HFA Show 2025 Daily Recap: Thursday, March 13

Greta Wagner, executive director and executive vice president of Chelsea Piers Connecticut, received the Woman Leader Award in Honor of Julie Main. Wagner has been in the industry for more than 30 years. She led the rebuilding efforts of Chelsea Piers Sports Complex in 2013 after it was damaged by Hurricane Sandy, getting the facility reopened in just five weeks. She served on the HFA board and headed the selection committee during its search for a new association president and CEO, leading to the selection of Liz Clark in that role.

Chuck Runyon, co-chair of the board for Purpose Brands and co-founder of Anytime Fitness, participated in a lively discussion with Clark yesterday in the second keynote address. Part of the discussion revolved around advocacy, and Runyon issued a call to action for operators of all sizes to communicate to policymakers at all levels that exercise is medicine and the fitness industry is essential. He floated the idea of insurance payments being based on personal health scores (similar to a credit score but for health) that would allow those with better health to pay less for health insurance. Runyon’s keynote was sponsored by Matrix Fitness.

The 28th Annual Financial Panel, hosted by Rick Caro, was also presented on Thursday. The panel included Amna Malik, executive director of Morgan Stanley; Marty Newburger, partner with KSL Partners; Robbie Shapiro, managing director of York Capital Management; and Zack Englund, managing director of Harris Williams.

After celebrating Caro's induction into the first class of the 2025 HFA Hall of Fame, the session covered the financial state of the industry in detail, but the consensus held that the industry remains resilient against inflationary pressures and trade policies, with a long-term expectation of growth in the global market.

Today is the final day of The HFA Show 2025. See the full schedule.