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Former CrossFit COO Hired by California Health Club

November 13, 2019 by
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It didn’t take long for one of CrossFit Inc.’s recently departed executives to find his way back into the fitness industry, as In-shape Health Clubs has hired Bruce Edwards as their Chief Growth Officer. Edwards, who formerly served as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) for CrossFit Inc., recently departed after a near six-year stint with the company.

Agent of change: During his tenure at CrossFit (2013-2019), Edwards was a key player in implementing changes within the organization that included adjustments in staffing, a foray into e-commerce, and massive operational changes in all departments aimed at improving the financial health and accelerating the growth of the company.

  • During this time frame, the company experienced record growth in terms of affiliate numbers, training and certifications, and participation in the sport via the Open.
  • CrossFit as a brand expanded into more than 150 countries worldwide, and the creation of the CrossFit Store and e-commerce platforms served as a source of revenue and marketing for the brand across the globe.

The big fitness picture: To put it lightly, the past year or so has been a tumultuous one for CrossFit Inc. A complete company overhaul that included massive reductions in staffing, the dismantling of their media team and social media platforms, and the outsourcing of competitions and the majority of the sport side of the house, has been capped off by the recent departures of multiple executives including Edwards and CrossFit CEO Jeff Cain.

  • The Stockton, California based In-shape Health Clubs, which has 65 locations across the state, now gets an executive that was a major factor in CrossFit Inc. experiencing it’s best years as a brand.
  • CrossFit Inc. now must move forward without many of the major players that helped the company reach its recent successes, with one of those players now employed by a direct competitor.

Signs of another shift: We’ve already seen CrossFit Inc. pull back on some of the recent changes, such as rejoining Instagram through their training department. With more recent departures rumored within the staff ranks, 2020 could prove to be a pivotal year for the company.

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