The Newsletter

EDMONTON, AB - British Columbia and Ontario have both announced their intentions to introduce a Harmonized Sales Tax which would merge the provincial sales tax with the federal goods and services tax. If implemented, fitness-related services, such as fitness memberships, personal training, swimming lessons, hockey, soccer and baseball registrations, will no longer be exempt from provincial sales tax. This will increase the costs of these services by 7% or 8%.

To combat the threat of a harmonized sales tax, Fitness Industry Canada (FIC) has developed a new website www.nofitnesstax.ca. The website allows health and fitness supporters to send a personalized letter to their premier, the minister of finance and their local MPP or MLA in both British Columbia and Ontario.

FIC encourages everyone to complete the online petition and encourages club owners to forward this information to their members through their e-newsletters and print materials.

VANCOUVER, WA - Fit Dragon announces that it is acquiring a license for the indoor cycling products and the educational and training programs for the Schwinn fitness brand for use in the commercial channel.

Fit Dragon will have marketing rights to independent bicycle dealers as well as to the specialty fitness channel. Nautilus will continue to market Schwinn products through retail and direct marketing channels.

AUCKLAND, NZ - Les Mills has released a white paper conducted and written by the Neilsen Company on the future of the global fitness industry. Entitled "The Future of Fitness," the document challenges the fitness industry to not be complacent.

It discovered three trends that are impacting human fitness and activity:

1. Permanent connection via the internet is transforming how people do business, socialize and manage their health and fitness.

2. Personalization of services is increasingly required by discerning and demanding consumers and is being made ever more available by advancing technology.

3. Convergence, blurring and blending are permanently breaking down and reshaping existing categories of products and services.

MEDWAY, MA - Cybex International announces that Larry Gulko has been named its chief marketing officer. In this role, Gulko will provide leadership and strategic direction to strengthen the company's market position, drive growth, and maximize the value of the CYBEX brand.

"Larry is championing our top-line growth by introducing game-changing global marketing and business strategies," states John Aglialoro, CYBEX chairman and CEO. One of Gulko's first initiatives was securing a multi-year agreement for PGA Tour legend Greg Norman to serve as an official ambassador for the innovative CYBEX Golf Fitness platform.

WOODINVILLE, WA - Precor anticipates that its one-year-old, 225,000-square-foot production facility in Rock Creek Center, North Carolina, will soon employee 140 employees and that more than half of its suppliers will eventually be local.

The local community, facing recent decreases in manufacturing and continued high unemployment, is pleased to see the positive impact of the company on the area's economy.

SCHILLER PARK, IL - Life Fitness has received a 2009 body LIFE Award for its cardiovascular machines making this the ninth consecutive win since the contest began in 2000. Body LIFE is the prominent fitness publication in Europe and is distributed in eight European countries.

"Life Fitness has consistently wowed the marketplace with their reliable and innovative cardiovascular product lines," said Olaf Schneider, body LIFE director of publishing. "The company has proven it is an industry leader seeing its cardio products have been recognized nine years in a row."

Too many reps on the team or in the territory can cause a morale issue and brings the risk of the unwanted departure of solid players who don't want someone else cutting into "their" piece of the pie. Too few reps and you leave your business vulnerable to a business loss created by the unforeseen departure of someone on the team (and c'mon, what other kinds of departures are there in sales?).

If you are considering adding a rep to your team, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.

DENVER, CO - BodyLab Fitness, which opened in early 2009, requires potential members to apply for acceptance - and it rejects those who it doesn't think they will fulfill their fitness goals. This non-traditional approach seems to be working. According to co-owner Jesse Morreale, the number of training sessions purchased doubled from April to November, and monthly revenues have doubled as well.

Curves founders Diane and Gary Heavin are donating their time, talents and resources to help Haitian earthquake victims.

Gary flew his company jet out of Waco on Wednesday to pick up Whitefield Overseas Evangelical Ministry doctors in Joplin, Mo., and Indianapolis, In. He'll shuttle the doctors into Haiti today and return to Miami with high priority, injured orphans for medical treatment. Then back to Haiti with more doctors and/or medical supplies. He and his crew will do this trip twice a day for three days. Diane, who flew commercially to meet him in Miami, will accompany him on his initial return trip to Haiti.

BOULDER, CO - Peak Pilates has named Kevin Bowen as director of education. "We are fortunate to have Kevin join our team here in Boulder," says Julie Lobdell, Peak Pilates' founder and president. "His background makes him uniquely qualified to help guide Peak Pilates Education to the next phase."

Bowen will continue Peak's tradition of delivering progressive, classical education programs to a new generation while overseeing development in all forms of media. In addition, he will manage Peak's expansive external network of teacher trainers and education partners while driving the company's global expansion by creating new strategic alliances and enhancing existing partnerships.

With over 15 years experience in fitness, Pilates and management, Bowen has held positions with Equinox Fitness Clubs, David Barton Gyms, Pinnacle Health Clubs, Pilates Miami and the Pilates Education Group.

ICAA Active Aging Conference 2010
December 2 - 4, 2010
San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California

VANCOUVER, BC - The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) invites submissions to present at its December 2010 conference being held in San Diego. The conference provides the latest on industry trends through in-depth sessions on serving the active and inactive older adult. The conference is designed to bring practical and relevant information to the fitness and wellness executive and professional.

The conference attracts senior and mid-level professionals with eight years or more experience working with older adults. Presentations (all 90-minutes) must offer advanced knowledge in subject areas.

Submission deadline is March 7, 2010

To submit your presentation proposal, go to the online application form at http://www.icaa.cc/convention/presenter_application_form.asp.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Getting into better shape has always been a common resolution, and it is gaining popularity each year. According to new data from research firm IBISWorld on Health News Digest, driving this trend is the growing awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles, skyrocketing obesity rates and the guilt from overindulging during the holiday season.

The U.S. research findings indicate that clubs see the greatest membership growth in the first three months of the year with approximately 12.4 percent of new members joining in January, 9.5 percent in February and 8.7 percent in March.

Fitness Business Canada (FBC) is the trade magazine in Canada for owners, managers, directors and staff of health and fitness facilities. FBC is the primary trade publication for health and fitness facilities across Canada. FBC has earned outstanding reviews and respect from facility operators to its first issue in January 2000.

To get your copy, call our office at 888-920-6537 or email us at fbc@fitnet.ca