Health and Fitness Club Industry News: Other News
Saturday, October 11th, 2025
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...
April 2017 Cover Story Preview: George Foreman III and EverybodyFights – Train Like a Fighter; Live Like a Champion
Posted: April 11, 2017 in Other News
Everyone has the fighting spirit in them. Because of the daily grind so many of us get used to, we may not realize it still exists inside of us, but it does. We’ve all studied it in school; it’s called the Fight or Flight Response, and it is ingrained in nature. When we perceive a threat, our heart rate increases, adrenaline kicks in and we become hyper-aware of our surroundings. It is in that moment that one chooses the course that best ensures their survival. We all hope we never have to experience this psychological/physiological response in our life, but it is refreshing to know our instinctual nature will kick in if and when it is needed. Now, more evolved, we have learned to tap into this response to propel ourselves to greater heights physical and mentally. At EverybodyFights, the core of their program is to do exactly this. In doing so, they tackle one’s own beliefs, attitude and effort. Read More...
Exercise is Medicine – The Claremont Club’s Journey
Posted: March 21, 2017 in Other News
CLAREMONT, CA - For the past 11 years, The Claremont Club has taken a leadership position in the global fitness and wellness industry. The Claremont Club supports the American College of Sports Medicine’s signature initiative called Exercise is Medicine through documentary and testimonials. As an industry leader, The Claremont Club has taken the initiative to help merge the experts in healthcare with the experts in fitness to begin working together, instead of so independently. Read More...
Fitness Industry Celebrates Record-Breaking Fundraising Year During IHRSA’s 12th Annual BASH for Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS
Posted: March 15, 2017 in Other News
LOS ANGELES, CA - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurodegenerative disease affecting far too many people and families. It steals people’s muscles and robs them of every benefit exercise provides. That’s why for more than a decade, the fitness industry has refused to accept that fate, rallying hundreds of companies, countless professionals, staff, studio and club members and local communities to take on this disease and unifying cause. Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS is the challenge the fitness industry dared to accept, raising a record-breaking $3.5 million in the last year alone and more than $45 million total since its inception, as announced and celebrated during the recent International Health, Racquet and Sports Association’s (IHRSA) International Tradeshow and Convention and its BASH for Augie in Los Angeles. Read More...
March 2017 Cover Story Preview: Club Northwest – For the LOVE of It
Posted: March 7, 2017 in Other News
The manifestation of love is a beautiful thing. It is sometimes one of those things that can be hard to explain, yet, you know exactly what it looks like when you see it. It creates a warmth inside. It can motivate. It can be a reason for doing something as well as the end result. When you experience it, you want to share it. Even if you don’t have it, you can still give it to others. Love is the fuel of purpose to create something better. Read More...
Be Sure to Visit Club Insider Advertisers at IHRSA 2017
Posted: March 7, 2017 in Other News
Be sure to drop by and do business with our great Club Insider Advertiser Team who are exhibiting at IHRSA2017, because they’re great folks who will treat you right! And, don't forget this... Don't forget that you need to allocate and schedule a significant amount of time at the Trade Show for BOTH days because trying to walk this entire show and paying the proper attention to everything you will see there will take a lot of the time on both Trade Show days. Here are the Club Insider Advertisers Exhibiting at IHRSA 2017:
Advertisers | Exhibit #
Club Industry | #2904
Club Insider | #2306
Gym Wipes | #2333
Iron Grip Barbell Company | #1754
Visual Fitness Planner | #2145
iGoFigure Software | #1162
Muscle Up Marketing | #1058
Sports & Fitness Insurance | #2207
Read More...
