Blair McHaney, President of Gold's Gym Franchise Association, Comments on the Arrival of James Weaver as New Gold's Gym International CEO Publisher's Note: Following up on our report last month about the end of the short era of David Schnabel as CEO of Gold's Gym International, we contacted Blair McHaney, the President of the Gold's Gym Franchise Association for his early impressions on the selection of James Weaver as GGI's new CEO. In the following months, after Mr. Weaver has had a chance to get his feet on the ground at GM, we will reach out to him for comments on his plans as GGI's new CEO. In an email to CLUB INSIDER on December 1, 2008, Blair McHaney wrote: Our first impressions are optimistic. Although we have been optimistic before only to he disappointed, James seems like a guy with whom we can do business. We are looking fbrward to our National Franchise Council meeting the first week of January in Dallas. The council is made up of James Weaver, Keith Alhright, and Joel Tallman on the franchisor side, and Mike Epstein, Gordon Johnson, and myself on the franchisee side. James has already demonstrated a willingness to help franchisees do business in ways that prior leadership would not. I think it is important for us to give this leadership a chance to succeed. We do not necessarily need someone from the fitness industry to lead this brand. As has been demonstrated time and time again, leadership can come from outside an industry and provide effective leadership; both IBM and Fiat come to mind. However, the heart and soul of the Gold's Gym brand is within the people who have their heart and soul in fitness. Without the franchisees who embrace fitness as a core value, we would have no authenticity. James seems to recognize that authenticity is vital to both his leadership and for our brand to be a leader. For that to happen, franchisees need to thrive. We have been standing by waiting for GGI to engage with the GGFA in a more meaningful way. James seems highly aware of the contribution franchising makes to the brand and has easily engaged franchisees in discussions right out of the gate. He seems genuinely interested in the issues that we are facing and how we might resolve those issues in a collaborative manor. If we each see the other's value, discuss issues with an open mind, and agree on our objectives, we will have progress where in the past we have had dissention. Norm, thank you for asking! Blair C. McHaney