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Home » Press Releases » AFIRM and First Financial Announce Alliance
News Release AFIRM and First Financial Announce AllianceAFIRM Members To Receive $500 Reusable VoucherSILVER SPRING, MD – February 18, 2010 – AFIRM, the Association of Fitness Industry Retailers & Manufacturers, and First Financial Leasing and Finance, Inc., the fitness industry’s leading financing company, have announced an alliance recognizing the common objectives of both organizations -- including a benefit for AFIRM members that could easily be worth more than the cost of membership. The essence of the program is for AFIRM Members to receive a $500 voucher from First Financial to use on any First Financial products and services including leases and SBA Loan packaging. There is no minimum usage. The $500 gift card is reusable for each First Financial transaction by the AFIRM member. “We’re proud to be on board with AFIRM,” said Paul Bosley, First Financial’s National Marketing Director. “Many of AFIRM’s members are good customers of ours and we’d like to add to that list. Supporting AFIRM and its objectives will help us achieve that objective.” First Financial last year generated $20 million in equipment leases, SBA loans, and other financial arrangements that enabled manufacturers to close deals with athletic facilities of all types. They have successfully worked with Life Fitness, Cybex, Matrix, FreeMotion, ProMaxima, and many other industry manufacturers. “Access to capital has been one of the primary obstacles to industry growth,” said AFIRM Executive Director Chuck Leve. “First Financial is literally putting its money where its mouth is to make purchasing equipment more affordable for all. This is a wonderful benefit for all AFIRM members.”
Bosley and his First Financial colleagues will be on hand to discuss details of the program at the AFIRM Launch Reception on March 11 in San Diego, California (6:30-8:00 p.m.; Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, located directly across the street from the San Diego Convention Center). In other AFIRM news….
Augie Nieto Endorses AFIRM! Industry Icon Encourages Manufacturers to Join, Be Active in AFIRM CORONA DEL MAR, CA – February 18, 2010 – Augie Nieto, the legendary fitness industry pioneer, has publically endorsed AFIRM in an Open Letter to the Fitness Industry, posted today on www.afirmfitness.org, AFIRM’s official website. Nieto, 52, is co-founder and former CEO of Life Fitness, current Chairman of Octane Fitness, and Chief Inspiration Officer of MDA’s Augie’s Quest – the world’s research leader to find the cause and cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS – also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease), which has afflicted Nieto since 2005. In his letter to the industry, Nieto encourages manufacturers to join AFIRM because it will “bring people together to help each other, to help the industry, and to help profitability.” “We are humbled and honored to have the support of Augie Nieto,” said AFIRM Executive Director Chuck Leve. “That Augie would take the time and energy to go on record in support of AFIRM and its role in the industry is a symbol that we will cherish forever.” A division of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), Augie’s Quest has raised nearly $22 million to fight ALS -- much of it through fitness industry fundraisers like the annual Augie’s Bash, and the grassroots Clubs for the Cure. Augie and his wife Lynne, are national co-chairpersons of MDA’s ALS Division. For more information on how you can support Augie’s Quest, the annual Augie’s Bash (March 12, 2010 in San Diego), or find a cure for ALS, log onto www.augiesquest.org. AFIRM Supports SGMA’s National Health Through Fitness Day Featuring well-known athletes such as Herschel Walker, Annika Sorenstam, Tim Brown (and others) and with the US Tennis Association as the Presenting Sponsor, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) will host National Health Through Fitness Day on March 10 in Washington, D. C. The purpose of National Health Through Fitness Day is to lobby Congress for pro-fitness legislation including greater funding for the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) and passage of the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act. AFIRM strongly supports National Health Through Fitness Day and encourages all fitness industry manufacturers to champion these causes. SGMA, the driving force behind PEP, has secured over $500 million over the past 10 years in federal funding for physical education in schools, with $78 million in the current federal budget. Much of this grant money is used to purchase fitness equipment for schools in the never-ending battle to fight youth obesity. National Health Through Fitness Day kicks off with a Capitol Hill reception on the evening of Tuesday, March 9. The Active Network and Accusplit are the Special Event Sponsors.
For further information about AFIRM, please contact:
Chuck Leve, Executive Director
847-480-1818 x5599 (office) www.afirmfitness.org About AFIRM The Association of Fitness Industry Retailers & Manufacturers (AFIRM) is dedicated to developing benefits, products, and services specifically for fitness industry manufacturers and retailers. AFIRM will address fitness industry issues, help raise revenue and reduce expenses on behalf of its members, lobby Congress for pro-fitness legislation, and develop appropriate research. AFIRM will disseminate information through educational events, publish a bi-weekly newsletter for its constituents, and develop money-saving programs for its members. For more information, please visit www.afirmfitness.org. About SGMA The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products industry. SGMA helps lead the sports and fitness industries by fostering participation through research, thought leadership, product promotion, and public policy. More information about SGMA membership and SGMA's National Health Through Fitness Day can be found at www.SGMA.com. About Augie's Quest Augie’s Quest, MDA’s ALS research initiative, is an aggressive, cure-driven effort singularly focused on finding treatments and a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease). The devastating neuromuscular disease affects more than 30,000 Americans. Fitness pioneer Augie Nieto started Augie's Quest in conjunction with MDA's ALS Division in March 2005. To date, the Augie’s Quest campaign has raised $22 million for ALS research, and has made significant advancements in identifying the set of genes and proteins that are the main players in the disease pathogenesis of ALS. For more information please visit www.augiesquest.org. |
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