Courtesy of IHRSA
Founded in 1981 as International Racquet & Sports Association (IRSA) and later transitioning to International Health Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), the association will now operate under a new name: Health & Fitness Association. President and Chief Executive Liz Clark made the announcement during her keynote at the annual convention being held in Los Angeles.
“Every industry evolves, and the next step of evolution for our association is to have a name that exactly reflects the breadth, diversity, and consumer-oriented focus of the businesses in our sector,” she says. “The Health & Fitness Association is clear, compelling, and can also be easily translated into any language, which is vital given the international reach of the association and the global operations of our members.”
Along with the name change, the association also unveiled a new logo and will roll out a full transition of the brand, iconography, images, website, social media platforms, email addresses, and collateral materials — and will use the hashtag #HealthFit.
“This renaming came after serious consideration and a long process that will move the association forward as a stronger brand that is more recognizable to consumers, policymakers, investors, and the media worldwide,” IHRSA Board Chair Chris Craytor added. “We look forward to completing the transition in all areas of the brand within the next few months.”