Meet the 2024 HFA Rising Stars

After a hiatus of four years, CBI is once again excited to revive our Rising Stars series. This popular annual feature recognizes accomplished and promising fitness professionals around the world who are making a difference.

You know them when you see them. These individuals are age 45 or younger or new to the industry. They’re talented, highly focused, knowledgeable, charismatic, creative, and committed. They’re already having a profound impact on their clubs or studios, their local communities, and individual lives.

Some of these professionals were key to the survival of their companies during the pandemic. Looking ahead, these inspiring role models are already mentoring the next generation of leaders.

After being nominated by their managers and peers—or themselves—these winners were carefully selected by the HFA staff. As you read their stories, be proud, and share this issue of CBI with your colleagues. Their accomplishments signal a very bright future for the industry.

From the moment Brooke Pettit stepped her tiny feet into a health club at age seven, she began a journey that would shape her future and the club that her parents, Jeff and Valerie Pettit, founded in 2008.

That visit sparked a curiosity and passion that transformed her from a child helping in the Kid Zone to a highly skilled manager and leader. As a teenager, she learned from her parents and from seasoned employees around her, displaying a prodigious flair for sales and customer service.

Last year Pettit was appointed the general manager of Denver Health & Fitness right after graduating from Western Carolina University, having studied criminal justice and business marketing. Since then, she has assembled and manages a talented team, and now oversees club operations, while marketing the club’s services to the community.

Pettit has also learned from her industry peers at this year’s HFA Convention & Trade Show in Los Angeles. In addition, she takes part in the REX Roundtable Iron Maidens, sharing insights on recruiting and managing Gen Z staff.

Now, as Denver Health & Fitness prepares to open a second club, Pettit is set to oversee both locations. “It’s rare to see a 23-year-old college graduate step into an established business and excel,” Jeff Pettit says. "Brooke has not only picked up the reins but is poised to help us expand successfully."

Christina Brooks is someone you want in your court. She’s an award-winning creative director and graphic designer with extensive expertise in brand development and design, as well as a passionate and effective advocate for the industry.

Her skills have been crucial as Genesis Health Clubs—the largest privately owned fitness provider in the U.S.—acquired both Atlantic Clubs in January 2024, rebranding them as the Genesis Atlantic Clubs. These multipurpose clubs are legendary. The Manasquan opened in 1977, and the Red Bank Club, which includes the Milagro Day Spa and Salon, opened in 2002.

A true industry champion, Brooks also serves as the marketing manager for Project 435 Northeast Region. An initiative of the National Health & Fitness Alliance (NHFA), Project 435 seeks to educate all 435 members of Congress about the roles that health and fitness facilities play in the wellbeing of the nation. She has already attended two HFA Fly-In and Advocacy Summits in Washington, D.C.

As a result, Kevin McHugh, chief operating officer at the Atlantic Clubs since 1993, has nominated her with great enthusiasm.

“It has been so rewarding to be a part of an industry dedicated to making a difference in the community’s health and wellness, and I have been honored to meet and learn from so many passionate advocates,” Brooks says.

Pardon the obvious pun, but it’s safe to say that leadership is a “snap” for Mary Thompson.

In 2019, Joseph Mackay, who is now the national director of operations at Lift Brands/Snap Fitness, hired Thompson as a personal trainer at Snap Fitness in Placerville, California, when he was the club manager. There was no question that she was the right person to replace him when he moved up.

"She has led a thriving team and turned the facility into a newly revitalized Snap Fitness corporate flagship," he says.

In addition, Thompson mastered social media marketing—and B2B relationships—so well that the club's landlord paid for much of the club expansion, since it was contributing to tenants' retention and property values.

Then when the pandemic hit, she navigated Covid in California while making fitness options accessible virtually to as many people as possible, Mackay says. Now at age 24, she coaches franchisees to become more successful.

"My passion has always been helping guide others on a path to success and wellbeing," Thompson explains. "From marketing and sales strategies to business-to-business opportunities, the fitness and franchise industry has allowed me to push the boundaries of creating a more effective health and wellness experience."

If anyone can spot outstanding sales talent, it’s Alan Leach, a true industry legend and a master of sales, marketing, and management. Leach is a former chair of the IHRSA board of directors and was the 2024 Global Leader Award Winner at the HFA Convention & Trade Show in Los Angeles. Leach is also the CEO of the West Wood Club, which has six high-end, highly successful, sought-after multipurpose locations in the Dublin, Ireland, area.

He singled out Willis as a member of his team worthy of special recognition.

“I have an amazing, loyal, and hugely enthusiastic sales manager in Gavin Willis,” says Leach. “He helped us survive the dreadful six-year recession in Ireland, and then Covid. He got us to our highest membership ever—nearly 12,000 members—at our biggest club. Many of our sales managers have trained under him.”

