Name: Robert (Bob) Lauter Title: CEO Company, city: Master Spas, Inc.; Fort Wayne, Ind. Number of employees: 400-plus Recent project: I just finished a six-year term as the president of the International Hot Tub Association, the spa and hot tub industry’s trade association. First job: Delivering newspapers Little-known fact about you: I worked as a ski instructor and boxed in Golden Gloves.
Your Business
Essential business philosophy: Treating our employees, vendors and customers like family Best way to keep a competitive edge: Develop a culture of innovation. Consumers are still willing to pay a premium for innovations. Yardstick of success: We measure success in many ways. Quality surveys, awards and consumer surveys are just a few; how our sales compare to our industry is the most important measure. Consumers vote with their dollars; so if you are profitably taking market share, you are succeeding.
Robert Lauter as a Traveler
What is the most important item you take when traveling? Besides my iPhone, it’s my Bose noise-canceling ear buds. How do you spend your time on board? Reading, watching movies on my phone or listening to audio books What is your favorite restaurant in the world? Victor Café in Philadelphia What is your favorite destination in the world? New Hampshire or Jamaica, depending on the time of year
About Master Spas, Inc.
Tell our readers about Master Spas’ history. Our history goes all the way back to 1978 when we were one of the first companies to make spas out of acrylic. I joined the company in 1988 as vice president of the spa division. In February 1996 I led an investment group to purchase the spa division from the equity group that owned it. We’ve had explosive growth over the last 20 years, including a 10-year period when we grew more than 35 percent every year. What can readers expect from Master Spas products? They can expect a premium product that is super energy-efficient and loaded with advanced technology. Master Spas products are environmentally friendly. Tell our readers more about those initiatives. Not only are our products super energy-efficient, but we also use the most Earth-friendly foam insulation that doesn’t have harmful emissions. Our factory has a robust recycling program.
Read This Next
The Spa by ESPA at The Gleneagles Hotel
July 2016
Jul 1, 2016
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Oct 14, 2024Moravian Church Settlements in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Joins UNESCO World Heritage List
The historic Moravian sites in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, are now inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, joining an esteemed group of historic locations in Denmark, Northern Ireland and Germany.
Sponsored Content
Elevate Your Travels with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
What if you could earn rewards and benefits when traveling, shopping and relaxing at any IHG-branded hotel? Well, you can with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card.
Destinations / Middle East
Oct 14, 2024Doha Brings Culture and Tradition to Modern Business Gatherings
Doha makes quite a name for itself as a leading meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions destination for global business. To accomplish this, it plays to its strengths, drawing from Qatari culture and tradition and blending them with state-of-the-art facilities and personalized service that exemplify hospitality.
Daily
Oct 14, 202415 Best States for Wellness Enthusiasts
Platinum Spas recently released a report on the best states for self-care. The ranking of all 50 states was based on comparison of nine key factors, including availability of wellness retreats, fitness facilities and green spaces.
Sponsored Content
Sunflower Accessibility Program Featured at O’Hare and Midway Airports
Travelers with invisible disabilities passing through O’Hare and Midway International Airports can now discreetly signal they need assistance thanks to a new Chicago Department of Aviation partnership that helps create more accessible and inclusive spaces.
Slideshow
Oct 14, 20248 Reasons to Put Southern Scotland on Your Travel List
It’s time to start dreaming of your next trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Southern Scotland with us.
Lufthansa Unveils Newark Premium Lounge
Airlines
Oct 12, 2024October 2024
Oct 10, 2024Rocky Mountain Highs Await in Colorado Springs
My husband and I typically don’t repeat vacations. But then again, Colorado Springs is no ordinary destination. Our first trip here for Cloud Camp — overlooking 14,000-foot Pikes Peak — was all at once romantic and rustic, evoking the essence of the Old West. Cozy log cabins perched high atop Cheyenne Mountain tuck into fragrant pines and rustling aspens, while the banquet table at the stone-and-timber main lodge invites some major tucking into.
Sponsored Content
Colombia: A Different Kind of Beauty
Colombia’s beauty defies description — it’s that unique, that special, that different — and travelers are taking notice as 2023 marked the country’s best year for tourism, welcoming more than 6 million international travelers. The Country of Beauty looks to continue growing and enhancing its regions and communities in 2024 and beyond.
Airlines
Oct 10, 2024British Airways to Become Largest Purchaser of Carbon Removals in the United Kingdom
British Airways recently signed a deal to purchase more than £9 million worth of innovative carbon removals credits in the United Kingdom and overseas, part of a six-year agreement that will help drive BA’s climate change efforts by 2030.
ShareThis