Health and Fitness Club Industry News: Independents
Tuesday, June 19th, 2018
Upcoming IHRSA Board Chair, Jim Worthington, Instrumental in Passage of the Right to Try Bill
Posted: May 23, 2018 in Independents, Other News
NEWTOWN, PA - On May 22, 2018, the Right to Try Bill was passed by the House of Representatives in Washington, DC. This bill was first passed in the Senate (S 204) in August 2017. It finally passed the House and will now proceed to the President’s desk for signature, which he has indicated he will sign. Jim Worthington has put all his resources and connections behind supporting this bill because of his connection to Matt Bellina, who suffers from ALS, a terminal illness giving him 2 – 5 years to live. Jim first met Matt in 2015 when he joined the Newtown Athletic Club, and they began raising money for Matt’s Mission to support Augie’s Quest and ALS TDI research. Read More...
First Large Scale Expanded Access Program in ALS Announced
Posted: May 23, 2018 in Other News
CAMBRIDGE, MA - Biohaven Pharmaceuticals announced the initiation of an Expanded Access Program (EAP) in ALS for their orally dissolving tablet of riluzole. This program is thought to be the first EAP approved by the FDA in ALS which aims to offer broad access to an experimental medication outside of a traditional clinical trial, while the company prepares to submit an application for full marketing approval to the FDA later this year. Read More...
Join the Augie’s Quest MYZONE Challenge Today
Posted: April 3, 2018 in Other News
MANASQUAN, N.J. - The Augie’s Quest MYZONE Challenge, to be held May 1 - June 17, has just reached 100 clubs. But, the initiative needs more as we raise the funds to get AT-1501 into Human trials for all those living with ALS! The Challenge is simple, and there is no charge to your clubs. Here is a step-by-step guide to join today... Read More...
FDA Issues Draft Guidance for ALS Clinical Trials
Posted: February 16, 2018 in Other News
CAMBRIDGE, MA - This week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a draft guidance for those developing potential treatments for ALS. This document is part of an effort by the FDA to make drug developers and others aware of how they think clinical trials in ALS should be run. This is the first time the FDA has issued a guidance for industry on ALS clinical trials. Read More...
Doug Conant, Stephen Tharrett Among Top Speaker Lineup at 5th Annual TOM Conference in Charleston; Register Now
Posted: January 25, 2018 in Other News
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - Business and sports industry leaders Douglas Conant and Stephen Tharrett will be among the keynote presenters and moderators at the 2018 Tennis Owners & Managers (TOM) Conference, which will be April 8 - 11 at Wild Dunes Resort in Charleston, S.C. Presented by the TIA, the TOM Conference targets tennis owners, managers and industry decision-makers with a focus on innovation, growth, business leadership and development. Read More...
With Heartfelt Thanks From Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS
Posted: December 22, 2017 in Other News
A Message From Augie and Lynne Nieto: In many ways, Lynne and I have been lucky in this disease. It’s why we started Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS nearly 13 years ago, making a conscious decision to go after ALS with everything we’ve got – and encouraging all of you to join us on this crazy, but life-changing ride! We’re so thankful to each one of you for joining our quest. It’s been worth the journey, hasn’t it? Because of you, today, we’re in the nonprofit business of funding innovative research, building effective treatments and fast-tracking drugs through the ALS Therapy Development Institute – all to ultimately find a cure for ALS. Read More...
The Cooper Institute’s Annual Legacy Award Dinner to Feature Baseball Hall of Famer, George Brett, as Keynote Speaker, and Honor Former Houston Astros Owner, Drayton McLane, Jr., with Annual Legacy Award
Posted: October 11, 2017 in Other News
DALLAS, TX - The Cooper Institute, a nonprofit health organization founded by Dr. Kenneth Cooper and based in Dallas, will host its annual Legacy Award Dinner on November 2nd at Globe Life Park in Arlington. This year's event will feature an all-star lineup with event chair David Glass, Legacy Award recipient Drayton McLane, Jr., keynote speaker and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer George Brett along with moderator, Emmy Award-winning Kansas City Royals broadcaster Ryan Lefebvre. Longtime media personality Scott Murray will once again serve as master of ceremonies. The annual Legacy Award Dinner will raise funds to support the mission of The Cooper Institute to improve global population health with a particular focus on youth and raising a healthier generation. Read More...
