Pool company heir takes a dive into the family business.

In grade school, Ryder Steimle worked in the warehouse of his family's business, California Pools, arranging and assembling pool parts. Now, years later and after a stint in the corporate world, he is leading the company his grandfather started in 1952.

"There was this great opportunity at California Pools and a great legacy that I found myself more connected to than I thought I would," said Steimle, the company's new chief executive.

After high school, Steimle went on a mission to Australia for his church. "I was 20 years old and the world still revolved around me. I sacrificed everything important to me at the time. It was full time and you pay for it yourself so I saved up money and lived very humbly."

When he returned, Steimle wasn't quite ready to jump into work at California Pools again. He never ruled out the family business as a career option, but it wasn't his first choice either. He studied business at the University of Utah. After graduation, he worked for a year at the Southland Corp, former owner of the 7-Eleven chain, as a business consultant.

"It was a wonderful company to work for. I learned a ton that year," he said.

Then his grandfather passed away. At the annual awards banquet for California Pools, company officials described the legacy of its founder.

"I went to the banquet and was completely blown away by the soul of the small business as compared to the large company I was working for," he said. "When you are raised in the environment, it doesn't have an impact really. But when I was sitting among all these employees I really started to feel it."

The next week Steimle approached his father about taking over the family business. But the title of chief executive wasn't handed to him on a silver platter. "He told me, 'Well, you better know how to do everything. You have to be successful in all aspects of the company.'"

Steimle was given a job in San Diego as a salesman. With construction experience under his belt from his younger days in the company and after mastering the fine points of sales, he was sent to Temecula to open an office. Under Steimle's leadership, Temecula became one of the top offices in the company. He had finally proven himself.

"I came up through the ranks and learned it all. It helped me earn the respect of the people working with me. Some of my direct reports have been in the company for 20 years and are older than I am. I wouldn't have their respect if I hadn't gone out into the field and been successful at all other functions."

As chief executive, most of his time is spent looking into the future and deciding where the company is going. He also spends time each day listening to questions, interviewing employees, and talking with vendors and customers.

"It is my job to communicate my vision to all of the people and have them adopt and buy into that vision. I spend a lot of time in the field. If you really want to understand where you want to take the group that you're leading, you have to be with people on front lines," he said.

Steimle surfs and enjoys adventure sports. He lives with Gina, his wife of 16 years, and their four children in San Clemente. Does he think his own children will someday go into the family business?

"I'm going to support them in whatever they want to do," he said. "Just because you are a family member doesn't mean you are equipped to go into the business. My eldest son is very creative and I'm not sure business is where he's going to go. You have to match positions with personalities."