VASA Fitness announced the appointment of Michael Schwindle as chief financial officer (CFO). He brings more than 30 years of financial and operational leadership experience across global retail, e-commerce and consumer brands. His appointment will help VASA continue to scale its national footprint.
Schwindle most recently served as CFO at Vera Bradley, where he guided the company’s financial strategy, capital allocation and operational performance. Over the course of his career, Schwindle has held CFO roles at Claire’s, Fleet Farm, Payless ShoeSource, Harry & David, and Guitar Center and served as a subsidiary CFO at The Home Depot. He has led private equity transactions and multi-channel growth strategies, and is widely recognized for driving profitability, margin expansion and transformative cost efficiencies in growth environments.
As CFO at VASA, Schwindle will lead the company’s finance, accounting, treasury, and procurement functions, supporting disciplined club expansion and long-term enterprise value. He will be responsible for managing key stakeholder relationships, executing capital market transactions, and supporting operational initiatives. With deep expertise in operational leadership across inventory planning, supply chain, and retail store operations, Schwindle brings a uniquely integrated perspective to the role.
“Michael has the strategic financial expertise to help VASA scale in a disciplined, cost-effective way,” said Rich Nelsen, the CEO of VASA Fitness. “His deep understanding of multi-unit retail, real estate-driven expansion, and capital management will be invaluable as we continue to build new gyms and invest in our existing clubs, our people, and our members.”
VASA Fitness is one of the nation’s largest high-value, low-price fitness operators, offering a differentiated “mall of fitness” model that combines premium amenities, strength-focused programming, and welcoming community environments. For more information, visit vasafitness.com.
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