10 questions with Paula Neubert, the president and general manager of Greenwood Athletic and Tennis Club.
1. What was your first job in the health and fitness industry? Group fitness instructor. At that time it was “aerobics instructor” and I was wearing high top Velcro strapped black and yellow Reeboks. They were awesome.
2. If you could go back and tell your 16-year-old self one thing, what would it be? To be more kind to my parents because I will miss them every day when I leave home.
3. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in life? A health challenge with my son.
4. How did you overcome it? Prayed, accepted help from anyone and worked together as a family to find a miracle. It happened and he’s 100 percent healthy.
5. Whom do you admire and why? Anyone who has a free spirit and I know many. Being able to take on challenges and stress with a smile on your face, and the ability to look at life knowing the next day will be better is amazing to me.
6. What’s your favorite part of your job? Planning, designing and building; ultimately, creating a future for the company.
7. Greenwood has great retention — what’s one key to this success? Constant improvement in every facet of our business from exceeding expectations to cutting-edge equipment, programs and services. We refuse to settle for mediocrity and push ourselves every day.
8. What’s your vision or hope for Greenwood over the next five years? To hit a Net Promoter Score of 80, be known as the “Nordstrom’s” of the fitness industry and take our attrition rate from 17 percent to 10 percent.
9. How would you describe yourself in three words? Energetic, ambitious, motivating. My husband would say, “slightly controlling.”
10. What would you say is your greatest strength? Leader and coach.
By Rachel Zabonick
