Anytime Fitness announces 'Franchisee of the year'

Anytime Fitness club owner Rhys Cutifani was named 'Franchisee of the year' at the Anytime Fitness annual conference held at Hamilton Island last week.

Cutifani owns five Anytime Fitness clubs across NSW and the ACT (Bathurst, Campbelltown, Cooma, Fairy Meadow and Fyshwick) and received the award due to his commitment to the brand and operational standards.

As Anytime Fitness Australia and New Zealand co-founder Justin McDonell explains âRhys has been a wonderful brand ambassador and leader, a great example of Anytime Fitnessâ values."

Cutifani said he was surprised yet honoured to be named Franchisee of the year, stating "it was such a great feeling when the award was announced, especially considering the respect I have for the other franchisees who were nominated."

McDonell added that all Anytime Fitness franchisees "are great operators. We are all such great friends that everyone vying for the award would have been excited no matter who won. That is what is so great about the Anytime Fitness crew â the support and solidarity you get from everyone."

Other awards that were presented at the conference include:

• Club of the year: Steve Rollings, Greenhills, NSW
• Manager of the year: Emma Griggs, Riccarton, New Zealand
• Community outreach award: Kim & Scott Robertson, Adamstown/Jesmond, Warners Bay/Belmont/ Edgeworth, NSW
• Anytime spirit award: Brad Greenbank, Ballarat, Victoria

The annual conference was a success with 90 franchisees attending as well as a range of suppliers from Life Fitness, Precor and Clubwise.

Anytime Fitness' US-based co-founder and Chief Executive Chuck Runyon also attended the conference with Anytime Fitness brand strategist Libby Crooker who travelled from Minnesota, USA.

Anytime Fitness General Manager, David Ciantar, said that the conference was an opportunity to discuss marketing, operations and business analysis, stating "the conference was a great opportunity for franchisees and staff to re-focus on what is important in our business and set new goals on where we want to be."

Anytime Fitness was founded in the USA in 2002 as an alternative to larger and more expensive health clubs. It has grown to become the fastest growing fitness club franchise in America.

The rise of 24-hour fitness clubs is a feature in the November/December 2010 issue of Australasian Leisure Management.

For more information go to www.anytimefitness.com.au