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Respected fitness and wellness entrepreneur Tony de Leede has been honoured for his career achievements with the presentation of the John Holsinger Lifetime Achievement Award at Beyond Activ Asia-Pacific Celebration Dinner in Sydney yesterday evening.

The social highlight of the three-day fitness thought-leadership and investment conference, the award, honouring de Leede’s 40 years of service to the industry was presented by Beyond Activ founder and Chief Executive, Ross Campbell.

The presentation also featured a video tribute from industry leaders and personalities, his peers and members of his team including actor and co-investor Hugh Jackman; David 'Patch' Patchell-Evans, Chief Executive and founder of Canada's GoodLife Fitness, who had travelled to Sydney for the event; Victor Brick, founder of Brick Bodies and the John W Brick Mental Health Foundation and Simon Flint, former Chief Executive of Evolution Wellness.

De Leede, whose fitness career started as an aerobics instructor in the 1980s and flourished in the USA in the 1990s is best known domestically as the founder of Fitness First Australia - which he did in 2000, just after selling his US-based Australian Bodyworks chain and returning to Sydney.

After selling his stake in the company, he continued to pursue other ventures, including the creation of new fitness and wellness brands, leveraging his knowledge of the industry and expertise in business development to help transform the fitness landscape.

This has also included the Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, in which Jackman and Flint are co-investors, and Bali resort Komune.

More recently he has pioneered the Club W and Wello Works brands while also supplying a range of wellness products through his Wellness Solutions.

His career achievements are a testament to his entrepreneurial vision and commitment to the fitness industry and his influence has been far-reaching and transformative, leaving a lasting legacy in the fitness world.

Beyond Activ’s citation for the award noted “we are proud this year to honour the life and career of Tony de Leede, one of our industry’s most successful and respected fitness and wellness entrepreneurs.

“With over 40 years of service to our industry, the driving force to launching, building and successfully exiting numerous brands, Tony has helped millions of people globally become happier and healthier.

“A gentleman, a life-long industry ambassador, accomplished investor, brand builder, family man and all round good bloke. “

He is also the only individual to have his portrait featured as the cover of Australasian Leisure Management.

Speaking recently, he advised of his evolving thoughts on wellness, noting “everyone wants to not just live longer, but they want to live better longer.

“My personal credo is that I just want to die young, late in life.

“I don’t want to spend my last five to 10 years pushing around in a wheelchair or on little crutches … I want to be chasing my younger wife around, 24 hours before I go to sleep on night and don’t wake up … but that’s going to be when I get into my 90s.”

The John Holsinger Lifetime Achievement Award
Named in honour of the late IHRSA executive, the the John Holsinger Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a select fitness, wellness or hospitality executive who operates or works in Asia-Pacific Award based on; making a defining difference (legacy) to APAC’s fitness and wellness industry; pioneering meaningful change; recognised lifelong industry leadership; extensive track record of shareholder ROI; and long-term commitment to working with communities and industry stakeholders for continued industry growth.

Images: Tony de Leede receives the John Holsinger Lifetime Achievement Award Beyond Activ founder and Chief Executive Ross Campbell at the Beyond Activ Asia-Pacific Celebration Dinner in Sydney yesterday evening (top), de Leede some of his experiences with dinner guests (middle) and the cover of Australasian Leisure Management issue 126 (below).

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