Congratulations to our two CEO Challenge V champions: 
Bob Ramella of PA Roofing Systems
and Chris Parry of emkompas.  

The winners were announced at an “End of the Challenge but Beginning of a Healthier Lifestyle” celebration held last Thursday April 25 at Bella Frutteto Restaurant in Wexford.  Here are the champs pictured with their SWIF Athletics coaches.

Co-Champion Bob Ramella (center) with his SWIF Coaches “JR” Vlakancic and
Wes Garstecki  
  SWIF Coach Matt Bargerstock “with” Co-Champion Chris Parry. Chris had to be out of the country on business but was able to join the celebration via Skype!

In terms of the overall results, the CEO Challenge V participants:

• Improved their total fitness score by an average of over 35 points
• Showed significant improvements in each of the individual fitness tests, in most cases jumping 2, if not 3 categories
• Averaged over 30 pounds of “fat loss”
• Showed considerable improvements on the Functional Movement Screen (FMS)

This year’s Challenge put a large chunk of change in the co-winners’ pockets, but also funneled an equal amount to their charities of choice.  These latest donations have pushed the total that SWIF has provided to various charities through this Challenge and other SWIF-sponsored events to over $90,000.

The SWIF Athletics Coaches, most of this year’s Challenge participants as well as a smattering of prior years’ participants attended the celebration.  Check out the photos from the event:

Thank you to our hosts and Bella Frutteto owners, Sandy and Jeff Rook (pictured above.)   Jeff was one of our CEO Challenge V participants!

Congratulations again to our winners and to all the participants. SWIF greatly appreciates your participation and it is our deepest wish that you all feel like winners with the transformations you have made. 

We also hope you continue to STICK WITH IT!

Watch out ’cause Hanks is back!  He’s retired and meaner than ever!   Oh yeah, and he’s coming after YOU…Hutzler and Brado.

WATCH these videos as three former CEO Challengers (but forever competitors) call each other out!  You decide which of these athletes: Mr. Burchick,  Mr. Scigliano, or Mr. Cipriani reigns supreme.  Let us know by leaving your comment below!

CEO Challenge V participant, Jim Young is pumping iron and showing his fellow competitors that he’s in it to win it!   Down 40 pounds with a few more weeks to go.  Watch out!

Congratulations to SWIF’s own Wes Garstecki for finishing first in his age group and eighth overall in the 2013 Fight For Air Climb benefiting The American Lung Association.  On Saturday March 23, 2013, over 400 competitors climbed up the 45 floors (897 steps) of One Oxford Centre located in downtown Pittsburgh.  Wes won his gold medal by finishing with a time of 6 minutes, 44 seconds, beating out 50 other climbers.

The event raised over $102,000 for the charity. 

Former CEO Challenge participant and long-time SWIF Athletics client, Joe Burchick, puts his functional movement skills to work on the golf course last week in his pre-swing warm up.   Way to go, Joe!!

This is what happens when SWIF coaches have too much to drink at their Christmas Party the night before. This also makes for an unhappy Albert when he has to buy 23 SWIF hoodies to make it up to those stranded members!!!

Don’t wait until the New Year to set some new health and fitness goals…DO IT NOW!