Sincere Thanks and Appreciation From Club Insider
Posted: October 10, 2017 in Other News
Club Insider would like to sincerely thank Club Industry for its selection of Publisher and Tribal Leader, Norm Cates, as its Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient. On the morning of October 5, in the International Ballroom of Hilton Chicago, after a kind introduction by Club Industry's Pamela Kufahl, in which she referred to Norm as the "conscience" of the health and fitness club industry, as well as video comments from friends and industry veterans Pamela Kufahl, Marty McCallen, Joe Moore, Joe Cirulli, John McCarthy, Justin Cates, Rick Caro, Rich Boggs and Ray Irwin, the award was presented to Norm. Norm then proceeded to give a speech right from the heart, and it moved a packed house. Some of those in attendance were specifically in town to see Norm honored and experience his speech. For this, Norm expresses his Sincere Thanks and Appreciation. The special breakfast, award presentation and keynote speech by Nick Sarillo was sponsored by ABC Financial. Read More...
Club Industry Show Successfully Concluded its 31st Annual Event, Brought Together Engaged Fitness Professionals from Every Aspect of the Health and Wellness Industry
Posted: October 10, 2017 in Other News
BOULDER, CO - The Club Industry Show wrapped its 31st year, hosting both large and small brands that continue to launch innovative products in the fitness and health & wellness industry. This year's event drew an engaged community of fitness professionals from health and wellness facilities of all types to a new venue, Hilton Chicago October 4 - 6, 2017. Read More...
September 2017 Cover Story Preview: The GENAVIX Wellness Network – A Model for the Future
Posted: September 12, 2017 in Other News
Last year, in our November 2016 Cover Story, we featured Mike Benton’s Executive Health and Sports Center (EHSC), located in Manchester, New Hampshire. In the course of that story, Mike introduced us to the GENAVIX Wellness Network, which at its core, is a new business model for our industry that bridges the gaps between health club members, health care practitioners and health insurance carriers. By shifting the health insurance fee paradigm from fee-for-service to fee-for-value, an atmosphere for creating real and measurable results has been created. Now, the facilities that are joining this growing network are experiencing something our industry has been seeking for decades: the integration of health and fitness facilities, health care practitioners and health insurance carriers into a cohesive system that provides results for the end user. In short, GENAVIX is the foothold in helping our industry become a real and recognized part of the health care system. Read More...
Contec, Parent Company of Athletix Products, Unveils Solar Powered Manufacturing Facility
Posted: September 12, 2017 in Other News
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - As part of its overall sustainability campaign, Athletix Product's parent company Contec, Inc., installed solar panels at one of its plants in September of 2016. Because the manufacturing facility is located in the southeastern United States, the climate is very favorable for capturing light from the sun and converting it to electricity. Now online, Contec’s Locust Grove facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina has 2,888 solar panels to supply its cleanroom laundry and manufacturing facility with power during the daylight hours. Read More...
REX Seeks to Assist Member Clubs in the Wake of Hurricane Harvey
Posted: September 9, 2017 in Other News
TEXAS - In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, many clubs were impacted to varying degrees: temporary club closings, power outages, increased membership cancellations, requests for memberships to be placed on hold, flooding, facility and equipment damages, cancelled programs / classes (affecting staff earning and member spending), inability of members to access the clubs due to bridge and road closings, etc. Of course in time, insurance will hopefully cover many of these business losses. However, an immediate need is taking care of affected staff members (especially front-line employees) that may not have the resources to help cope with to this catastrophe. Read More...
August 2017 Cover Story Preview: Thanks and Appreciation to Bill Higgs As He Retires After 35 Years of Service at Shula’s Athletic Club
Posted: August 8, 2017 in Other News
Bill Higgs, 66, has set a high standard for health and fitness club General Managers everywhere to learn from and apply to their own careers. The lessons this man has learned over his 35-year career as GM of Shula's Athletic Club in Miami Lakes, Florida, are numerous, and Bill has shared some of them with you here in this special Club Insider Cover Story, which is being published in honor of Bill Higgs and his retirement. The lessons he's learned and experiences he's had don’t just apply to being a manager of a club business; they're lessons that, if applied to your life, will help you succeed in all of your endeavors. In short, Bill Higgs' story is a tale of 35 years of success that was caused by his dedication, his hard work, his flexibility and his consistency, to name just a few of the positive traits that Bill has applied to his career. Read More...
