Press Room

American Council on Exercise Joins with IHRSA to Enhance National Fitness Trade Show

Posted: Dec 09, 2005 in

Boston, November 30, 2005 - The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) and American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s nonprofit fitness advocate, announced today that they have joined forces to offer the first ACE International Fitness Symposium for health and fitness professionals. The Symposium will be held in association with the 25th Annual National Fitness Trade Show (NFTS) at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, NV, September 6-9, 2006.

The ACE International Fitness Symposium will run concurrently with IHRSA’s Club Entrepreneur Conference during the NFTS.

“We welcome the American Council on Exercise to the party,” said Wally Boyko, CEO of the NFTS. “IHRSA’s involvement in the 2005 NFTS gave the show a definite spark and we expect the same thing to happen with the presence of the ACE International Fitness Symposium.”

This marks the second consecutive year that a major educational meeting has been created to augment the NFTS. In September of 2005, IHRSA hosted the first annual Club Entrepreneur Conference that attracted nearly 400 attendees.

“We’ve long had a desire to create our own international fitness education symposium,” said Scott Goudeseune, chief operating officer for ACE. “Working with IHRSA and the NFTS provides the venue and trade show, assuring that our certified professionals receive a top flight educational and expo experience.”

“The ACE Symposium marks another milestone in our long-standing, mutually-beneficial relationship with ACE,” said John McCarthy, IHRSA’s Executive Director. “We believe that our missions are consistent and that together we can help take the NFTS to a new level.”

Additional highlights of the 2006 NFTS include the second annual Augie’s Quest for a Cure fund-raiser for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), a division of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The NFTS is held annually at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. The 2005 event drew over 1,500 attendees and 75 exhibitors.

For further information, regarding: The ACE Symposium, contact: Kristie Spalding, ACE Corporate Communications Director (800) 546-7470 or kristie.spalding@acefitness.org.

The IHRSA Club Entrepreneur Conference, contact: Meredith Poppler, IHRSA Director of Sales (800) 228-4772 or mm@ihrsa.org.

Exhibiting at the 25th annual National Fitness Trade Show, September 6-9, 2006, contact: Tom Hunt, IHRSA Trade Show Sales Manager (800) 228-4772 or teh@ihrsa.org.

Wally Boyko Productions, contact Meshelle Boyko (541) 830-0400 or Meshelle@msfitness.com.

About ACE
The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s Authority on Fitness, 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 sponsors university-based exercise science 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.

About Wally Boyko Productions, Inc.
The National Fitness Trade Show, produced by Wally Boyko Productions, Inc. (WBP), is the longest continuous running event in Las Vegas according to the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Association. WBP also publishes National Fitness Trade Journal (1982), Ms. Fitness Magazine (1993), and is the governing body worldwide for Ms. Fitness competitions through their subsidiary International Fitness Sanctioning Body. For more information, call (541) 830-0400 or log onto their main web site at www.msfitness.com.

About IHRSA
The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) is proud to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2005-2006. Over the past quarter of a century, the not-for-profit association has established itself as the voice of quality and innovation for the global health, racquet, and sports club industry representing over 6,500 clubs in 67 countries, along with over 600 industry suppliers.

As it looks to the future, IHRSA is committed to taking a leadership role in advancing physical activity, which is critical to America’s health and the battle against obesity and disease. IHRSA supports effective national initiatives to promote more active lifestyles and is working to pass laws that will help affect societal changes toward a more fit America.