Press Room

American Council on Exercise (ACE) Announces New Executive Director

Posted: Aug 02, 1999 in

SAN DIEGO - Ken Germano, a twenty-year veteran of the fitness industry, has been named executive director for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Germano replaces Sheryl Marks Brown, who co-founded ACE in 1985 and is leaving the organization to pursue other interests.

Bringing extensive corporate experience to the San Diego-based nonprofit organization, Germano is expected to broaden ACE’s efforts in the certification and education of fitness professionals and as a nationally-recognized advocate of exercise.

"ACE has tremendous potential," said Germano, who has served on the ACE Board of Directors. "People already look to us for reliable and credible fitness information, and I want to see more of that. My goal is to take what has worked for ACE in the past and bring the company to the next level of visibility with new ideas and opportunities."

Germano comes to ACE from E-Zone Networks, a manufacturer of personal entertainment systems for the fitness industry, where he served as vice president of sales. Prior to that, Germano spearheaded the international expansion of Reebok CCS Fitness as vice president of global sales. Germano’s industry experience also includes senior positions with Cybex as the director of national sales for the fitness division and with Lifefitness, Inc. as the director of new product sales and marketing.

In addition to his for-profit experience, Germano established OPERATION FitKids, a nonprofit foundation that establishes and equips fitness centers for children without access to exercise facilities. Since being created in 1990, OPERATION FitKids has raised over $6 million in equipment and cash contributions and brought exercise to more than 500,000 young people nationwide.

For his work with OPERATION FitKids, Germano was honored by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (1992), and named one of the 1996 top-10 "Healthy American Fitness Leaders" by the National Jaycees, ACE, the National Fitness Leaders Association and Monsanto. Germano has also served as a special advisor on exercise technology and strength training for the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports.

"Ken has contributed so much to ACE as a member of the Board," said Jill Stevens Kinney, Chair of the ACE Board. "I think his background of for-profit and nonprofit experience will help him bring a fresh perspective to the organization."

A lifelong athlete, Germano played for the Italian national baseball team and competed in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal (baseball exhibition event). Prior to the Olympics, Germano played professional ball in Italy from 1973-76. During the off-season, he worked for the Italian Olympic Federation. Once he completed his playing career, Germano coached soccer and baseball at Hofstra University in New York, where he also served as assistant dean of students.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of physical activity and protecting consumers against unsafe and ineffective fitness products and instruction. As the nation’s "workout watchdog," ACE conducts university-based research and testing that targets fitness products and trends. ACE sets standards for fitness professionals and is the world’s largest nonprofit fitness certifying organization. For more information on ACE and its programs, call (800) 825-3636 or log onto the ACE Web site at www.acefitness.org.