What's new at CI's trade show

As the clock ticks away on the 20th Century, fitness professionals from around the country will again converge upon Chicago for the last great event of the millennium.

The final Club Industry trade show and conference of the century hits Chi-Town's McCormick Place, Oct. 13-16, 1999.

Conference sessions, which begin Wednesday, Oct. 13, will reflect the changing face of the fitness industry at the dawn of the new epoch.

"The millennium has become an effective device to get people to think about the clubs of the future," says program manager Howard Ravis. "Many of the programs specifically mention the new millennium or the future in general."

Included among those are Sales Tips for the 21st Century with Brenda Abdilla, president of Club Profit Systems; Preview 2000: What Industry Leaders Are Thinking and Doing to Stay on Top, with Club Industry editor Jerry Janda and Herb Lipsman, general manager of The Houstonian Club; Prospecting, Marketing and Selling for and to Women in the New Millennium, with Karen Coley-Cannon, general manager and sales/marketing director of Fitness Connection for Women and Gainesville Health & Fitness Center; and 21st Century Cost-Saving Solutions: Lessons Learned from Both Clubs and Other Industries, with Rick Caro, president of Management Vision Inc.

In addition there's a special free panel discussion, The Shape of Things to Come - 21st Century Equipment Design, featuring representatives of Precor, FitLinxx, Life Fitness, Netpulse and Icarian Fitness Equipment. The panel is slated for Thursday, Oct. 14, at noon.

On Thursday, Oct. 14, the trade show floor opens, showcasing the latest in cardiovascular and strength-training equipment, free weights and plate-loaded gear, nutritional products and programs, software technology, lockers and locker room amenities, fitness assessment equipment, flooring and a plethora of other products and services. More than 900 booths, representing about 225 companies, will pack more than 90,000 square feet of the show floor.

A new feature this year will be The Healthy Horizon Awards, a special event sponsored by the Keiser Institute on Aging, in collaboration with Club Industry magazine. These awards recognize innovation and quality in fitness and wellness programs for older adults. The award ceremony will take place on Friday, Oct. 15, at 4 p.m. near Club of the Past/Timeline of the 20th Century in Fitness, a special display area in the rear of the hall dedicated to the history, and future, of the health and fitness industry.

Healthy Horizons won't be the only award ceremony taking place at Club Industry '99. For the third straight year, Club Industry magazine will honor the winners of its Distinguished Business Woman's Awards. The special ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m.

And, of course, no Club Industry event would be complete without the Welcome Reception, which is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 13, 6:30- 7 p.m. Early Morning Aerobics, another Club Industry tradition, will take place Thursday, Oct. 14 and Friday, Oct. 15 7-7:45 a.m. Early Morning Workouts are set for Friday and Saturday. Back by popular demand is the Club Industry Fun Run on Friday at 6:30 a.m. Take an invigorating jaunt from The Palmer House Hilton to Early Morning Workouts on the trade show floor.

See you in the Windy City!

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© 2012 Penton Media Inc.