3030 30-Plus Years of Success!


Over the years, Cedardale’s owner- ship has been astute at anticipating and responding to new developments, capitalizing effectively on emerging trends, and, on occasion, helping to push the industry’s envelope. In 1980, Dibble was involved in the formation of IHRSA, and Cedardale became one of the first members of the fledgling association. The club’s performance has not


only ensured its survival, allowing it to weather difficult economies, including the current one, but has also facilitated constant reinvestment in the business. “Any profits were put right back into the club,” notes Ada Veasey McKenzie, one of the owners. “That’s permitted us to make great decisions. And, if it turned out that they weren’t so wonderful, we’d chuck them pretty quickly, and turn them into a different great decision.” When, for instance, after one sea-


son, badminton didn’t prove to be a homerun, those courts were replaced with a basketball gym floor, which marked the beginning of a successful hoops program. And, while an onsite cardiac rehabilitation center didn’t work out, it led two physical therapists to launch a practice at Cedardale. “We’ve always had a rule that pay-


back has to occur within a certain amount of time,” explains McKenzie. “You really have to watch what you’re


Christmas shenanigans


taking in, and watch what you’re spend- ing, and you can’t let that margin vary too much.” Over the past decade, Cedardale’s rev- enues have increased by 18%. Cedardale’s connection with


IHRSA has proven synergistic and rewarding, with both parties contributing to and profiting from the relationship. “When it was born, IHRSA had a wonderful pioneering spirit of offering and sharing,” recalls McKenzie. “And we were convinced there was a need for something like IHRSA because there were so many common problems—nonprofit com- petition and things of that sort—that needed to be addressed, no matter what part of the country you did business in.” For years, Cedardale had visited


clubs throughout the U.S. to keep abreast of fitness trends. “We’d find some good ideas, bring them back to the club, and Dale, who was an engineer, would draw up plans,” says McKenzie. “We saw basketball, and the next thing you knew we had basketball courts.” Once IHRSA was up and running,


it did much the same thing, but expanded and improved upon the process, identifying and describing


be s t prac t i c e s industry-wide. Cedardale had


developed an early club-management


computer system, and, in the spirit of sharing, made it available to other IHRSA members. McKenzie sits on an IHRSA roundtable composed of multipurpose-facil-


ity owners, and, as far as she’s con- cerned, the association’s annual convention and trade show is a “must” for her and other Cedardale employees. “I’ve met some really great people,” she enthuses. “I can pick up the phone, call them, share things, ask questions, get answers, and, even, visit them to see if certain equipment works as well as the salesmen claim.” Cedardale also calls on IHRSA’s


expertise, on everything from certifi- cations to club insurance, and relies on its legislative updates. “We always wanted to be better as


a business, and, if you have an orga- nization like IHRSA to go to, you can get better,” attests McKenzie. Next month, she’ll help celebrate


the association’s birth at its 30th Anniversary International Conven- tion and Trade Show, March 16-19, in San Francisco. —| – Lesley Mahoney, lmahoney1@gmail.com


Fund-raising initiative 44 Club Business Internat ional | FEBRUARY 2011 | www. ihrsa.org


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