Leslie Sansone - Leslie is a nationally recognized fitness expert, and creator of the Walk at Home program. Her philosophy is simple. She believes that our bodies were made to move and we can walk our way to health and wellness. FITNESS WALKING has proven to be the most beneficial of all healthy lifestyle choices in reducing disease and improving the quality of life!
For 25 years, she’s taught people of all ages how to get fit, stay fit and feel better about life. She has 70 million walk fans, and counting. What started as a few classes in her fitness center has grown into the no1 walking program in the world, grossing over $250 million. Leslie’s energy is contagious. Her enthusiasm for walking, and life, is unmatched. She’s a walk guru on a mission: to promote healthy lifestyles, to ward off illness associated with obesity and sedentary lifestyles, and to improve public health one stride at a time.
Leslie’s life’s work also includes being a mother of three. So when she’s not leading walk events, producing DVDs, making TV appearances, or supporting national health programs, she’s busy keeping up with family life! Leslie is a contributing editor to many magazines and Web sites including Woman’s Day, Real Age, iVillage, Family Circle and more!
She contributes her time, her expertise, and financial support to health organizations including the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetic Association, and MDA. She served on the Leadership Council for IDEA and holds eight certifications including the prestigious American College of Sports Medicine and Cooper Institute: Group Exercise Leader. Leslie was chosen to be one of three keynote speakers for the 2008 American College of Sports Medicine National Fitness and Health Summit.
For more information about Leslie visit: www.WalkatHome.com
Peter Davis - Peter is the President and CEO of IDEA Health and Fitness Association. IDEA is a company that creates products, tools and solutions to educate and grow the fitness industry so that they can continue to change lives, be more successful and better our world.
Peter received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from San Diego State University in 1980. In 1981 and 1982, he was awarded Coach of the Year honors as coach of the University of California San Diego (UCSD) men’s tennis team. Coming from the strictly regulated world of tennis, the Davis’ understood the importance of organization and ethics in sports, as well as business. They met a tennis camp at age 13, both competed during college.
After establishing IDEA, the Davis’ introduced the first formal professional fitness certification organization in 1985, the IDEA Foundation, now known as the America Council on Exercise (ACE). In 30 years, the grass-roots effort, which started in the Davis’ spare bedroom with minimal funds and zero staff, has grown to more 65,000 members and subscribers. Today, Peter and IDEA continue to lead the way, guided by a common mission to create a healthier planet in concert with professional who are on the front lines of making this vision a reality. With the launch of IDEA FitnessConnect™ in 2010, IDEA has created the largest national industry-wide directory linking over 250,000 US fitness professionals to more than 16 million consumers.
In March 2011, Peter began the largest cultural transformation in IDEA’s 30-year history, dramatically shifting priorities from a traditional “work until you drop” environment to a new, original model that emphasizes wellness and happiness. “Exercise your Happiness” corporate wellness model fosters happiness and supports personal and professional growth of employees in a fun and healthy way.
Peter remains quite active as a tennis player, golfer and runner. He and his wife Kathie have two children, Jason age 27 and Kelli age 23.
For more information about Peter visit: www.ideafit.com
Beth Kuntzleman - Beth received her BA degree and MA degree from Spring Arbor University and Michigan State University, respectively. She studied under the legendary physiologist Arthur Steinhaus. She is the author of The Complete Book of Aerobic Dancing (1979) and co-author of Aerobics with Fun (1982) and Feelin’ Good® Fitness Report (1984). In the early 70s she provided physical fitness/weight control and stress management/relaxation classes while a professor at Jackson College in Jackson MI. In 1977-1980 as Department Chair she increased the number of community fitness classes for adults from 4 to 60, the number of professional full-time staff doubled and part time instructors increased from 0 to 12.
In 1979 she became President of Fitness Finders, Inc., a fitness consulting and program development company that trained more than 1,000 YMCA professionals peppered across the U.S., Canada and Australia. The company also created numerous wellness programs for the likes of Phillips Petroleum (Operation Lifestyle), Campbell’s Soup (The Turnaround), YMCA of the USA (Feelin’ Good and Activetics), McDonalds (Healthy Growing Up), and Pacific Life (Families in Training®). In 1980 she and her husband Charles received a large grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to evaluate their cardiovascular risk reduction program for youth (Feelin’ Good®). In 1982 she was named Senior VP for Living Well, Ltd. (a NASDAQ company) after successfully selling the Fitness Finders’ Living Well program to the Houstonian.
