Five years ago, Ken Smithmier found CrossFit. Then it found his hospital. Andréa Maria Cecil reports.
After 59-nine-year-old hospital CEO Ken Smithmier got hooked on CrossFit training, he traveled to Indianapolis, Ind., for a CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course in April 2009.
When he got back, he called a lunch meeting with the trainers involved in Decatur Memorial Hospital’s community wellness program. He told them about CrossFit.
Soon after, CrossFit Enhance was born. The box started small, and membership was only available to hospital employees. Today, the affiliate is 5,500 square feet and open to the surrounding community. Membership for hospital employees is still free with a one-time initial fee of US$100. Non-employees pay $50 per month. As of Feb. 1, CrossFit Enhance had 483 members.
“I guarantee you that every employee that I have in the CrossFit gym is healthier, their productivity is up, and absenteeism is down,” Smithmier said.