Crunch Fitness announced the appointment of Chequan Lewis as president. Ben Midgley will transition from CEO of Crunch Franchising to Crunch’s Board of Directors as of March 15, 2024, and will be integral in franchisee relations.
Lewis, the former COO and the first chief equity officer at Pizza Hut U.S., will guide and direct company operations for owned and franchised businesses in his new role. He will work directly with other Crunch executives and franchise owners to develop growth strategies, improve performance, and elevate the brand. Lewis is a Howard University and Harvard Law School graduate, former business litigator, and Presidential Leadership Scholar who is deeply committed to civic engagement.
“We believe Chequan’s strategic mindset and proven track record will continue to lift Crunch to new heights,” said Jim Rowley, CEO of Crunch Worldwide. “Chequan brings a wealth of experience and has delivered tremendous results in his previous roles. We look forward to working together to build on the strong foundation at Crunch and drive our company’s success into the future.”
“I’m fired up to join the Crunch team on our journey to deliver legendary experiences for our members, gym teams and franchisees,” said Lewis. “As a lifelong fitness enthusiast with a passion for franchising, coming to Crunch feels like a homecoming. I’m excited to grow the Crunch legend alongside a talented team and a committed franchise network.”
During Midgley’s tenure since 2009, the franchising of Crunch Fitness has achieved remarkable results, setting new standards of excellence in the industry. Midgley has taken the Crunch franchise business from conception to being one of the fast-growing fitness concepts in 41 states and seven countries, with 460-plus gyms, more than 2.5 million members, and the No. 1 fitness franchise on the Entrepreneur 500 list.
“Ben’s unwavering commitment to Crunch, our members and our franchisees has led us from being a concept to becoming the fastest-growing gym franchise in the country,” added Rowley. “With Ben joining the Board, our franchise partners will continue to have a dedicated advocate and liaison to represent their needs across Crunch’s business strategies. This is the right move at the right time as we gear up for even greater growth in 2024 and beyond.”
These announcements come at a pivotal time as Crunch is gearing up for an unprecedented year. In addition to ranking first in the fitness category, Crunch also came in No. 29 overall in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500. The brand is also celebrating its 35th anniversary, pushing towards 3 million members, and is on pace for over 500 club locations in 2024.
