever a mechanical or personnel issue arises they always answer my calls and are quick to respond and fix the problem. They let me know what happened so we can communicate to our homeowners…
Aqua-Guard has wonderful problem solving techniques. Be it homeowners or employees, Aqua-Guard is quick to resolve issues and get back on track. If it is re-training an employee or sitting down with a homeowner, Aqua-Guard cares about my property and it shows...
I am a homeowner at Lakewood homes and I have noticed that Dan our manager is an exceptional guard. He goes above and beyond his responsibilities and duties and makes the facility look great. The other day there was a child in the pool who was in distress, Dan’s skills really showed. He really watches the kids, and makes us all feel safe at the pool. We are very happy to have him at our pool…
The Aqua-Guard lifeguarding program is exceptional. The attention given to scanning and recognition of potential problems greatly improves the professionalism and safety awareness of the pool. Our homeowners are very thankful for the professional straightforward approach to lifeguarding your company provides. Both rookie and veteran team members are quick to react and understand the importance of their position....