In 1990 she became Director of Research and Development Initiatives for the Division of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan. From 1996 to 2000 she continued her services with the University as a Research Associate for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield funded Fitness for Youth Program that tested more than 35,000 children annually on fitness, BMIs and blood cholesterols.
Under her leadership Fitness Finders currently has more than 20,000 USA schools in North America. Fitness Finders® and its Shaping America’s Future® mission has 10 different motivational programs and over 300 awards designed to develop the body, mind and character of America’s youth. The company’s current most successful program, the Mileage Club®, last year (2012-13, school year) encouraged America’s youth to exercise a total of 372 million minutes. That translates to 31 million miles of walking, running and jogging a year.
For more about Beth visit: www.fitnessfinders.net
Bobby Hinds - Bobby, the visionary founder of LifelineUSA and legendary "Jump Rope King," pioneered the use of resistance bands and became their greatest advocate. Now, nearly 40 years later, Bobby''s premium bands permeate the training regimens of professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts all over the world.
Bobby “Sugar” Hinds boxed at Wisconsin from 1951-1955 where he went undefeated in dual meets and won 38 straight matches. He became a professional boxer and high school art teacher before moving on to selling insurance. Eventually, in 1973, he created his famous beaded jump rope that officially launched Lifeline. After overcoming poverty, a speech impediment and time in reform school, Bobby has truly lived a rags-to-riches story.
Bobby’s first jump ropes were manufactured in his backyard and were sold as one of the first fitness-oriented businesses in the United States. First nicknamed the “Jump Rope King” by Time Magazine, Bobby traveled everywhere promoting the benefits of his smooth-action-high-speed rope. He created spectacles and when he wasn’t on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, he was jumping alligators in Louisiana.
The ambitious founder took his jump rope from a backyard factory to being the hottest fitness product in Sears and JC Penny in 1976. His passion for jumping rope also led him to helping start “Jump Rope for Life” with the American Heart Association.
Lightning continued to strike as Bobby took his next invention, the Lifeline Portable Gym into production in 1977 promoting the idea of “Pumping Rubber” and setting the stage for Lifeline’s growth as a functional fitness pioneer.
2013 marks Lifeline’s 40th anniversary and over those 40 years, Bobby has worked tirelessly to improve the health and lives of people everywhere.
For more information about Bobby visit: www.lifelineusa.com
Kathie Davis - Recognized as a leading authority on fitness-related information, Kathie is frequently interviewed by international and national news outlets. She has appeared on national television, including NBC’s Today Show, and has been profiled in various newspapers and magazines, including USA Today, Shape and San Diego magazines.
Kathie received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physical Education from San Diego State University in 1979 and was awarded its Distinguished Alumni of the Year in 1993. Kathie, having taught group exercise for 10 years, maintains an active personal fitness program while visiting various fitness facilities around the country.
Kathie is the co-founder of Executive Director if IDEA Health & Fitness Association. IDEA is a company that creates products, tools and solutions to educate and grow the fitness industry so that they can continue to change lives, be more successful and better our world.
Kathie truly exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit. Upon graduation from college, she embarked on a journey to pursue her passion and dedicate her life’s work to what she believes in. Together with her husband Peter Davis, Kathie co-founded IDEA in 1982 on the strength on one basic premise; that by fostering professionalism in the health and fitness industry, millions of people around the world could live healthier, happier lives.
In 30 years, IDEA has grown to more than 65,000 members and subscribers in more than 80 countries who carry out the IDEA mission to “Inspire the World to Fitness®.”
Today, Kathie and IDEA continue to lead the way, guided by a common mission to create a healthier planet in concert with professionals who are on the front lines of making this vision a reality.
Kathie is a key supporter and influencer of several national initiatives that contribute to conquering the global obesity epidemic including First Lady Obama’s “Let’s Move!” and “Joining Forces” initiatives.
For more information about Kathie visit: www.ideafit.com
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