A 20-year veteran of the industry with a degree in sports science, Willis joined West Wood 13 years ago. Since starting as a personal trainer, he’s served in a wide variety of roles—gym instructor, executive, and sales manager. He has also expanded his knowledge base by attending high-level training sessions, as well as the European Congress, Powered by the HFA.

“He has grown our membership by 44% since 2014,” Leach says. “Yet, he’s very modest, low-key, and never looks for recognition.”

Brian Herman has held his current position for just six years. But it’s already clear that he's a talented individual with a long, successful career ahead of him.

"Brian is a young professional, fairly new to the industry, who has literally become Jim Worthington's go-to guy for our entire operation, both inside and outside the club," enthuses Linda Mitchell, director of public and government relations at the Newtown Athletic Club (NAC). Worthington is the owner of NAC and a former chair of the HFA board of directors.

Mitchell knows of what she speaks. A 42-year NAC veteran, Mitchell started as an aerobics instructor, and then became involved with sales and marketing, public relations, community relations, and charitable giving.

Herman’s job is a big one. Founded in 1978 by Worthington, the NAC is now a massive, 250,000-square-foot sports and lifestyle complex. Its offerings include a boutique studio wing with innovative classes, two indoor pools, and a 12,000-square-foot cardio and fitness center with natural light that overlooks a four-acre outdoor resort with pools, and a poolside restaurant and bar.

"Brian's ability to learn, manage, adapt, and innovate has proven critical to the success of the NAC. He is eager, open, and a natural-born leader. This recognition is well-deserved," Mitchell adds.

At the age of 20, when Merissa Luna was a college soccer player, the manager of a club near her school couldn’t help but notice her dedication and commitment to working out, and asked if she wanted a job. She started the next day.

Now as vice president of Valley Fitness, which has 15 locations in Central California, she has earned quite a following at both her company and as a member of the Iron Maiden REX Leadership Group.

"Merissa is inspiring," says Allison Flatley, chair of REX Roundtables for Executives, and a former vice chair of the IHRSA board of directors. "She’s a mom who has risen to vice president of Valley Fitness. She knows hard work and teamwork. She’s also a master of change and constant improvement."

Luna opens new clubs, adds new services and programming, changes systems without hesitation. Calm under pressure, she is praised by her team members for her listening skills and ability to support them.

Moreover, Flatley says, she somehow manages to balance her work life with a personal life, something many people strive to do. And thus, she’s setting an example as someone who excels both as a young executive and as the head of household. That’s hardly an easy feat.

Since it opened in 1996, Chelsea Piers Fitness has provided unrivaled spaces, unmatched sports facilities, and best-in-class programming. It’s well-known and well-regarded around the country, and the world. Chelsea Piers now has locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Stamford,

Connecticut, and continues to expand. A second Manhattan club is soon to open, and another is planned for Long Island City, Queens.

"Never Stop Playing" is the company slogan. That’s worked well for Ian Lane, who holds a B.S. in marketing from Drexel University. He joined Chelsea Piers in 2015 as a special events and party coordinator, which is about marketing and engagement.

Lane worked his way up quickly to special events manager (2016-2020), assistant general manager at Chelsea Piers Downtown Brooklyn (2021-2022), and now its general manager. He was nominated by Greta Wagner, Executive Director/EVP, CPCT, VP, Chelsea Piers Management.

Opened in 2018 as the company’s first stand-alone facility, Chelsea Piers Downtown Brooklyn features studio-quality fitness programming, indoor swimming pools, recreational and competitive sports clubs, comprehensive personal training services, communal work and social spaces, and artisanal food offerings.

It also features a year-round calendar of social and cultural events that reflect the ethos of the Brooklyn neighborhood—Lane's specialty.

Dayton McPherson's resume is a pleasure to read for Gary Kendig, chief operating officer at Healthtrax Fitness & Wellness, based in Glastonbury, Connecticut. He's a star player.

McPherson holds a B.A in biology from Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, and a personal training certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and corrective exercise and stretch coach certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

In just 10 years, he moved up from personal trainer at Healthtrax North Haven (2014) to head trainer (2015-2017), fitness director (2017-2020), senior fitness director (2020-2022), general manager (2021-2024), and recently to assistant vice president of fitness. He also led total company personal training sales revenue (2016-2020) and reached his revenue targets as fitness director for 36 consecutive months.

In addition, McPherson has been a Healthtrax University Education Leader since 2017, leading more than 40 workshops. He developed and launched the Healthtrax Stretch & Flex Program at 17 Healthtrax locations in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

“He has stellar communication skills and the ability to both endear himself to others and earn the trust and respect of those he manages and works with,” Kendig says.

Shawndra Sublett is on a mission to make a difference by spreading wellness throughout her community. She first made it her career in 2018, when she took a position at Yoga Alliance, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In 2020, she came to YogaSix in Denver, an Xponential Fitness franchise, as assistant studio manager. By 2022, she was lead teacher, and the studio director by 2023. She has also been chosen a Lululemon Ambassador in Denver for 2023 and 2024.

