Jim Rowley
Jim Rowley | |
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| Occupation | Chief Executive Officer of Crunch Fitness |
| Military career | |
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Jim Rowley is an American businessman. He is currently the CEO of Crunch Fitness, a position he has held since 2019. Rowley is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.[1]
Early life
[edit]In 1986, Rowley enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Rowley served until 1994, including OCONUS assignments with the State Department and Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, and a combat tour during the Persian Gulf War as a platoon sergeant.[2]
Career
[edit]After finishing his service in the Marine Corps, Jim landed an entry-level position in the fitness industry. Rowley then spent years working his way up to Division President at 24 Hour Fitness. In this capacity, he oversaw 225 clubs, managed $750 million in revenue, and led nearly 8,000 employees.[3] In 2005, 24 Hour Fitness was sold for $1.68 billion.[4] In 2008, Rowley co-founded UFC gym.[5]
In 2008, Mark Mastrov (Founder of 24 Hr Fitness) and Rowley co-founded New Evolution Fitness Co. ("NEFC"/New Evolution Ventures). That same year, investor Angelo Gordon brought them in to evaluate Crunch’s failing business model. Mastrov and Rowley then purchased Crunch Fitness after its 2009 bankruptcy.[6] In 2010, they chose to franchise Crunch, accelerating its location growth and branding.[7] In 2019, TPG Growth acquired Crunch. Crunch experienced a 5.6% growth in memberships from March 2020 to January 2021 across the company’s franchise network.[8]
Since 2019, Rowley has served as CEO of Crunch, revamping the marketing, sales, and operational processes.[9][10] Focus was placed on carving out a niche in the premium segment of high-value, low-price health clubs. This model offered facilities with a variety of amenities at reasonable prices.
During his time as CEO, Crunch’s member base grew to 3 million and nearly 500 locations.[11] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Crunch took the time to re-examine the business and improve existing facilities. When they were able to re-open, the business grew by 5%.[12]
In 2023, the company launched Crunch+, a streaming platform offering on-demand and live workouts.[13] By August 2024, the company reported double-digit sales growth. In December of the same year, Crunch was valued at $1.5 billion.[14] In April 2025, Leonard Green & Partners acquired a majority interest in Crunch from TPG Growth.[15]
Personal life
[edit]Rowley was born into a military family as a sixth-generation Californian, which influenced his decision to serve in the Marine Corps. He played sports as a youth. Rowley has an identical twin.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ Kupper, Crystal (May 23, 2024). "Marine veteran leans on leadership skills to build Crunch Fitness". Militaryfamilies.com.
- ^ Berger, Chloe. "Crunch Fitness CEO gets real about the tough transition from Marine to veteran—and how his business helped him overcome it". Fortune.
- ^ "Crunch Fitness CEO gets real about the tough transition from Marine to veteran—and how his business helped him overcome it". Fortune.
- ^ "Mark Mastrov, a Fitness Industry Legend, Honored for Storied Career". Athletech. October 17, 2024.
- ^ Montgomery, Tyler (December 2009). "Ready To Lead". Clubsolutions.
- ^ Young, Eric. "24 Hour Fitness mogul back in the gym". BizJournals.
- ^ "Crunch Gym app lets you avoid check-in lines". CNET.
- ^ Burns, Mark. "Gyms adjust to serve members both in-person and remotely". Biz Journals.
- ^ Goldman, Stuart (August 25, 2010). "Crunch Elevates COO Worts to President". american Spa.
- ^ "Interview: Jim Rowley". Health Club Management. May 14, 2025.
- ^ Weil, Dan. "How Crunch Fitness Stayed in Shape During Covid". Wall St Journal.
- ^ Weil, Dan. "How Crunch Fitness Stayed in Shape During Covid". Wall St Journal.
- ^ "Crunch CEO Jim Rowley Sees Big Gains for Entrepreneurs Who Can Take Advantage of the Changes Coming to the Fitness Industry". Inc.
- ^ Summerville, Abagail (December 4, 2024). "TPG explores $1.5 billion-plus sale of gym chain Crunch Fitness, sources say". Reuters.
- ^ Michaels, Laura (April 15, 2025). "TPG Sells Crunch Fitness to Leonard Green & Partners". Franchise Times.
- ^ "The CEO of Crunch Fitness doesn't think there's such a thing as work-life balance: 'That's for somebody who's not fully committed'". Yahoo. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
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