February 2017 Cover Story Preview: Cherry Creek Athletic Club – The Evolution and Success of One of Denver’s Premier Athletic Clubs
Posted: February 7, 2017 in Other News
Change... Improvement... Evolution... It can go by any of these names. And, possibly even more so than in the general business world, in the health and fitness club industry, those who earn success do so by constantly changing, improving and evolving their craft. A classic tale of this approach, which we have documented in Club Insider numerous times, is that of Red Lerille, Owner of the world-renowned Red’s, located in Lafayette, Louisiana. When it comes to improvement, his mantra is simple but absolute: Each and every month, change and improve at least one thing. Even small changes, in aggregate over time, can create an entirely new identity for a business, one that knows the essence of success. This month’s cover story subject, the Cherry Creek Athletic Club (CCAC), located in Denver, Colorado, is another renowned facility that has evolved and created success. Read More...
James M. Cox Foundation and Jim Kennedy Donate $2.5 Million to Build Fitness Center for Emory St. Joseph’s Staff
Posted: January 31, 2017 in Other News
ATLANTA, GA - The James M. Cox Foundation and Jim Kennedy made a combined $2.5 million gift for the construction of the James C. Kennedy Fitness Center at Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital. The 5,400 square foot Kennedy Fitness Center is being constructed on the St. Joseph's campus to provide convenient access for all hospital staff members. Read More...
Wounded Warrior Project Hosts Physical Health and Wellness Expo for Injured Veterans
Posted: January 30, 2017 in Other News
ATLANTA, GA - A group of veterans served by Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) recently learned new techniques for managing their physical health and wellness at an Atlanta expo. The 3-day event was available to veterans of all fitness levels, no matter where they were in their recoveries. Throughout the gathering, WWP staff and coaches assisted in the physical, and emotional, challenges of the event. Read More...
Jan Doyle, Industry Veteran, Passes
Posted: January 24, 2017 in Other News
JANET DOYLE, the wife of IHRSA Founding Member and industry veteran, John Doyle, passed away on January 18, 2017. She went into the hospital on January 4th, and after two weeks, she passed away from complications of viral pneumonia and Parkinson's disease. A mass for Jan will be held on Tuesday, January 31st at 11AM at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Read More...
San Diego Man Completes 3,000 Mile Run Across America For Veterans
Posted: January 23, 2017 in Other News
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Tuesday, January 24th marks the end of a 4-month journey for a team of patriots whose hearts are aimed at making a difference in the lives of veterans. George Chmiel and his team set out from San Diego on September 11th, 2016 on what was planned to be a 2-month run to Ground Zero in Manhattan. The goal was to drive awareness around the veteran suicide epidemic and raise funds in support of the Guardian For Heroes Foundation and the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Read More...
January 2017 Cover Story Preview: KUSHH!™ – The New Sound of Exercise!
Posted: January 10, 2017 in Other News
I am pleased to start the New Year off with a special story about KUSHH!™, a new product launching this month by my former business partner, Ray Irwin. Irwin along with Rich Boggs, another of my former business partners, and a few others started what became The STEP Company in 1989. The STEP Company’s product, The Original STEP®, has gone on to become one of the most successful fitness products of the last 25 years. The STEP® is ubiquitous in health and fitness facilities around the world. Irwin, along with Gin Miller, the creator of Step Aerobics, teamed up to produce KUSHH!™, a new product that shares some of its DNA with The STEP®. In preparation for this cover story, I enjoyed spending some time catching up with my long-time friend and former partner, Ray Irwin, at their Marietta, Georgia STEP Company and MOSSA Headquarters. In this cover story, we will discuss the invention of The Original STEP® and its evolution into the KUSHH!™, launching this month. Read More...
You’re Invited to the 12th Annual Bash for Augie’s Quest
Posted: January 3, 2017 in Other News
LOS ANGELES, CA - You are invited to the 12th Annual Bash for Augie's Quest, to be held on March 10, 2017 at the JW Marriott during IHRSA 2017. Augie's Quest is an aggressive, cure driven effort focused on finding treatments and cures for ALS. All funds raised benefit the ALS Therapy Development Institute, the world's largest ALS-dedicated drug development organization. Read More...
