Art Curtis

Art Curtis, the former CEO of Millennium Partners Sports Club Management LLC, is forming his own consulting company.

Curtis had served as CEO until January, when Smaiyra Million took over the post. Curtis stayed with parent company Millennium Partners as a consultant until he officially left on Oct. 15, although he still maintains an office at the Boston company.

“It’s just time to make the break and really get serious about developing this consulting business,” says Curtis, 62. “For the time that’s left in my career, that’s how I want to be able to spend it. It was time to take a break from being either the CEO or COO of club companies.”

Curtis had intended to build a club consulting business back in 2005. Millennium Partners, his first client, then finalized a deal to purchase six clubs from The Sports Club Co., Los Angeles. (Millennium had served as the landlord for five of the six clubs.) After the acquisition, Curtis was asked to stay on and serve as the CEO of Millennium’s new sports club company, Millennium Partners Sports Club Management.

“Initially, we thought that would be something that would go on for maybe three years or so and ended up turning into a little over five years,” he says.

Curtis also has served as CEO of Stonewater, a national consolidation of more than 20 day spas, and COO of The Wellbridge Co., Greenwood Village, CO, during his more than 30 years in the health club industry.

The types of services Curtis plans to provide as a consultant—drawn from those years of experience—will include strategic planning, business turnarounds, organizational and management team development, process improvement and operating systems, mergers and acquisitions, and new club development. Curtis says potential clients include private equity firms inside or outside the industry, developers who want to incorporate clubs into a large, mixed-use project, small and mid-sized club companies, hospital systems, and product companies. Curtis is still finalizing plans on the name and direction of the company.

Curtis plans to continue to serve as the chair of the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) board of directors.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time both on the board, and in particular, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time in the last two years as chairman of the board,” Curtis says.

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© 2012 Penton Media Inc.