Franchise Industry Icons Unite; Popular Personal Wellness Concepts Prime for Aggressive Expansion

Posted on September 17, 2008 by Pete Kosowski

Fitness Franchising Expert Gary Findley and Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.’s Jeff Jervik Pair to Lead World’s Largest Wellness Franchise Company through Aggressive Growth Plan

Waco, Texas – Individually they have led iconic American brands Curves and Papa John’s to successes few other franchises have enjoyed. Now, Gary Findley and Jeff Jervik are working together to take Fitness Together and elements therapeutic massage, Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.’s popular pair of wellness franchise concepts, to the same heights.

"Working with a franchise expert of Jeff’s caliber to grow two of the wellness world’s most distinctive concepts is an opportunity few have the chance to do," said Gary Findley, founder and CEO of the Findley Group, the Waco, Texas-based, leading franchise development company. "As a team the Findley Group and Fitness Together Holdings, Inc. are strategically growing the Fitness Together and elements franchise concepts in select markets with the most qualified candidates."

Established as the world’s largest wellness franchise organization with more than 500 franchise units in five countries (United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, Canada), Fitness Together Holdings, Inc. offers personal training services through its Fitness Together concept and therapeutic massages with elements. Jervik, who was named president and CEO in late-May 2008, plans to leverage the concepts’ scale to strengthen awareness for the franchise opportunity with investors."

"We have been satisfying our existing clients with an approach to personal training and therapeutic massage that cannot be replicated. We stand out among the competitors in our space," said Jervik. "Utilizing the Findley Group’s expertise in growing franchise businesses in the right locations with the right investors, it looks like the sky is the limit for our growth."

To grow the Fitness Together and elements brands, the Findley Group will call upon the experiences and skills of Findley himself, who as the former President of Curves International was responsible for taking the chain from just a handful to several thousand units worldwide. Findley feels the timing is right for the pair of brands to take their place on the national stage.

"When Curves exploded onto the national scene women were starving for a concept created just for them," added Findley. "Now Americans are seeking greater privacy for their workout and massage experiences. Fitness Together and elements offer privacy with incomparable quality."

Jervik brings more than two decades of franchise experience to the new role, having held executive positions with franchise industry leaders such as Papa John’s and Pizza Hut, to name a few.

"We are very excited about the new partnership with the Findley Group," said Jervik. "Gary is known as an expert in the fitness community and his team of experts has more than 150 years of combined experience in franchising. Fitness Together Holdings, Inc. has established a solid blueprint for international growth and this new partnership will prepare the organization for strategic brand and franchise development."

Fitness Together franchises offer premium personal fitness training in an upscale environment with knowledgeable, service oriented personal trainers in private, fully equipped training suites. elements therapeutic massage locations provide high-end massage services at convenient, affordable price points and the option for membership packages, with licensed and certified therapy professionals. Both franchising options include comprehensive training and ongoing corporate support.

About Findley Group
Findley Group is a strategic partner to franchise businesses providing customized solutions through all phases of a franchise’s development. Founded in 2005, Findley Group is led by the former president and franchise-builder of Curves International, Gary Findley. Under Findley’s direction as president, Curves International experienced growth in franchises from 3 locations in 1996 to more than 8,000 in 2004. Currently, the Findley Group is working with several innovative and exciting companies who have unique offerings for today’s marketplace.

About Fitness Together Holdings, Inc.
Founded in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1983 and currently based in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Fitness Together Holdings, Inc. is the world’s largest wellness organization incorporating personal training services and therapeutic massages. The parent company oversees Fitness Together Franchise Corporation, a one-on-one personal training fitness franchise established in 1996, and elements therapeutic massage, a massage therapy concept that began franchising in 2006. Today, the combined network includes more than 500 franchise locations across the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, and Canada.