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BOULDER, Colo., April 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Club Industry, a Penton brand, will give its 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award to Annbeth Eschbach, founder of Exhale Enterprises Inc., New York City. Eschbach will receive the award on Oct. 13 at the Club Industry Show, which will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

Eschbach is being honored for being a pioneer in the following ways:

• Founding a wellbeing brand that revolutionized the industry with a new business model that integrates boutique fitness and spa under one roof.

• Being first to market 14 years ago with a concept that addresses both mind + body—something that everyone in the industry today is working so hard to do.

• Looking beyond the traditional fitness space to expand the exhale brand into the hospitality space with prestigious partners, and thus creating one of the few national lifestyle brands that can play in three industries: spa, fitness and hospitality.

• Being the first female president of commercial club trade association IHRSA, opening the door for two more female presidents in an industry that is still male dominated.

• Contributing to the health and wellness industry by working in all segments of the industry: traditional health clubs, corporate fitness, spas, athletic clubs and then mind/body through exhale.

"Annbeth is a pioneer who saw the potential to create a new category in the health and wellness space and who had the expertise and drive to build a successful business out of that idea, a particularly difficult accomplishment in the crowded and competitive New York City market where the brand started," said Pamela Kufahl, director of content for Club Industry. "She is a great example to men and women in this male-dominated industry who want to create a business of their own. We are pleased to honor her accomplishments with this award."

Each year, Club Industry gives its Lifetime Achievement Award to someone who has positively affected the health and wellness industry or their community.

Eschbach is the second woman to receive the award from Club Industry. The first was Judi Sheppard Missett, the founder of Jazzercize, who received the award in 2005. 

This is the 14^th year Club Industry has given the award. In addition to Missett, some of the other past recipients have included Joe Weider of Weider Publishing; Joe Gold, founder of Gold's Gym and World Gym; Dr. Kenneth Cooper, founder of Cooper Aerobics Center and Jack LaLanne, fitness TV  personality. Profiles of these recipients and the other eight recipients can be found here.

Registration is open for the Club Industry Show, which will be held Oct. 12-14, 2016, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Register on the website, www.clubindustryshow.com\register.

About Exhale

Exhale Enterprises is a leading lifestyle brand and operator in the spa + fitness industry. Integrating mind body spa and boutique fitness class programs into a boutique setting, exhale was the first concept to shift away from the traditional gym and day spa orientation to a holistic approach to transformation and wellbeing. 

Today exhale has grown to one of the hottest brands in the wellbeing space with 29 properties in the US and Caribbean, 1300 associates, a dozen proprietary spa programs, 9 branded boutique fitness class programs, and a large engaged guest base.  

About Annbeth Eschbach

Annbeth Eschbach is the founder and chief executive officer of Exhale Enterprises, Inc.  She has masterminded the successful growth of a lifestyle brand that owns a unique position in the market and is widely recognized as revolutionizing the industry. Eschbach developed the company's strategic and operating plan, built a seasoned senior team and infrastructure to support growth, and directs exhale's growth and expansion. Before founding exhale, Eschbach spent 12 years at Wellbridge, then the third-largest national spa and club operator, where she directed the company's spa division and held responsibility for the 50-property portfolio's branding and marketing efforts. She served four years as president and COO for the 10-unit chain of Cardio Fitness Centers in New York and Chicago.

A graduate from Northwestern University, Eschbach holds a master's degree in business administration from New York University's Stern School of Business. She served as president of the board of directors of the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, a trade association for commercial health clubs throughout the world. 

About Club Industry Show
Club Industry Show, produced by Penton, is the premier annual independent fitness industry event focusing on commercial clubs, non-profit fitness facilities, university rec centers, medical wellness centers, corporate wellness facilities and government fitness centers. The combination of unmatched professional development, strategic business solutions and industry networking make Club Industry a must-attend event for the fitness business professional.

About Penton
Penton is an innovative information services company that empowers nearly 20 million business decision makers in markets that drive more than 12 trillion dollars in purchases each year. Our products inform with rich industry insights and workflow tools; engage through dynamic events, education and networking; and advance business with powerful marketing services programs. Penton is the way smart businesses buy, sell and grow.

Headquartered in New York, Penton is privately owned by MidOcean Partners and Wasserstein & Co., LP. For more information, visit http://www.penton.com or follow us on Twitter @PentonNow.

Media Contact
Tina Beebe
Marketing Manager
Club Industry
303-998-9372
tina.beebe@clubindustry.com

Pamela Kufahl
Director of Content
Club Industry
913-967-1815
Pam.kufahl@clubindustry.com

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SOURCE Penton