Paul Byrne, president, Precor, Inc., Woodinville, Washington


“We’ve seen moderate growth in North America and good growth, internationally. We gained market share worldwide in 2009, according to data from FISA (Fitness Industry Suppliers of North America). We introduced new bikes in 2010 and have plans to launch more additions to our line in 2011. “I think we’ll be in this ‘muddle-through’ economy for awhile. Unemployment, business and


consumer deleveraging, and a weak real estate market will continue to act as head winds. Innovation, operating efficiency, and a strong balance sheet will be key to navigating these difficult times. “We’ll be at this year’s IHRSA convention, just as we have been every year since the mid-1980s.


The show provides a convenient forum for us to meet with our top customers and, also, to convene the Precor staff from around the world. Beyond just exhibiting, we regard our membership in IHRSA as a contribution to the industry. The financial participation of the major suppliers helps fund the association’s education arm, which benefits club operators of all sizes. “We’ve kept our innovation pipeline full and are looking forward to unveiling some exciting new products at IHRSA ’11. The IHRSA trade show, the industry’s largest, is the best stage there is for new-product introductions.”


Lindy Brown, executive director, Refinery, Champaign, Illinois


“Last year was an interesting one for our club, which has been in operation for about six years. For the first time, we’ve felt some of the effects, both positive and neg- ative, of aging. We’re still the newest club in our area, but no longer the ‘new kid on the block,’ which means that we have to work to keep things fresh. “In 2010, our membership


numbers held steady, increasing in some months, decreasing in others, with a 2%-4% loss, overall. However, even with slightly fewer members, our revenue has increased by about 1%, year-to-date. We raised monthly dues by $5 for about 50% of our members. Our program and personal-training revenues increased slightly, as well. “While I don’t foresee a huge turnaround in 2011, I


do anticipate the same consistent results. However, we do plan to make some changes. We’ll focus more on mem- bership integration and retention, which will generate additional nondues revenue. We’ll trim our expenses by cutting our hours of operation, reducing staff hours. We’ll watch our energy consumption, and we’ve cut our advertising budget, placing greater emphasis on cross- marketing and member referrals.”


Art Hicks, president and COO, CYBEX International, Inc., Medway, Massachusetts


“We began to see sales momentum pick up in the second quarter of 2010. While there’s still a conservative attitude in most of the market, some segments are expanding, and some customers are upgrading their equipment. “We’ve been targeting markets on which we haven’t


focused, historically, and these efforts are beginning to pay off. Still, the economy needs to improve for us to return to a true sales-growth mode, and there’s no telling when that will occur. However, we’re making significant investments in sales staff, marketing, and product development to maximize our sales success both during the coming year and over the long-term. “It’s great to see that IHRSA has


really expanded trade-show partici- pation by non-U.S. fitness facilities. The upcoming show will be an important time for us to connect with our key existing, and potential new, customers. It will also provide a valuable opportunity to showcase a number of new and exciting products, including our new functional-training line of equipment, the new displays of all of our cardio items, and our new ‘heavy iron’ line.”


www. ihrsa.org |


JANUARY 2011 | Club Business Internat ional 51


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