New Blog Posts
Go behind the scenes for the latest at Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro by checking out our blog. The magazine's editors add to the blog regularly, giving you an inside look into the stories they're writing and the latest in the industry. Recent posts include "Bally Killed the Messinger" and "A Fantasy Season."

ADVERTISEMENT Harness the power of email with the Fitness Industry's leading automated communication service. Retention Management makes it easy for you to get started and keeps it easy to stay rolling. You can truly connect with your members like never before and Retention Management is ready to show you how. 800.951.8048 ext.1 Info@RetentionManagement.com www.RetentionManagement.com

Hot News

Mastrov Resigns as 24 Hour Chairman
SAN RAMON, CA -- Mark Mastrov, the founder of 24 Hour Fitness, has resigned as the company's chairman of the board, effective Jan. 31, according to a company statement sent to Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro. Read the full story.

ADVERTISEMENT Wellworks provides e-mail marketing, e-commerce and client management to club owners. Using Wellworks Communiqué Plus, you can easily setup an online store carrying fashion-forward products that generate revenue without the burden of inventory or fulfillment. Create an e-newsletter in minutes to market your new offerings and connect with your clients. www.wellworks.com

Club Hopping

TSI's COO Resigns
NEW YORK -- Randall Stephen, chief operating officer at Town Sports International, resigned earlier this week, according to a brief statement from the company. The statement did not give a reason for his resignation or any details on who would replace him. A company spokesperson contacted for this story would not elaborate on the reason for Stephen's departure. Lisa Hufcut, the spokesperson, said that Stephen's responsibilities would be divided up among other executives for now. Read the full story.

New Personal Training Franchise Launches
ANAHEIM, CA -- After 12 years in business, Mike Salerno is launching a franchise version of his personal training studio, Precision Fitness, Anaheim, CA. Salerno had three facilities, but he recently sold two of them to franchisees so that he could concentrate on franchising the business. He plans to have 10 franchises open by the end of this year, focusing initially on California. Read the full story.

Suspected Locker Thieves Caught at Y
GLENS FALLS, NY -- Two men suspected of carrying out 16 robberies at the Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area (NY) were recently arrested. Since April, Glens Falls police say the thieves had stolen cash, car keys and credit cards from both locked and unlocked lockers, and had broken into cars parked outside the Y.

Increased security and media attention helped catch the robbers, says Y CEO David Kisselback. Since the break-ins, the Y has invested in new lockers that are harder to force open and 16 camera surveillance systems, costing the Y $110,000. The Y also changed its day-pass policy, photographing all non-members who purchase a day pass.

ADVERTISEMENT New 95X Elliptical Cross-Trainer from Life Fitness Life Fitness combines form and function with its sleek new 95X Elliptical Cross-Trainer. Part of the new Elevation™ Series, the 95X is offered with three unique options — the Engage™, Inspire™ and Achieve™ consoles, which deliver the company's latest entertainment and motivational features such as iPod® compatibility, USB connectivity and a Virtual Trainer. Visit www.lifefitness.com or call 1-800-634-8637.

School Days

Health Club, Community College Reach Agreement
SARANAC LAKE, NY -- North Country (NY) Community College (NCCC) and the Lake Placid (NY) Health and Fitness club have reached a mutual agreement in which the club's trainers will help train NCCC's athletes while NCCC will offer Lake Placid members access to its facilities, according to the Adirondack (NY) Daily Enterprise. Read the full story.

Montana State Completes Renovation
BOZEMAN, MT - Montana State University recently unveiled its renovated student recreation center. The renovation of the 14,000-square-foot Marga Hosaeus Recreation and Fitness Center was scheduled for completion by last September, but delays caused largely by worker shortages pushed back the completion time, according to the Bozeman (MT) Daily Chronicle.

In the spring of 2005, Montana State students approved a $55-per-year fee to pay for the $15 million renovation, which included a group fitness room, two indoor tennis courts, and more cardio and strength equipment, according to the newspaper.

ADVERTISEMENT You build the image of your members each day, let DMX help you build yours. Sensory branding through music, video, messaging and scent. www.DMX.com

Boot Camp

Navy Running Group Helps Sailors Prepare for Marathon
OAK HARBOR, WA -- The Whidbey Island Marathon in Oak Harbor, WA, may still be months away, but Navy Fitness professionals at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island are getting active duty, dependents and retirees ready for the 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile races. Read the full story.

ADVERTISEMENT SPORTSMITH, the leading distributor of fitness equipment repair parts stocks a complete line of Genuine (OEM) Life Fitness and Star Trac repair parts. Other brands include Stairmaster, Precor, Cybex and many others. Purchase your fitness equipment repair parts online at: www.sportsmith.net

Industry Beat

ACE Forms Advisory Panel
SAN DIEGO -- The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recently created the Industry Advisory Panel (IAP), bringing together experts from academia, fitness, wellness and recreation to help provide direction to ACE.

IAP chair and ACE board member Ted Vickey, president of FitWell Inc. LLC in Vienna, VA, leads the group that is scheduled to meet several times each year. Additional members of the panel are Lisa Coors, owner, Coors Core Fitness LLC, Cincinnati, OH; Michael Hewitt, Canyon Ranch, Tucson, AZ; Carol Kennedy-Armbruster, lecturer, fitness specialist program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN; Sol Mandel, head fitness trainer, Quail West Country Club, Naples, FL; William McBride, COO, Club One Inc., San Francisco; Anthony Slayen, continental health and fitness consultant, Jewish Community Center, New York; Michael Spezzano, vice president program and membership, YMCA of Greater NYC, New York; Lisa Stuppy, assistant director, fitness programs exam developer, Boise State University, Boise, ID; Cary Wing, executive director, Medical Fitness Association, Richmond, VA; and Jeff Zwiefel, senior vice president, Life Time University, Life Time Fitness, Eden Prairie, MN.

President's Council Challenges All Americans to Get Fit
WASHINGTON, DC -- The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is launching the first-ever National President's Challenge in March. The six-week fitness challenge will encourage all Americans to be active 30 minutes a day, five days a week. This is the first time in the council's 50-year history that the challenge is calling on the nation -- not just children -- to get fit and adopt healthier lifestyles.

The council is encouraging health clubs to get involved by forming challenge groups or by helping their members sign up at www.presidentschallenge.org. All participants must sign up by April 3 in order to complete the minimum six-week requirement. The challenge ends on May 15.

ADVERTISEMENT ABC Financial Services All aspects of ABC Financial — billing, club management software and onsite training and support — are designed to help your business succeed. As Industry veterans, our leaders at ABC know exactly what you're going through. Our business is to focus on your business. It all begins and ends with you. Click here for more information.

Fit to Print

In Brief...

Interested in advertising in Newsbeat? For more information, click here.



To insure delivery of this service, please add fitnessbusiness-pro@pbinews.com to your e-mail address book.

You are subscribed to this newsletter as #email#

To get this newsletter in a different format (Text or HTML), or to change your e-mail address, please visit your profile page to change your delivery preferences.

For questions concerning delivery of this newsletter, please contact our Customer Service Department at:
Fitness Business Pro
A Penton Media publication
US Toll Free: 866-505-7173
International: 847-763-9504
Email:fitnessbusiness-pro@pbinews.com

Penton Media, Inc. | 1166 Avenue of the Americas, 10th Floor | New York, NY 10036

Copyright 2013, Penton Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This article is protected by United States copyright and other intellectual property laws and may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, re-disseminated, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast, directly or indirectly, in any medium without the prior written permission of Penton Media.