Life is Better... Islamorada Pools

Life is better in the Keys. That was the realization Dan and Jenny Dillon had after just one visit to Islamorada. They came for the sunshine, the water, the laid-back charm—but what made them stay was something more meaningful: the people. What was supposed to be a one-year adventure after retiring from healthcare in Charleston quickly turned into something permanent. They didn’t just move to the Keys—they became part of it.

Their longtime friends, Roger and Tiffany Williams, didn’t take much convincing either. The couples had always shared a deep bond, and when the Dillons bought a local pool business in 2017, the idea of working together in paradise was too good to pass up. The Williamses made the move from Tennessee, and together, the two couples turned Islamorada Pools into more than a business. It became a bridge into the community.

“Life is better with a community,” Dan says. “When we bought the business, what we were really doing was becoming part of people’s lives—part of the community.”

Whether they’re helping clients bring their dream homes to life or donating full pools to the Bougainvillea Ball—raising over $60,000 for Baptist Health each time—the team sees every project as a chance to give back.

That same spirit of community was what brought their newest partners, Joe and Rhonda Johnston, into the fold. Like the Dillons, Joe and Rhonda had spent a lifetime working in a different world—government service. But after falling in love with the Keys, they wanted a new chapter, one rooted in connection and creation.

“Joe literally walked into the office and said, ‘I’m here, I want to stay, and I want to be part of this,’” Jenny recalls.

Joe’s background in engineering and project leadership blends naturally with Rhonda’s strength in operations and client care. Together, they are focused on supporting the crew, preserving the company’s stellar reputation, and expanding its ability to serve the community.

“Joe and Rhonda’s story is so similar to ours,” Dan says. “It just made sense.”

Now, the Johnstons are gradually taking on more of the business while becoming more active in community events and fundraisers—just like their partners before them.

Of course, the backbone of Islamorada Pools isn’t just the people behind the business—it’s the craftsmanship. Islamorada Pools specializes in high-end, custom-designed pools that merge beauty, durability, and innovation. Clients can follow their pool build step-by-step with a sleek online tracking system, making the process as smooth as the final product.

Islamorada Pools is known for a cutting-edge pneumatically-applied coating called EcoFinish that not only looks incredible but outperforms traditional materials in strength, longevity, and ease of maintenance. So much so, Islamorada Pools was hired to apply EcoFinish to the historic Venetian Pool in Coral Gables. This 102-year-old landmark holds nearly 1 million gallons of water, which had to be drained daily—until now. It will soon be dramatically more eco-friendly thanks to EcoFinish’s water-saving impact.

For the Islamorada Pools team, the job goes far beyond aesthetics.

“This work is about more than concrete and water,” Joe says. “It is about improving lives, celebrating outdoor living, and helping the people of the Keys turn their properties into lasting places of joy and connection.”

And when the work is done? You’ll likely find the team doing exactly what they’ve helped so many others do—relaxing in the pool or hanging with their dogs in their backyards. Because for them, life really is better in the Keys… with community… and especially, by the pool.