St. Pete Couple Acquires Corporate Fitness Works
Posted: August 22, 2018 in Chains
Corporate Fitness Works
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Corporate Fitness Works, which offers wellness and fitness solutions to companies nationwide, has been sold to Beth and Michael Vivio, two experienced business leaders in St. Petersburg.
Beth Vivio was Executive Director of a 13-county Girl Scout council that served more than 6,000 girls and 1,600 volunteers. Michael Vivio was previously CEO of Valpak Direct Marketing and Publisher of the Austin American-Statesman in Austin, Texas.
Based in St. Petersburg, CFW serves more than 80 companies across 140 sites nationwide and specializes in four areas: health and wellness programming, fitness center design, equipment procurement and fitness center management. With the purchase, the Vivios are now 100 percent owners of CFW, with Beth Vivio maintaining majority ownership and continuing the company’s women-owned status.
“When we started our search for a business to buy, we wanted to find one with a meaningful mission,” said Beth Vivio. “Corporate Fitness Works fit our criteria because we believe in the way the company positively impacts clients’ cultures and, in turn, helps improve the quality of people’s lives.”
CFW was launched 30 years ago by Brenda Loube and Sheila Drohan, who have built the business into a powerhouse with clients like Sprint, American Strategic Insurance and Tech Data.
Loube will remain with CFW to focus on the company’s transition planning, along with maintaining its deep relationship with the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Meanwhile, Drohan will serve as a consultant for CFW.
The company got its start in 1988 thanks to Drohan’s mother, who took out a mortgage on her house to help fund the business. Six months later, Loube and Drohan secured CFW’s first client, which quickly grew to three clients. Now, its clients range from Tampa Bay to Washington, D.C. to Seattle.
CFW’s health and wellness initiatives go beyond designing a fitness center or launching a weight management program. CFW team members immerse themselves in their clients’ cultures and take a holistic approach to building engaging programs that stick. At client sites, CFW team members do anything from analyzing workplace culture surveys and health trends to leading stretch breaks and functional mobility screenings.
“Sheila and I are extremely proud of what we’ve built from scratch, and the amazing team that helped get us to where we are today,” Loube said. “Our people are our greatest asset, so it was a priority to sell the company to people who value our culture and services. The Vivios were a natural fit for us.”
CFW’s name, services and team will remain in place with the new owners, which was effective August 1.
“We look forward to getting to know the team and giving them the tools they need to grow and succeed,” said Michael Vivio.
The Vivios live in St. Petersburg with their two sons and are active in the local community. Beth Vivio serves as a board member for Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Foundation, St. Petersburg Free Clinic and Shorecrest Preparatory School, while Michael Vivio is the immediate past chair of the St Petersburg Economic Development Corporation and has served on the executive dommittee of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
