IHRSA president and CEO Liz Clark announced a new name for the organization, the Health & Fitness Association, which Clark described as a “global community of industry leaders supporting an Association committed to advocacy, education and research.”
Clark announced the name change during her address before the keynote at the Association’s convention and trade show on March 6 in Los Angeles, CA.
“Every industry evolves, and the next step of evolution for our association is to have a name that exactly reflects the breadth, diversity and consumer-oriented focus of the businesses in our sector,” Clark said. “The Health & Fitness Association is clear, compelling and can also be easily translated into any language, which is vital given the international reach of the Association and the global operations of our members.
“This decision is especially important when we focus on the Association’s primary mission—advocacy to government, media, NGOs, and other key stakeholders around the world. From today on, there will be no question about the mission, vision and clarity of purpose of the Health & Fitness Association.”
The Association launched in 1981 as the International Racquet & Sports Association (IRSA), and, in 1994, it became the International Health Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).
Clark’s announcement regarding the Association’s name change is “the culmination of a year-long project that involved board members, industry advisors and veterans, association staff, and brand strategy and marketing consultants.”
In addition to the name, the rebrand “involves clarifying and refining the member service and onboarding process to maximize efficiency and effectiveness and implement new operational plans that support ongoing strategic planning.”
The Association also showcased a new logo, brand usage guidelines, colors, and fonts as part of the process.
In the coming months, the Association will roll out its full transition of the brand, iconography, images, website, social media platforms, email addresses, and collateral materials and use the hashtag #HealthFit.
Image courtesy Tropeaka
