Jim Rowley

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Jim Rowley
OccupationChief Executive Officer of Crunch Fitness
Military career
Allegiance
  • Flag of the United States.svg United States
Branch

Jim Rowley is an American businessman. He is currently the CEO of Crunch Fitness, a position he has held since 2019. Rowley is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. [1]

Contents

Early life

In 1986, Rowley enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Rowley served until 1994, including OCONUS assignments with the State Department and Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, and a combat tour during the Persian Gulf War as a platoon sergeant. [2]

Career

After finishing his service in the Marine Corps, Jim landed an entry-level position in the fitness industry. Rowley then spent years working his way up to Division President at 24 Hour Fitness. In this capacity, he oversaw 225 clubs, managed $750 million in revenue, and led nearly 8,000 employees. [3] In 2005, 24 Hour Fitness was sold for $1.68 billion. [4] In 2008, Rowley co-founded UFC gym. [5]

In 2008, Mark Mastrov (Founder of 24 Hr Fitness) and Rowley co-founded New Evolution Fitness Co. ("NEFC"/New Evolution Ventures). That same year, investor Angelo Gordon brought them in to evaluate Crunch’s failing business model. Mastrov and Rowley then purchased Crunch Fitness after its 2009 bankruptcy. [6] In 2010, they chose to franchise Crunch, accelerating its location growth and branding. [7] In 2019, TPG Growth acquired Crunch. Crunch experienced a 5.6% growth in memberships from March 2020 to January 2021 across the company’s franchise network. [8]

Since 2019, Rowley has served as CEO of Crunch, revamping the marketing, sales, and operational processes. [9] [10] Focus was placed on carving out a niche in the premium segment of high-value, low-price health clubs. This model offered facilities with a variety of amenities at reasonable prices.

During his time as CEO, Crunch’s member base grew to 3 million and nearly 500 locations. [11] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Crunch took the time to re-examine the business and improve existing facilities. When they were able to re-open, the business grew by 5%. [12]

In 2023, the company launched Crunch+, a streaming platform offering on-demand and live workouts. [13] By August 2024, the company reported double-digit sales growth. In December of the same year, Crunch was valued at $1.5 billion. [14] In April 2025, Leonard Green & Partners acquired a majority interest in Crunch from TPG Growth. Crunch plans to add over 90 gyms in 2025 and remodel 25 to 50 gyms in this deal. [15]

Personal life

Rowley was born into a military family as a sixth-generation Californian, which influenced his decision to serve in the Marine Corps. He played sports as a youth. Rowley has an identical twin. [16]

References

  1. Kupper, Crystal (May 23, 2024). "Marine veteran leans on leadership skills to build Crunch Fitness". Militaryfamilies.com.
  2. Berger, Chloe. "Crunch Fitness CEO gets real about the tough transition from Marine to veteran—and how his business helped him overcome it". Fortune.
  3. "Crunch Fitness CEO gets real about the tough transition from Marine to veteran—and how his business helped him overcome it". Fortune.
  4. "Mark Mastrov, a Fitness Industry Legend, Honored for Storied Career". Athletech. October 17, 2024.
  5. Montgomery, Tyler (December 2009). "Ready To Lead". Clubsolutions.
  6. Young, Eric. "24 Hour Fitness mogul back in the gym". BizJournals.
  7. "Crunch Gym app lets you avoid check-in lines". CNET.
  8. Burns, Mark. "Gyms adjust to serve members both in-person and remotely". Biz Journals.
  9. Goldman, Stuart (August 25, 2010). "Crunch Elevates COO Worts to President". american Spa.
  10. "Interview: Jim Rowley". Health Club Management. May 14, 2025.
  11. Weil, Dan. "How Crunch Fitness Stayed in Shape During Covid". Wall St Journal.
  12. Weil, Dan. "How Crunch Fitness Stayed in Shape During Covid". Wall St Journal.
  13. "Crunch CEO Jim Rowley Sees Big Gains for Entrepreneurs Who Can Take Advantage of the Changes Coming to the Fitness Industry". Inc.
  14. Summerville, Abagail (December 4, 2024). "TPG explores $1.5 billion-plus sale of gym chain Crunch Fitness, sources say". Reuters.
  15. Michaels, Laura (April 15, 2025). "TPG Sells Crunch Fitness to Leonard Green & Partners". Franchise Times.
  16. "The CEO of Crunch Fitness doesn't think there's such a thing as work-life balance: 'That's for somebody who's not fully committed'". Yahoo. Retrieved April 21, 2025.