Small Business Excellence Award Winners: Champion Fitness IV, Inc.

CHAMPION FITNESS IV, INC.

Owners: John Levanti and John Kirwan

Address: 2 Clinton Square Suite 160, Syracuse, N.Y. 13202

Phone: (315) 701-0966

Established: 1994

Type of Business: Health Clubs

Selected by: CIT Small

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Financing: 2004 - SBA 504 loan for $2,872,500 to purchase the building and property of their fitness center on Bridge Street in Syracuse.

In 1994, John Kirwan and John Levanti formed Champion Fitness IV, Inc. to own and operate health clubs. They purchased their first fitness club in Fairmount followed by a second fitness center in Liverpool. In 1997, they purchased the assets of the "Bally Total Fitness" corporate club in Dewitt. This was the first franchise operation within the Bally Total Fitness Holding Corp. and is one of only two Bally franchises in the U.S.

In 1999, Kirwan and Levanti built a 20,000-square-foot, state-of-the art club in the Carousel Mail. In 2003, they opened a new club in the Crossgates Mail in Albany, marking the opening of their sixth fitness center in upstate New York.

With the assistance of CIT Small Business Lending Corporation and the Greater Syracuse Business Development Corporation, Champion Fitness obtained an SBA 504 loan to purchase the building and renovate the fitness center that they have been operating on Bridge Street since 1997.

The company currently employs 150 people and expects to create 24 jobs over the next two years.