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March 8-11 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Next week, IHRSA’s 36^th Annual International Convention & Trade Show heads back to America’s west coast, after a very successful 2016 event in Orlando, Florida. The entertaining LA Live campus in Los Angeles, California will once again be the site of IHRSA’s annual March gathering of health club professionals from around the globe.

Keynote Speakers

IHRSA’s keynote speakers always leave the audience wanting more. This year, attendees will hear from the following four individuals:

SETH MATTISON

Founder & Chief Movement Officer, FutureSight Labs

Relationship Revolution: Building Better Connections in the Digital Age

Wednesday, March 8

Sponsored by MYZONE

Seth Mattison is an internationally renowned expert on workforce trends and generational dynamics. As founder and chief movement officer of FutureSight Labs, Mattison advises many of the world’s leading brands and organizations on the key shifts happening around talent management, change and innovation, leadership and the future of work.

Named to the Editors’ Picks for Favorite Speakers of 2013 by MeetingsNet, Mattison offers actionable content that can immediately impact business performance. With his finger on the pulse of today’s changing workforce, Mattison blends storytelling from his own personal experience working with category-leading brands while leveraging cutting-edge research to develop fresh perspectives on the key strategic issues most relevant for today’s leaders.

MARTIN LINDSTROM

Author, Change Agent and Brand Futurist from Denmark

Forget BIG Data – Small Data Defines the Future

Thursday, March 9

Sponsored by Technogym

Martin Lindstrom is recognized as one of the world’s leading brand experts, having pioneered the introduction of brands on the Internet (1994), using our five senses in branding (2004), introducing neuroscience in advertising (2007) and exploring the next generation of subconscious communication (2010). He was named a top “Thinkers 50 Global Management Thinker” in 2015. Lindstrom was named one of TIME magazine’s “World’s 100 Most Influential People” and is the author of several New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling books, including Buyology, Brandwashed, and Small Data. He is a

trusted brand-and-innovation advisor to numerous Fortune 100 companies, including McDonald’s Corporation, PepsiCo, American Express, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Walt Disney Company and GlaxoSmithKline.

JOHNNY EARLE

Branding Expert, and Founder, Johnny Cupcakes

Viral Business: Inspiring Customer Loyalty

Friday, March 10

Sponsored by Matrix Fitness

Over the past decade Johnny Cupcakes, founded by speaker Johnny Earle, has grown from a “joke” to a multi-million dollar, highly exclusive t-shirt brand driven by a community of world-wide collectors. Johnny shares his story of how he took his t-shirt brand from the trunk of his rusty car at age 19, with a learning disability, to some of the world’s most sought after retail locations.

In this session, Johnny will piece together how his success reinforces the power of details, experience and loyalty. Johnny’s presentation provides comprehensive blueprints for getting any small business, passion or idea off the ground, while also expanding the way existing creators think.

SORAYA DARABI

Co-Founder, Zady, and Impact Investor

Creating & Maintaining Engagement

Saturday, March 11
Sponsored by Daxko / CSI Software

Soraya Darabi has her finger firmly on the pulse of today’s constantly changing media landscape. As a leader in next-generation digital communications and e-commerce over the past decade, Darabi has helped numerous brands and companies of all sizes anticipate, understand, and maximize emerging digital trends.

She began her career as the first-ever manager of digital partnerships and social media for the New York Times, where she formed and implemented the global news leader’s digital and social media strategies, which are still in place today. Most recently, Darabi is co-founder of Zady.com and was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business.”

In this session, Darabi will explore the unique strategies and best in class tips for creating a customized engagement plan for your industry and organization that helps to lasso the current and next generation of consumers, clients, and users.

All keynote sessions and select education sessions will be translated into Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. In addition, select keynote and education sessions will be translated into Chinese (Sponsored by ChinaFit) and Japanese.

Additional Highlights

TRADE SHOW

The 2-day (March 9 & 10) IHRSA International Trade Show is the place for health club operators to discover the newest and best fitness technology the world has to offer. More than 350 exhibitors come from around the globe to showcase their products and services in a vibrant, high-energy environment that you won’t want to miss. Be the first to see and try out the latest strength and cardio equipment—many of which will be making their debut on the trade show floor—and check out the newest models of your favorite machines.

• Try out the latest cardio and strength machines equipped with the most cutting-edge digital electronics and ergonomic designs;
• See live demos of club management software, locker room amenities, retention technologies, and more; and
• Experience the latest group exercise class trends (and get your own heart rate up) with early-morning workouts taught by the industry’s leading instructors, right on the show floor.

FINANCIAL PANEL

When conceptualizing the first IHRSA Financial Panel 20 years ago, Rick Caro, president of industry consultancy Management Vision, Inc., and former IHRSA board president, knew the audience would benefit most from outside experts.

“I kept thinking club leaders spend too much time talking to each other about topics, when outside experts would be helpful in giving us a well-rounded, balanced picture,” he says. “I wanted to find financial experts who would give us perspective on analogous industries, trend information we don’t have inside the industry, and, more importantly, give us a real snapshot of how others in their sector of finance see, not only where the health club industry is today, but where it could be going.”

The panel Caro put together was so successful it became a mainstay of the IHRSA International Convention & Trade Show ever since. This year, Caro will moderate the 21st Annual IHRSA Financial Panel at IHRSA 2017 in Los Angeles.

IGNITE!

IGNITE! is a fast-paced, 75-minute event where selected speakers prepare 20 slides, each shown for 15 seconds, giving all presenters 5 minutes of fame. IGNITE! presenters share their personal and professional insights on a host of wide-ranging topics that can be informative, enlightening, humorous, or just plain fun!

EDUCATION TUTORIALS

The tutorial program is designed to bring attendees together who are facing the same challenges and obstacles in their day-to-day operations with a business executive or industry professional who will facilitate practical ‘solution discovery’. These groups will be limited in size to maximize interaction.

NETWORKING ROUNDTABLES

The opportunity to network with club operators from around the world is one of the most requested IHRSA Convention activities each year. Facilitated by a moderator, these roundtable discussions provide attendees with the chance to connect, and share knowledge and ideas on a variety of mission-critical topics.

WORKSHOPS & EDUCATION SEMINARS PRESENTED BY ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

The half- and full-day workshops and Supplier Seminars, presented by a variety of IHRSA Associate members that are also exhibiting at the Trade Show, allow you to dig deeper into the programs and products that can increase success in your club. You will not only enjoy the hands-on aspect of these seminars, but also learn more about the products and services that you will be able to fully ‘test-drive’ on the Show floor.

BASH FOR AUGIE’S QUEST

 The health and fitness industry’s fight to find a cure for ALS (Lou Gherig’s disease) continues at the 12th Annual BASH for Augie’s Quest on Friday, March 10. Join industry veteran Augie Nieto, and his wife Lynne, as they strive to raise funds for critical ALS research at this inspiring, heartwarming event. There will also be a cocktail reception, silent auction, and awards ceremony. E-mail augiesquest@als.net to purchase tickets or a table. Advance reservations are required.

REGISTER TODAY

Visit ihrsa.org/convention for the full agenda, to register for the event, and for hotel information. Call IHRSA at +1 (617) 951-0055 with questions or to register by phone. Also, be sure to download the free IHRSA 2017 mobile app (available at http://hub.ihrsa.org/ihrsa-2017-app) for enhanced features including networking options, a trade show map, and the latest schedule of events. See you in Los Angeles!