2018 was a milestone for United PF Partners. The franchise group became the first to reach 100 clubs, and in true Planet Fitness fashion, the centennial was marked with an event worthy of the moment.

“The brand has had a tradition of celebrating milestone events since I’ve been a franchisee – the 1,000th club, first club in Panama, 25th anniversary gala and first club in Mexico to name a few,” said CEO Trey Owen. “In early 2018, we realized our organic growth goals would put us at 100 clubs near the end of the year. Clearly, this would be a numerical milestone for the brand.”

Because United PF already had a large leadership conference in the works, the company decided to combine the two events. The Power of You Leadership Conference was set for Nov. 2 – the second anniversary of the formation of United PF Partners – with the centennial celebration to follow on Nov. 3. In August 2018, United PF and JEG-Fit in Phoenix completed the merger that officially put the organization over the 100-club mark.

While it was inevitable a franchisee would reach 100 clubs, UPF considers itself privileged to be the first, making it an easy decision to host a Century Party. Coordinating the event, which Owen described as similar to planning for a “very large wedding,” was led by Gale Sloan.

More than 250 attendees descended on The Gaylord Texan in the Dallas area for the Power of You Leadership Conference, which brought together assistant managers, general managers, high-level field leadership, franchisee partners and the UPF support center. The following day, more than 350 people gathered at Dallas Cowboys Stadium for the Century Party. In addition to the UPF team and partners, the franchise group invited family, investors, valued vendors, fellow franchisees, franchisee leadership and PFHQ staff, including CEO Chris Rondeau and Dorvin Lively.

“Metaphorically, each person in the room was a piece of the puzzle that, together, completes the picture that helps both United PF Partners, as a franchisee group, and Planet Fitness, as a brand, perform at their collective best,” Owen said.

The evening included speeches by Owen, Rondeau and a Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) representative. The organization’s partnership with BGCA is one Owen, a former Boys & Girls Club youth, takes seriously. For 2018, United PF Partners collectively raised $200,000 for the organization, and to cap the Century Party, United PF made an additional, surprise $100,000 donation to BGCA.

While the party honored United PF, for Owen, it was more a celebration of the brand. “For our franchisee partners, the evening was symbolic of our collective vision. The moment was a culmination of a team coming together with shared values of faith, family and a deep respect for one another,” he said. “We dreamed of accomplishing something bigger, together, than we could have accomplished by ourselves. I don’t think any of us truly envisioned hitting 100 clubs in under two years of being together. We feel very blessed.”

With 120 clubs now open, the future is limitless for United PF. “We want to continue to deliver a world-class experience for as many members as possible. I’ve challenged our team to think in terms of running 100, 500 or 1,000-plus clubs,” Owen said. “Anything is possible if you focus on what is important and remove the ceiling of where you think you can be in the future.”