In the wake of David Barton’s departure as president of David Barton Gym, there’s a new man in charge of helping members “Look Better Naked.” That man is Kevin Kavanaugh, 49, the new president, who previously served as executive vice president in charge of company-wide operations.
Kavanaugh is no stranger to the gym’s “Look Better Naked,” motto. In fact, Kavanaugh recently took the motto to heart, losing 150 pounds by working with one of David Barton Gym’s illustrious personal trainers. As a result of this extreme weight-loss journey, Kavanaugh said he’s better equipped to understand what current and prospective overweight members could be feeling. “I do get that struggle,” Kavanaugh told Club Solutions over the phone, from his office in New York City.
As a 14-year veteran of David Barton Gyms, he’s also better equipped to understand club operations from the ground floor, up. Kavanaugh got his start with David Barton Gym at the front desk, before working his way up to executive vice president and his current role.
Following David Barton’s departure, Kavanaugh explained that he has nothing but respect for the core of David Barton Gym’s foundation. “The first thing I did [as president] was talk to all of the managers and tell them that we’re not changing our foundation,” he said. A foundation, said Kavanaugh, focused on helping members achieve results.
However, change, at least in some capacity, is coming. “We always want to keep our eye on the client and keep our foundation in mind,” continued Kavanaugh. “But, what we want to do is reach more people.”
The club wanting to reach more people has resulted in David Barton Gym’s announcement of a new growth strategy, which will bring the brand to new markets, such as Philadelphia and Boston. “We’re excited to take the brand to the next phase of growth,” said Kavanaugh. Currently, David Barton Gyms can be found in New York City, Miami, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. According to Kavanaugh, expansion can be expected within those cities, as well.
Just a few weeks from now, on October 1, 2013, Kavanaugh and his team will celebrate the grand opening of the company’s newest gym, David Barton Gym at Rockrose’s The Archive in New York City. Boasting a total of 12,950 square feet of space, the new location will house state-of-the-art equipment, studios designed specifically for yoga, Pilates and cycling, “signature” Group X classes and more. “I’m really excited about our newest location,” said Kavanaugh. “It’s in a really beautiful, old, turn-of-the century building.”
When asked why Barton resigned, Kavanaugh said he couldn’t comment. However, he stated that he’s thrilled to have been given the role of president of a gym known for its unique design and glamorous atmosphere.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” said Kavanaugh.
Rachel Zabonick is the assistant editor for Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@clubsolutionsmagazine.com. Reach out to her about exciting events or programs your club has implemented, or to share the amazing accomplishments of a member.
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
