Health & Fitness Business Show '07: Speakers, exhibitors, golf, 3rd SNEWS® Fitness Forum, a.m. workout

Details of pre-show and on-floor events and education are starting to lock in, as well as brands and companies exhibiting, all of which indicate this year’s show won’t disappoint.

Back on the floor is Precor for the first time in a number of years. Life Fitness will maintain its representation for the retail side of the industry. Also back is TKO, after paring down business after its 2005 bankruptcy, and debuting on the floor after it chose to show prototype equipment last year in a nearby hotel is industry newcomer Torque Fitness. Still missing are True, which initially signed up for a booth but since has opted out, and Nautilus, with Cybex choosing not to appear despite the company stressing its emphasis now on a re-entry into the retail market.

A floor plan to date, including other exhibitors, is posted at www.healthandfitnessbiz.com. As of this week, nearly 100 companies were on the list, with brands represented by those booths typically meaning 10 percent or more than that.

“We’re on pace with last year, if not slightly ahead,” said show marketing director Rich Kelly.

“We’re looking forward to a great Health & Fitness Business 2007 with our enhanced free conference schedule,” Kelly added. “We expect a truly energized experience for all attendees this year.”

To help bring attendees immediately to the show floor to get involved, the show’s registration and check-in will be on the floor this year. Remember, you can register for free until mid-July.

Education to go
Education will be an emphasis again this year, with both pre-show, morning and on-floor events during the Aug. 2-4, 2007, event, in Denver, Colo.

“Following Paul Zane Pilzer’s keynote address on ‘The Wellness Revolution’ on opening day, we now have the SNEWS® Fitness Forum on the women’s market immediately following, and Joe Marcoux’s ‘Boutique Thinking’ sales training session on Saturday morning,” Kelly said.

>> Aug. 2, 8:30 to 10 a.m.: Paul Zane Pilzer, author of the best-selling book “The Wellness Revolution,” economist and entrepreneur. We know Pilzer won’t just mamby-pamby to his audience so get ready to be challenged.

>> Aug. 2, 10:30 a.m. to noon: Titled, “Scoring With The Women: How to satisfy a woman and make her a customer for life,” the forum will take up the debate about whether the fitness industry is doing a good enough job selling and marketing to, promoting to and designing for women with a panel of men and women from inside and outside the industry, manufacturers and retailers alike. Panelists include Kim Moore, Exercise Equipment Northwest; Dale Hansen, Hansen Fitness; and Jeff Laborde, Inspire Fitness; and from outside the industry, Kim Coupounas, CEO/co-founder, GoLite outdoor equipment; and Kim Walker, president, Outdoor Divas retailer.

>> Aug. 4, 8:30 to 10 a.m.: Joe Marcoux, “Boutique Thinking in a Big Box World.” Former vice president of sales for RedZone Fitness and Canadian sales manager for Vision Fitness, Marcoux recently started his own sales training business, “Just Did It,” with a focus on specialty fitness.

Community Center
Smack in the middle of the floor will be the show’s new Community Hub and Media Center, which will also house the SNEWS®/GearTrends® booth.

Look for a schedule of book signings, special appearances, games, continued fund-raising for ALS through Augie’s Quest and other events that will take place in Da Hub. This is where you can get maps, an official show planner (this year published inside the GearTrends® Fitness 2007 magazine), personal directions, a little chat, and where you can also during certain show hours get a free cup o’ java from your friends at SNEWS® so you literally can, as we say, “Wake Up to Real News.”

SNEWS® promises a few other surprises too, and look for a “Hot Sheet” show paper on the first and second days by SNEWS® to keep you updated on the happenings (and maybe catch some sneak-peak late-breaking news).

This year for the first time the show will also open on Friday morning for early morning workouts from 8-9 a.m. to give you a chance to get your workout while also trying out equipment. Don’t miss it.

Golf Scramble update
Sign up now to enjoy a pre-show afternoon Aug. 1 of networking, fun, prizes and fund-raising to find a cure for ALS through Augie’s Quest. For all the details, click here to read our May 4, 2007, SNEWS® story, “Golf scramble takes amazing shape.” Former NFL pro Steve Beuerlein, who is now a CBS game analyst and the new owner of Charlotte Fitness Equipment, will be on-hand to raise the fund-raising ante. Beuerlein has had a personal interest in raising funds to fight ALS for nearly a decade and wants everybody to show. You may even get a chance to play in his foursome. Golf sponsors include the Health & Fitness Business Show, AccuFitness, BH Fitness, Diamondback, FreeMotion Fitness, Octane Fitness and Spri Products, not to mention your hard-working organizers, SNEWS®. Click on the above story to get all the details, or email gene@geartrends.com.

Sponsors make the show go round
So far, the companies pitching in for one event, party or other happening at the Aug. 2-4 event are: Diamondback, Keys, FMI, Innovations in Software, Lamar Fitness, LifeCore, Precor, SportsArt, SuperMats, Valeo and, of course, SNEWS®/GearTrends® as the official media sponsor.

Got show news to share about your company or products? Drop a note to snewsbox@snewsnet.com. In addition, SNEWS® will update show events each month before the show, so keep reading to hear more about what you don’t want to miss at the 2007 event. Although not organizers, we’d be happy to answer questions if we can, or we’ll forward them to those in-the-know at show headquarters. Just drop us a note at snewsbox@snewsnet.com.