VASA Fitness announced Ryan Hawk has joined as its first chief technology and information officer (CTIO). Hawk is an energetic leader dedicated to leveraging modern engineering practices and technologies to deliver innovative products and features rapidly. As CTIO at VASA, he will be a key executive team member, reporting directly to CEO Rich Nelsen.
“I love what VASA offers and the company’s strategic direction,” said Hawk. “I’ve been a fan of the fitness industry for a long time, and as a technologist, have had many thoughts and ideas around how to leverage technology to bring innovations to the industry. Now I get to do exactly that. I’m excited to join a team that wants to raise the bar with regards to technology and innovation that will help bring world-class fitness solutions to its members.”
Hawk will be responsible for building a best-in-class team, aligning IT strategy with business goals, leveraging technology and data to enhance marketing effectiveness, and delivering consumer insights to elevate the member and employee experience. Hawk’s expertise will accelerate VASA’s ability to innovate, creating a more efficient and connected ecosystem that not only streamlines the business but differentiates VASA within the fitness industry.
“Ryan is a seasoned leader with a proven track record of success in building and leading high-performing technology teams and driving digital transformation,” said Nelsen. “His expertise in leveraging technology and data to drive innovation and efficiency will be invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve our business. We’re thrilled to have him on board.”
Prior to VASA, Hawk was VP of Engineering at Inspirato where he oversaw the development and operations of Inspirato digital properties, CRM, inventory, financial and data platforms. At Inspirato, Hawk assembled an engineering team that became one of the highest performing teams in the company drastically improving efficiency while taking on new challenges like machine learning and deploying AI driven solutions to the business.
AI is something he’s keeping his eye on as he transitions into the fitness industry. Hawk said he’s seen apps that use AI to create customized programming based on individual fitness goals, but in a group fitness environment. Additionally, he’s starting to see innovation in equipment with built-in sensors and integration with wearables to provide real-time feedback to the users.
“I haven’t seen technology this disruptive since the internet,” said Hawk. “AI is already being embedded into wearable technology to track fitness and health metrics and make personalized recommendations to help people improve their overall well-being. Beyond wearables, I believe equipment will be embedded with new and more sensors and AI to provide real-time feedback to the user, the wearables of the user and to operators.”
Hawk said this smart equipment will inform the user on progress, form, effort, etc. It will also inform the facility on utilization, potential issues to allow for predictive maintenance and better optimization of equipment selection and layout. “I can see a world where a gym has many AI-powered agents working with operators, trainers and instructors to optimize and revolutionize how providers and customers engage in fitness and achieve their goals,” he explained.
Overall, Hawk is excited to work for an industry that is making a difference.
“I love the fitness industry as it helps change people’s lives,” said Hawk. “I used to train friends and family out of my garage before work because I loved helping people and making new friends. Fitness is my passion, and I couldn’t be happier to be on the VASA team.”
