William Kent
President and Chief Executive Officer

Bill Kent, born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics from the University of Cincinnati and a Masters of Business Administration from Xavier University. After graduating from U. C., Bill worked in Ohio for 6 years at General Electric, designing and manufacturing rocket motor components and cases, including work on attack missiles and Saturn 5 moon rocket. Bill has three grown children, all college graduates. In 1972, Bill moved with his family to South Florida area, and, identifying the swimming pool business as a growing industry, started a pool service company.

Full Bio...

Gary Chisling
Vice President of Administration

As a member of Team Horner since 1978, Gary has experienced the Team’s growth from a “handful” of employees and two companies to over 400 employees and 14 companies.  Since 1983, Gary has held various management / leadership positions.  With his appointment to VP Administration in 1992, he is responsible for the common administrative functions of the Team (Finance, Accounting, Human resources, Risk Management and most Legal matters).

Gary is passionate about our Culture, which is founded on the principles of our Value System, with Teamwork being a common thread.  Our Mission Statement of Working Together, Growing Together and Winning Together summarizes these values and is consistent with the partnerships we strive to create with our employees, customers and suppliers.

Gary is also passionate about striving for excellence and has similar expectations for his Teammates.  Recognizing people are our most important asset, it is his desire to build a Team of winners.  This explains his continuous efforts of effective human capital practices, especially the selection of employee process.  To quote Jim Collins in a bestseller business book, “Good to Great”; get the right people on the bus, the right people in the right seats and we will figure out how to take it someplace great.”

“It is my wish that each employee find their respective role productive and rewarding with their unique contribution to the success of the Team.”

Eric Levine
Regional Vice President

As a member of Team Horner over a number of years, starting as a consultant in the early ‘90’s and becoming a staff member in 2003, Eric has seen the Company grow from strength to strength, from outside, and inside the corporate structure.

Eric is currently responsible for the overall performance of the branches in Florida, their growth, their profitability, culture and their overall performance.  He is a great believer in the TEAM concept and promotes a strong team spirit and camaraderie amongst all the branches.

He was appointed to a Vice President position in 2004.

From a management point of view Eric is a strong believer that in order to manage properly, one has to measure every aspect of the business.

Linda Gabriel
Vice President International Business

Originally from the UK, Linda started her swimming pool career in the Caribbean, working with two companies who offered everything from pool construction, to retail and service - both of whom were customers of Team Horner!   Learning from these “hands on” experiences proved invaluable. After moving to the USA, Linda joined Team Horner in 1993 as an Administrative Assistant in Horner Discus International, which later became HornerXpress Worldwide - the international distribution part of the Team. Linda quickly moved into a sales role and traveled for the company to the Caribbean islands and the UK until 2000 when she relocated back to England.

Linda returned to the USA, rejoining Team Horner in 2003 as Vice President of HornerXpress Worldwide.  As what we call a ‘boomerang’ employee, Linda fully appreciates the opportunities we are given to grow and improve at Team Horner.  “This is a very special place to work, with a spirit that is rare to find.  Working within the international side of our business has provided a uniquely rewarding experience that I thoroughly enjoy. I am passionate about spreading the Team Horner philosophy to our customers, as we are not only selling them product, we are entrusted with helping them grow their businesses for long term profitability.”

The HX Worldwide team is made up of many different cultures and backgrounds with experience in international sales, logistics, marketing and finance.  Our mission is to do whatever it takes to make the customer feel that we are right beside them, even when they are thousands of miles away.

Darren Goldstein
Vice President U.S. Wholesale Distribution

Since joining HornerXpress South Florida in 1993, straight from the University of Florida, Darren has quickly become an effective leader for the team.  Prior to becoming Vice President, he had been serving as Director of New Business Development and Branch Manager of HornerXpress Treasure Coast. 

From a technical perspective, Darren is excited about working efficiently.  He embraces new technology and pushes the envelope in terms of its use.  How we utilize technology and bridge the gap so that our customers’ businesses are better off, is our ultimate goal.  “Working Together… Growing Together…Winning Together…” is our mission and it’s stronger than ever at HornerXpress, South Florida.   

Jeff Tawney
Vice President of AquaCal

Since 1981, as an employee and part owner of AquaCal, Jeff, with his experience and training in the HVAC industry, has been one of the pioneers of the pool heat pump industry. With the acquisition of AquaCal by Team Horner in 1992, Jeff was appointed Vice President, AquaCal.

Working at every level from the production floor to the VP’s office, Jeff has an in-depth understanding of the products as well as the marketplace Team Horner serves. He is committed to providing the highest quality product backed by a level of service that is known as the industry standard.

Jeff continues to work in a leadership role in the emerging markets that represent AquaCal and AutoPilot products. Jeff believes that your ability to learn faster than your competition is key to winning in business today. True to that belief, he has remained actively involved in the learning and teaching of “new” business practices and the re-assessment of “old” business knowledge. He is involved in ongoing Continuous Education training and the development of qualified Service technicians and Sales representatives in our industry.

Jeff has a very strong commitment to the Culture that marks all Team Horner companies as something special and unique in the business community. This commitment shows itself in the Team based approach that always looks for a win-win solution to all business issues.

He couples this commitment to smart work, high quality and fair play with a “we’re going to have fun doing it as well” attitude.

Don Detwiler
Vice President of Sales
AquaCal/AutoPilot

Don joined Team Horner as the Eastern Region Sales Manager for AquaCal and AutoPilot in August of 2003. He was promoted to National Sales Manager in July of 2005 and then to Vice President in December of 2005.  Previous to Team Horner Don was the Pool Market Manager for A.O. Smith Electrical Products Company.

Don is originally from the Philadelphia area. He holds his B.A. in Communication Arts from Villanova University and his M.B.A. in Marketing from St. Joseph's University.

Don most enjoys team culture at Team Horner and recognizes that team's real strength is in its people. For this reason Don relishes his role in recruiting new teammates and helping current teammates develop.