The Club Insider Archives: January 2011
Glenda Pigue
A Gem in Benton!
By: Justin Cates
Justin CatesHappy New Year! Are you ready for 2011? This month, to begin the new year, we are very excited to bring you a truly amazing story. Hopefully, it will inspire you to have the best year ever in 2011!
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Dale Dibble, Club Business Legend, and Great Friend, Passes Away
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesOn Thanksgiving weekend eight years ago, Dale Dibble was told by doctors at the Cleveland Clinic that he had just 2 to 3 months to live. He had already suffered serious heart problems for years, and things looked bleak for his future. Well, Dale didn't think much of that diagnosis and returned to Naples, Florida where he lived with his loving wife Olive Mae at Bentley Village, a Hyatt Classic Residence.
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Tim Richards, Club Veteran, Passes Away Suddenly
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesPhilanthropist and club business pioneer, Founder of Orchard Hills Athletic Club and IHRSA Founding Member, Tim Richards, died suddenly on January 4, 2011. Tim Richards was born on August 14, 1941 and passed away on January 4, 2011. He is survived by his wife Sheila and four children; Jen, Andrew, Ken and Camilla.
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The Place to Be!
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesThink of your club as a work of art and you're the artist engrossed in the process of perfecting a painting. Your canvas already has a very nice picture shaping up on it from all of the work you've already done over the years, but you can perfect it by working hard to make your club THE Place to Be!
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Club Members Lose Their Weight and Gain a Career Helping Others Do the Same!
By: Donna Krech
Donna KrechOn this season of NBC's Biggest Loser, you may have noticed a trend among the past contestants. Many of them have chosen a career in helping others lose weight and get fit. That makes sense. You and I are both in the business of fitness because it is something we are passionate about, and we want to share our lifestyle with those around us.
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Does Your Club's Customer Service Have Heart?
By: Jeffrey Keller
Jeffrey KellerA lot of readers see articles from me on customer service and leadership. This is because I believe they are the main reasons we don't engage customers in that group of 85% of Americans who aren't our members. Instead, we trade members back and forth. Members walk away and go to the next place that has opened. Well, I'm here to say that it doesn't have to be that way.
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Everyday Things You Can Do To Improve The Bottom Line In Your Health Club
By: Jim Thomas
Jim ThomasWhether you own, manage or you're a sales rep in a health club, it's important to keep your focus on the primary activity that keeps your health club growing, and that's new member prospecting. New membership sales and membership renewals will never happen if you don't have anyone to talk to. However, health club prospecting is not meant to be just waiting for the phone to ring.
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Medical Fitness and the Physician Referral Pathway
By: Dr. Cary Wing
Dr. Cary WingThe November 2010 Edition of Club Insider included an article entitled, "Time for Doctors to Prescribe Exercise." This excellent commentary, written by Joe Moore and Edward Phillips, MD, emphasized the important role physicians can play in increasing the physical activity levels of adults in the United States.
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Managing the Member Experience
Part II
By: Karen Woodard-Chavez
Karen Woodard-ChavezIn Part I, we began with the fact that, for the past ten years in our industry, much has been discussed about the best way to ensure that the member experience is one that 1) creates differentiation so that current members stay with the club and 2) creates differentiation in attracting new Members, allowing the club to have an edge over the competition.
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Programming Tip of the Month
Exercise + Nutrition = Healthy Lifestyles
By: Sandy Coffman
Sandy CoffmanThis is the time of the year when "diet and exercise" are the main topics of conversation among your members, especially your new members. Very few clubs, however, have an organized nutrition and weight loss program to complement the many exercise programs that they offer. There are great professional turn-key programs available to you which I strongly suggest you consider.
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The 2010 IHRSA Profiles of Success
BOSTON, MA - The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) has released the 29th edition of its annual Industry Data Survey (IDS) results and the accompanying publication, The 2010 IHRSA Profiles of Success, a detailed analysis of the annual performance of leading clubs within the health and fitness club industry.
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Federal Court Reverses Gym Music Decision in Australia
The Courier Mail - The Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA), a leading recording industry group, won its bid to replace the previous copyright fee of 94.6 cents per fitness class, after the Copyright Tribunal ruled gyms should pay $15 per class to pay for the use of original music.
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Gordon Johnson Honored
DOUGLASVILLE, GA - Gordon Johnson, Owner of two Gold's Gyms in Douglasville, GA was named 2010 Visionary of the Year by Gold's Gym International.
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IHRSA Releases 2011 List of Trends for Fitness Clubs
BOSTON, MA - IHRSA, The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association has released a list of health club trends for 2011. By working with its global membership base of over 10,000 club and fitness businesses, examining industry research and monitoring consumer wellness behavior, IHRSA has identified the most significant trends in health clubs for 2011.
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24 Hour Fitness Announces East Coast Expansion Plans for 2011 to 2013
SAN RAMON, CA - 24 Hour Fitness, the largest privately-owned U.S. fitness club chain and a health club industry pioneer, announced plans for extensive expansion along the East Coast in 2011 and beyond. Investments planned for 2011 total more than $100 million in new construction projects and existing club renovations. The aggressive growth plans promise to strengthen the company's footprint in New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Florida.
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Courtney Minor and Ron Alterio Join Visual Fitness Planner
FORT WORTH, TX - To keep up with rapidly-growing demand, Visual Fitness Planner welcomes former Gold's Gym and Elements executive Courtney Minor to their team as Regional Sales Director. Visual Fitness Planner also announced Ron Alterio has joined the company as Regional Sales Director for the Northeast.
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ABC Financial Services Joins PCI Security Standards Council
LITTLE ROCK, AR - ABC Financial Services (ABC), a provider of software and billing services in the Health and Fitness Industry, announced that it has joined the PCI Security Standards Council as a new participating organization. As a Participating Organization, ABC will work with the Council to evolve the PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) and other payment card data protection standards.
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Dana Milkie Joins ABC Financial as Vice President of Club Support
LITTLE ROCK, AR - ABC Financial (ABC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dana Milkie as Vice President of Club Support. Milkie, who will be based in ABC's headquarters in central Arkansas, will oversee club support and franchise support in new and existing markets.
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Norm's Notes for January 2011
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Publisher and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in!
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