Press Room

American Council on Exercise (ACE) Hires First Field Sales Manager

Posted: Dec 22, 2000 in

SAN DIEGO—Graham Melstrand has been named as the field sales manager for the American Council on Exercise (ACE), announced Scott Goudeseune, ACE’s vice president of sales and business development. This is the first outside sales position in ACE’s 15-year history.

Melstrand, who will be based in Thorton, Colo., joins the San Diego-based nonprofit organization with nearly 10 years of sales experience in the manufacturing side of the fitness industry.

Prior to joining ACE, he worked with Reebok/CCS Fitness Inc. in Aurora, Colo., since 1995, most recently as the director of new business development. Prior to Reebok, he spent a year as a field sales manager for StarTrac.

“Bringing Graham Melstrand on as field sales manager is a milestone for the American Council on Exercise,” said Goudeseune. “For the first time, we will have a fulltime representative in the field working directly with fitness professionals, health clubs, and other industry organizations. Building a field sales team is necessary to keep up with the growing demand for our products and to streamline the direct delivery of our services.”

In addition to his professional sales experience, Melstrand has a strong background in fitness. He was an athletic trainer for the Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Institute in Costa Mesa, Calif., and at University High School in Irvine, Calif. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education/athletic training from California State University, Long Beach. He was a nationally ranked cyclist between 1981 and 1991, a participant in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Trials, and a member of the U.S. National Team Development Program from 1983 to 1990.

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.