Sublett may be what just people need, post-pandemic, as mental health issues have risen to the surface. With a degree in psychology from Metropolitan State University in Denver, she now supervises a team of 25 who share her mission of serving others.

She has always loved movement. But now she combines it with mental health awareness by accepting people where they are. It’s a powerful combination that can help to transform lives.

Sublett offers classes to the community to make the wellness lifestyle widely accessible. She also offers private coaching and yoga/mindfulness sessions to those who want to dive deeper. She leads teacher training sessions for the public to educate others who seek to do the same.

"Being a leader means lighting the path for others to succeed," she says.

Reina Offutt established RTR Pilates in 2006, fueled by a strong belief that Pilates can truly transform people’s lives. Since then, her passion has produced a thriving, successful business. RTR Pilates now has a total of seven locations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

Classes are typically full, and some dedicated clients have been coming since the start, says Mikayla McKee, RTR’s marketing director.

A true visionary, in 2013, Offutt made a groundbreaking move. She began offering health insurance to her team, which was completely unheard of in the industry at the time. She has also implemented a 401(k) plan with company matching.

The pandemic, of course, was a test, and Offutt established a dedicated leadership team to help guide the company. Also, in 2023, she revamped RTR’s in-house training program, RTR Academy, to offer full-time, salaried, instructor positions upon graduating.

“It prepares instructors to provide amazing classes to our clients right from the start,” McKee says.

“Our most recent training group had 16 people graduate, the most we’ve ever had.”

Inspired by Offutt’s drive to create a community of health and wellness at RTR, McKee can’t wait to see what happens next. “I feel so lucky to be a part of it.”

Founded in 1981, Cross Gates was once a neighborhood racquet club in Slidell, Louisiana—until 1994 when Larry and Merryanne Welch bought it. Today there are three large, multipurpose Cross Gates facilities and more than 18,000 members.

One might call Nate Welch "a builder." In 2010, Welch, who holds a degree in finance from Louisiana Tech University, joined the company as a membership sales rep, moving up quickly. In 2014, he led the acquisition of a third location and became director of business development. Welch has led multimillion dollar renovation and design projects at each club.

With a natural proclivity for numbers and data, he moved the company to a cloud-first approach to reduce costs, which was essential during the pandemic. He and his team build on-premises IT solutions when necessary, which have included custom solutions for members and staff.

Welch attends the HFA Convention & Trade Show and is a member of the REX Roundtable Young Guns. Having completed the CFSC course, he promotes functional exercise to the public.

It’s an honor, he says, to learn from and work with his uncle, Larry Welch. Nate Welch’s most important attribute? His ability to develop a team, Larry concludes.

"In my 40 years in business, I have never been exposed to a more healthy and productive culture."

Rising Stars believe in themselves. Sometimes, they have the courage to leave a great job to make a dream come true. Xavier Robinson has done that.

After earning a B.S. in kinesiology from the University of Minnesota in 2017 and an American College of Sports Medicine certification, Robinson signed on as an exercise physiologist at Discover Strength in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He hired and onboarded all the exercise physiologists for each Discover Strength location and served as a consultant for new franchisees.

Then in April 2022, at the age of 27, he chose to start his own online personal training company, Reformed-Fitness.com.

Reformed Fitness uses evidence-based, high-intensity strength training to help clients get the most efficient and effective workout possible.

“Because the program is 100% virtual, it offers one-on-one supervision no matter where they work out,” he says.

For two years, Robinson worked alone, building the foundation of the company. Strong testimonials kept him going. “Our clients rave about the workouts and the personal training experience on Google Reviews.”

When he hired two highly credentialed staff members, it allowed him to offer health coaching with his 63 Day Transformation Program, along with personal training. As a result, his business doubled immediately.

"I’m confident in our ability to continue to grow the company. The sky is the limit with our unique business model."

Rising Stars catch our attention for many reasons. Just a few: They constantly break new ground, they juggle multiple roles, and they strive to keep learning more to make a difference in other people’s lives. Not only that, Rising Stars make it look easy.

Khadijah Harmi is a shining example in Kuwait City. Married with four children, Harmi attended the American Community School and Richmond American University, both in London, where she earned majors in political science and communications, and a minor in French.

A fitness and Pilates instructor for more than 19 years, she opened Fitnessity, her successful Pilates and wellness studio for women, 10 years ago. In May 2024, the studio was rebranded as Julles.

“I love empowering women in Kuwait, whether it’s by providing them a place to hang out before and after class, or empowering them through the exercises we offer,” she says. “I also want to empower them by offering career choices, such as becoming certified instructors in Pilates, barre, and other sports.”

She attended the HFA 2024 Convention & Trade Show across the world in Los Angeles in March of this year to learn from the best minds in the global industry and connect with her peers to exchange ideas.

"I love what I do," she says. "My studio is a sanctuary for women. I want to continue empowering women by making them healthy, strong, and happy."

This article originally appeared in the August 2024 issue of Club Business International. View the full digital version of the issue online.