IHRSA to Host 31st Annual Conference and Trade Show in Los Angeles

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Regular attendees of the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) conference will have a new destination to look forward to next month. The IHRSA show, held the last several years in either San Francisco or San Diego, is making its home this year in the new Los Angeles Convention Center (South Hall).

From March 14-17, for-profit club operators from the United States and around the world will converge on Los Angeles for seminars, special events, keynotes and a tour of the exhibit hall. Wednesday, March 14, is set aside for seminars, which occur from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. But the main events happen later that day. The opening keynote address, “Practically Radical: Transforming Your Company and Challenging Yourself” by William Taylor, founding editor of Fast Company and author of “Practically Radical: Not-So-Crazy Ways to Transform Your Company, Shake Up Your Industry, and Challenge Yourself,” will occur from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

After a short break, the opening night reception follows from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Attendees who want to rise and shine early on Thursday, March 15, can enjoy exercise classes from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and still have time to shower and look like movie stars as they tour the exhibit hall from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. But if they do so, they may miss the 8:30 a.m. keynote address “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” by Simon Sinek, author and founder of Simon Sinek Inc. Sinek specializes in teaching leaders and companies how to inspire people.

Early morning workouts are scheduled from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Friday, March 16, in the exhibit hall, so attendees can try out the equipment.

From 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Guy Kawasaki, co-founder of Alltop.com and founding partner of Garage Technology Ventures (not to mention former chief evangelist at Apple Inc.), will offer his keynote, “The Art of Enchantment.”

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The trade show is again open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday.

That evening, starting at 6 p.m., many of the attendees will converge at the LA Live Platinum Ballroom at the JW Marriott hotel for the seventh annual Augie’s Bash, an event to raise money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This year, the event is hosted by Nancy O’Dell, co-host of the syndicated “Entertainment Tonight” TV show. The evening also will feature actor and comedian Jay Mohr. The Mardi Gras-themed event will raise money for Augie’s Quest, the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s ALS research initiative created by Augie Nieto, founder of Life Fitness. Nieto was diagnosed with ALS in 2005.

Even though the exhibitors will have packed away their booths by Saturday, attendees can still gain some knowledge by attending the Saturday seminars and the keynote address by Shellie Y. Pfohl, executive director of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. Pfohl’s presentation from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is an open forum.

The seminar schedule is divided into 14 topic areas: customer service and retention, exercise classes, fitness and personal training, health promotion and wellness, human resources, innovations and opportunities, leadership, legal and legislative, management and operations, marketing, membership sales, programming, research and supplier seminars.

NEXT PAGE: IHRSA 2012 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

2012 IHRSA CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Wednesday, March 14

• 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. – Making Connections Orientation (for first-time attendees)
• 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Full-Day Workshops
• 9 a.m. – Noon – Half-Day Workshops
• 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. – Education Sessions
• 11 a.m. – Noon – Education Sessions
• 12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. – Networking Roundtable Luncheon
• 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Education Seminars Presented by Associate Members
• 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. – Education Sessions
• 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. – Education Sessions
• 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – General Session with William Taylor
• 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. – Welcome Reception

Thursday, March 15

• 6 a.m. – 8 a.m. – Exercise Classes
• 7 a.m. – 8 a.m. – Networking Roundtable Continental Breakfasts
• 8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. – State of the Industry Report by Joe Moore
• 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – General Session with Simon Sinek
• 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Education Sessions
• 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Exhibit Hall Open
• 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Education Sessions
• 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Networking Focus Groups
• 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Education Tutorials
• 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Go Canada Reception
• 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Zumbathon Fundraiser for MDA’s Augie’s Quest
• 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – IHRSA Regional Association Reception
• 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. – Planet IHRSA: The International Reception

Friday, March 16

• 6:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. – Exercise Classes and Early Morning Workouts
• 7 a.m. – 8 a.m. – Networking Roundtable Continental Breakfasts
• 8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. – IHRSA’s Annual Meeting
• 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – General Session with Guy Kawasaki
• 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Education Sessions
• 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – IHRSA Financial Panel
• 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Exhibit Hall Open
• Noon – 1:30 p.m. – Club Controllers Networking Luncheon
• 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Education Sessions
• 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Networking Focus Groups
• 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Education Tutorials
• 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. – Augie’s Bash for MDA’s Augie’s Quest

Saturday, March 17

• 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Education Sessions
• 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Education Sessions
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – General Session with Shellie Y. Pfohl
• 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Education Sessions
• 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Education Sessions

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