John Kersh is a nearly 20-year veteran of the health and fitness industry. He began in 1992, working for the Boston-based International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), and became their Director of International Development in 1996. In that position, John created several of the association’s enduring global initiatives, including magazines and major industry events in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
　　In 2008, Kersh became the first Vice President of International Development for Minnesota-based franchisor Anytime Fitness, the world’s largest chain of co-ed health and fitness clubs with over 1,600 locations operating in 8 countries. Under John’s leadership, the company expanded into Mexico, the UK, the Netherlands, Poland, Japan and India, in addition to locations previously opened in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The company will also have stores opening soon in Qatar, with other markets in planning.
John is a member of the International Committee of the International Franchise Association, and is a 1986 graduate of Michigan State University.
His Session
Fitness Franchising Around the World – Who are the Leaders, and Why
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About Anytime Fitness

Fast Facts
The growth of Anytime Fitness at a glance:
More than 1,000 clubs have opened over the past 4 years.
Our 1,000,000th member joined in January of 2011 | press release
Over 1,500 clubs are open in all 50 states, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan, India, and the UK.
Franchise territories have also been sold in Ireland, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Qatar. Coming soon to several additional countries in Europe.
A new club opens every business day.
A new member joins every three minutes.
Story
　　In the Beginning | What do people really want from a health club? That's the key question Anytime Fitness co-founders Jeff Klinger and Chuck Runyon asked themselves seven years ago. The answer was relatively simple. When you boil it all down, people want a convenient and affordable place to go--with quality exercise equipment and a friendly atmosphere.
　　Thus was born the Anytime Fitness franchise--an alternative to over-sized and over-priced health clubs--providing a viable business model for independent franchisees and affordable fitness options for hundreds of thousands of members nationwide. The first Anytime Fitness club opened its doors in Cambridge, MN, in 2002.
The Best Place for Fitness 24/7 | At Anytime Fitness, we understand how important convenience is to our members. People want to exercise on their own terms, whenever their busy schedules allow, close to their homes or work places, and when they travel. That s why Anytime Fitness clubs are open 24/7, allowing members to work out any time of the day or night, even when our clubs are not staffed. It s also the rationale behind our membership reciprocity program, which is known as Anywhere Club Access. With this benefit, members join one Anytime Fitness club and can use any other club--worldwide--at no extra charge. What could be more convenient than that?
　　For more information at http://www.anytimefitness.com/en-us/corporate/about