Freemotion, a global fitness brand, has appointed Jeff Esswein as VP Strategic Accounts & Digital Content to push digital strategy and solutions to pivot the company from purely brick & mortar to offer a more digital, hybrid model of gym and health club operation.
Esswein started his career in medical fitness working for Riverside Health System where he headed up its health and fitness division and since then, he has amassed 30 years of industry experience. In the 1990s, he built and operated two 150,000-square-foot, multi-purpose athletic facilities in his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA then transitioned to a Co-Owner/Developer of ClubCom, a provider of digital media networks for the fitness industry.
He went on to become the COO of a private broadcasting company, Velocity World Media, moving the U.S.-based satellite start-up from a domestic platform to a worldwide audience. Prior to joining Freemotion, Essewein was operating as president of the sports and entertainment business for PCG Capital where he directed Cool Springs Sports Complex, Wildwood Sports Complex and Oxford Athletic Club in Pittsburgh and increasing Oxford’s revenue by 44 percent within two years.
Dan Toigo, senior VP and managing director of Freemotion, said: “Jeff is one of the most respected individuals in the media and digital industry. Jeff’s expertise in both the digital content space, along with his understanding of the club market from an operator’s standpoint, brings a unique skill set to Freemotion and our strategic accounts business as we continue our growth initiatives.”
“I’ve always said that a club without walls is going to be a successful club, and this is exactly where we’re headed due to the global pandemic. Through ICON, iFit, and Freemotion, we’re in a unique position to be able to take the knowledge base from consumers and use it to help operators drive memberships. If a Freemotion facility is able to provide immersive, content-driven experiences that engage, excite and motivate its members, then stay connected with them at home through the members’ own iFit-enabled equipment, consistency is maintained, members achieve better results and fitness becomes a habit. This ultimately leads to greater member engagement and retention and an improved bottom line. The industry is becoming more technology-driven, and we have the chance to not only take advantage of this but also to use it to maximize results for our customers,” said Esswein.
Photos courtesy Freemotion