A Perfect Match of Passion and Purpose
Amy Boone Thompson.
This month I have the pleasure of introducing you to a new era of leadership at IDEA and in the health and fitness industry at large.
On July 2, Amy Boone Thompson was named Vice President for AIM Fitness Group, IDEA Health & Fitness Association, IDEA China and Oxygen. If you were one of the supercharged professionals who joined us at the IDEA World® Convention in late June, you probably saw Amy accept her award for 2019 IDEA Fitness Leader of the Year—apropos timing, given this exciting news. Her predecessor, Kim Paulsen, whom many of you have met and worked with over the past 3 years, will literally be cruising the happy oceans of retirement on the boat she and her husband restored and now live on. Bon voyage!
Leader of the Year! Her family—husband, Sean, daughter, Nia, and son, Boone—shared the excitement of her accolade at the IDEA World Convention in late June.
Before accepting this role at IDEA, Amy amassed more than 25 years of experience in fitness programming, personal training and health club management. A quick glimpse at her resumé and it’s clear that the progression of her career has uniquely qualified her to lead IDEA into an exciting phase of growth and action. Over the course of her impressive industry trajectory, she has walked in your shoes as an instructor, trainer, coach, manager, program director, entrepreneur and facility owner. Her drive to connect people and opportunities has led her to step up and serve as
- a fitness programming strategist;
- an acquisition, engagement and retention expert;
- a studio owner and design specialist;
- an elected adviser to prestigious agency panels and boards tasked with elevating industry standards;
- an executive, leading operations and sales for a 300+ unit franchise in four countries; and
- a champion of career development, programming, and professional standardization for clubs and franchise owners.
“IDEA Health & Fitness has been an instrumental part of my career spanning the past two decades,” says Amy. “My affiliation as a member since 1997—having attended nearly all IDEA World Conventions since then and having served as an author/presenter—has given me firsthand knowledge of the benefits and advantages IDEA offers to fitness professionals and business owners. I am thrilled to continue the legacy of this great organization while furthering our relevance and reach as a platform for success.”
Amy’s impact on the fitness industry has been in large part due to her commitment to advocacy and career development for fitness professionals. “IDEA has been fulfilling the same promise for 37 years,” says Amy. “What a perfect match of passion and purpose! Together we will continue to deliver the most relevant content from global leaders while building stronger businesses to Inspire the World to Fitness®.”
Please join me in welcoming Amy Thompson to the IDEA family!
Sandy Todd Webster
EDITOR IN CHIEF
@sandytoddwebster
@fitnesseditor
@ideafit
Sandy Todd Webster
For 22 years, Sandy Todd Webster was the chief architect of IDEA's content program - including the award-winning IDEA FITNESS JOURNAL and IDEA FOOD & NUTRITION TIPS - the industry's leading resources for fitness, wellness and nutrition professionals worldwide. She created, launched and nurtured these brands and many others during her productive and purposeful IDEA tenure. Sandy is a Rouxbe-certified professional plant-based cook and a Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach who is pursuing a Master's degree in Sustainable Food Systems through The Culinary Institute of America (expected August 2024). She plans to combine these passions with her content expertise to continue inspiring others to make the world a more just, healthy and regenerative place.