A Tribute to Brother Michael Scott Scudder
Posted: July 4, 2017 in Other News
By: Norm Cates, Publisher of Club Insider
This Tribute to club consultant, former club operator and fitness industry veteran, Brother Michael Scott Scudder, age 75, was completed on the 4th of July, the day Brother Scudder was buried at a small, Jewish and non-sectarian cemetery affiliated with the Taos Jewish Center. Brother Scudder had suddenly died at his home in Taos, New Mexico on Friday, June 30th from complications related to his June 7th hip surgery. Michael's wife of many years, Phyllis Landis, wrote that doctors believed her husband had died from a pulmonary embolism. An autopsy was being done. Read More...
Wounded Veterans Gather for Wounded Warrior Project Fitness Training
Posted: June 29, 2017 in Other News
SEATTLE, WA - One of the major challenges many wounded veterans face when returning to civilian life is maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. That's why Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) hosts physical health and wellness expos around the nation, not just to get warriors moving again but to connect them with other local warriors who share their life experiences. "Even though I may be nervous about meeting new people in the beginning, I quickly feel at home and at ease when I am around other veterans," said Army veteran Charlene Reilley. Read More...
ClassPass Raises $70 Million in Series C Funding Led by Temasek Following Its Strongest Quarter to Date
Posted: June 19, 2017 in Other News
NEW YORK, N.Y. - ClassPass, the leading membership to the world's largest fitness network, announced its largest funding to date, raising $70 million in a Series C round of financing led by Temasek, along with current ClassPass investors Acequia Capital, CRV, General Catalyst, GV, M13 and Thrive. ClassPass will use the financing to fuel growth, invest in product innovation and expand operations. Read More...
June 2017 Cover Story Preview: Brooklyn Boulders – Building Community One Climb at a Time
Posted: June 6, 2017 in Other News
It’s a sport that has been around for years, and in 2020, it will make its debut in the Olympic Games, to be held in Tokyo. Coinciding with the sport’s growth, facilities dedicated to the discipline are entering the mainstream instead of being relegated to an empty, unused corner of a multipurpose club. Among the leaders in this segment is this month’s Club Insider Cover Story Subject, Brooklyn Boulders. Read More...
May 2017 Cover Story Preview: Play On at Little Rock Athletic Club
Posted: May 9, 2017 in Other News
“It’s what we do. We’re a big, diverse family of tennis players, swimmers, runners, CrossFitters, cannonballers, stairmaster-ers, weekend warriors, big kids, little kids and kids who never grew up. We love to run, jump, serve, swim, splash, sweat, lap, lunge, squat, compete and do pretty much any other verb you can associate with fitness. We believe that fitness and fun not only can co-exist, but that they are soul mates that should never be apart. It’s why this club exists. And it’s why we come to work. It’s why more than ever we’re committed to helping you, our members, play often, play hard and Play On.” Read More...
FDA Approves Radicava (Edaravone) as Treatment for ALS
Posted: May 5, 2017 in Other News
CAMBRIDGE, MA - The Food and Drug Administration announced it has granted approval to MT Pharma America to begin marketing Edaravone as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The approval of Edaravone marks the first new treatment to be approved for ALS in the United States since Rilutek (Riluzole) was approved in 1995. Read More...
“Diet” Products Can Make You Fat, Study Shows
Posted: April 25, 2017 in Other News
ATHENS, GA - High-fat foods are often the primary target when fighting obesity, but sugar-laden “diet” foods could be contributing to unwanted weight gain as well, according to a new study from the University of Georgia. Researchers found that rats fed a diet high in sugar but low in fat, meant to imitate many popular diet foods, increased body fat mass when compared to rats fed a balanced rodent diet. The high-sugar diet induced a host of other problems, including liver damage and brain inflammation. Read More...