|News & Know How| News
Christian PierarJoins IHRSA Board Industry veteran will share 30 years of European expertise
C
hristian Pierar, the special European advisor for IHRSA, has been elected to serve as a full member of the asso- ciation’s board of directors. An industry veteran with
more than 30 years’ experience, Pierar has held positions as a club owner, international consultant, association executive, and public speaker. His non-IHRSA accomplishments have included serving as
the co-owner of Centro Sportivo and Moving Fitness Center; owner of Sports and Management Consulting BVBA; co-owner and CEO of Forum Lifestyle and Wellness, which developed fitness centers for major hotel chains; and CEO of Tinbert/ Elexia NV, a venture-capital group that developed 68 clubs and wellness centers throughout Europe. Among the numerous titles he’s held on the association
front are those of chairman of the National Belgian Syndicate for employers of the fitness and wellness industry in Europe; board member of the Belgian Security Fund for fitness
industry employees; founding member of the European Health and Fitness Association (EHFA), responsible for the European Network of Fitness Employers; and board member and treasurer of the European Association of Sport Employers. A member of IHRSA for 24
Christian Pierar
years, Pierar is a graduate of the IHRSA Institute for Professional Club Management and has been actively involved in many of the association’s activities. He commences his four-year board term with new board members Robert Brewster, the president of The Alaska Club, in Anchorage, Alaska; and Jasmin Kirstein, the owner of My Sportlady, in Munich, Germany. Brewster and Kirstein are profiled on pg. 93. —|
In Memoriam:Stephen Williams Industry Mourns Passing of Former Cybex and Technogym Executive
S
tephen “Steve” Williams, 61, a former executive with Cybex International, Inc. (NASDAQ:
CYBI), and Technogym, passed away in Seattle, Washington, on April 13, following a long and courageous battle with diabetes and kidney failure. A resident of Bainbridge Island,
Washington, Williams was a passionate technologist and sophisticated marketer. At Cybex, Williams worked his way
up the corporate ladder, holding the positions of director of marketing, vice president and managing director of fitness, and eventually, vice president of corporate development. He also put his marketing expertise to work on behalf of Technogym and was the first president of Technogym USA. Jill Kinney, the managing director of Clubsource Development Partners, LLC,
> 20 Club Business Internat ional | Stephen Williams
based in San Rafael, California, and a long-time friend of Williams, describes him as a “true innovator” whose work had a profound impact on the fitness industry. “In the mid-80s, he intro- duced a new, polished, industrial
design that turned the old weight stacks into sleek, attractive equipment, while, at the same time, insisting that sound science underlie the steel,” she points out. “He hired world-class photogra- phers, consulted with sports and medical specialists, and used women in ads for the first time in order to demonstrate the remarkable benefits of exercise … The net effect of his marketing genius was worldwide recognition for brands such as Cybex and Technogym. “Aside from his impact on the fitness
industry,” says Kinney, “Steve was best known as a great friend. He knew just about everyone and mixed, equally, with celebrities, club owners, and equipment manufacturers—with the same passion and intellectual humor. He’ll be missed by all.” —|
Short Takes |Green Spaces Inspire Exercise
It’s no coincidence that people who live near wide-open green spaces are more likely to engage in physical activities. A new study from the University of Southern Denmark concludes that a person’s proximity to green space has a direct influence on their fitness pursuits—including their likelihood of belonging to a health club. —|
JULY 2011 | www.
ihrsa.org
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