Planet Fitness Promotes Company Veteran Jennifer Simmons to Division President, Corporate Clubs; Names Paul Barber Chief Information Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Planet Fitness (NYSE: PLNT) announced key leadership changes on November 3, 2022. Jennifer Simmons has been promoted to Division President of Corporate Clubs, overseeing performance and growth of over 200 corporate locations across 14 states and Canada. Paul Barber joins as Chief Information Officer, tasked with enhancing technology to optimize member experience and operations. Both leaders bring extensive experience, with Simmons having been at Planet Fitness since 2013, and Barber having a strong background in technology roles across various industries.

Positive

• Jennifer Simmons is promoted to Division President of Corporate Clubs, expected to enhance corporate location performance.
• Paul Barber appointed as Chief Information Officer, focusing on technology solutions for improved member experience.

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• None.

HAMPTON, N.H., Nov. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: PLNT) (the "Company"), one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers with more members than any other fitness brand, announced that Jennifer Simmons, previously Senior Vice President of Business Strategy and Analytics, has been promoted to Division President, Corporate Clubs, and Paul Barber has been appointed Chief Information Officer, effective immediately. Ms. Simmons will continue to report to Chris Rondeau, Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Barber will report to Tom Fitzgerald, Chief Financial Officer.

Ms. Simmons joined Planet Fitness in 2013 and most recently served on the executive leadership team as Senior Vice President of Business Strategy and Analytics. In her new role, Ms. Simmons will be responsible for leading the Company's Corporate Club portfolio – including driving overall performance, leading and developing the team, and identifying strategic growth and expansion opportunities of the brand's corporate store fleet, which consists of more than 200 locations across 14 states and Canada.

Throughout her tenure with the brand, Ms. Simmons built the Business Strategy and Analytics functions from the ground up, leveraging data, analytics and insights to develop and drive Planet Fitness' overarching corporate strategy, propel the business forward, and reinforce the brand's industry leadership position. As a result, she has played an instrumental role in the major strategic decisions made by the Company over the past nine years.

"I am excited to lead this important part of Planet Fitness' business and to expand my leadership role," said Ms. Simmons. "We believe our Corporate Portfolio of stores should demonstrate the success of our strategic vision for the brand, and I look forward to working alongside the team to drive performance with a data driven approach, leveraging insights that will benefit the entire franchise system."

With over 20 years of leadership experience and a background in Finance, Ms. Simmons previously held business planning positions for well-known global consumer brands including Timberland and PepsiCo.  Additionally, she worked in corporate development for Fisher Scientific International, as well as in management consulting. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Indiana University and an MBA in Finance from the University of New Hampshire.

Mr. Barber will lead the Company's technology evolution and strategy, focused on delivering technology solutions that will continue to enhance the member experience while optimizing infrastructure, data, and operations for flexibility and scale. Most recently, Mr. Barber served as the Senior Vice President of Information Technology at natural and organic food distribution company United Natural Foods, Inc., which included leading its technology portfolio to support ordering, planning, and customer and supplier management.

"I am thrilled to join the Planet Fitness team and partner cross-functionally, and with franchisees, to deliver best in class technology solutions that fuel business growth and enable unparalleled member experiences," said Mr. Barber.

Previously, he was the Chief Technology Officer at Airline Report Corporation, where he modernized the technology needed to process billions of dollars in payments annually. While at Dunkin' Brands, he helped lead the technology team that rolled out mobile ordering across 9,000 locations. At Yum! Brands, he supported the team tasked with transforming and modernizing technology and data systems both domestically for KFC and internationally in Australia for Pizza Hut. Mr. Barber holds a B.S. in Management Information Systems from Northwood University.

"Jen's promotion and Paul's appointment continue to strengthen our leadership team with two seasoned executives who, respectively, will help take our Corporate Clubs to the next level and grow our technology solutions," said Mr. Rondeau. "Jen's deep knowledge of our business and strong leadership ability have brought tremendous value to our organization over the years, and I am confident that she will continue to excel in this new leadership role. Paul has a proven track record of leveraging technology innovation to drive business growth and meet evolving consumer expectations across industries and with global franchise brands."

About Planet Fitness
Founded in 1992 in Dover, NH, Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States by number of members and locations. As of June 30, 2022, Planet Fitness had 16.5 million members and 2,324 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Panama, Mexico and Australia. The Company's mission is to enhance people's lives by providing a high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment, which we call the Judgement Free Zone^®. More than 90% of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent business men and women.

 

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SOURCE Planet Fitness, Inc.

FAQ

What are the recent leadership changes at Planet Fitness (PLNT)?

Planet Fitness has promoted Jennifer Simmons to Division President of Corporate Clubs and appointed Paul Barber as Chief Information Officer as of November 3, 2022.

What is Jennifer Simmons' role at Planet Fitness (PLNT)?

Jennifer Simmons will oversee the Corporate Club portfolio, focusing on performance and strategic growth.

Who is the new Chief Information Officer at Planet Fitness (PLNT)?

Paul Barber has been appointed as the Chief Information Officer at Planet Fitness.

How many corporate locations does Planet Fitness (PLNT) have?

Planet Fitness has over 200 corporate locations across 14 states and Canada.