Ken Cooper, M.D. - Considered the "Father of Aerobics," Dr. Ken Cooper started a fitness revolution with his 1968 publication, Aerobics. His professional career began in the military as an Air Force physician and as director of the Aerospace Medical Laboratory. He also helped NASA develop programs to condition astronauts preparing for flight and developed a cardiovascular fitness test and Aerobics point system that continues to be used today to assess physical fitness levels among military and law enforcement personnel among others. Dr. Cooper opened the Cooper Aerobics Center in 1970, a clinic and nonprofit research center. The Center has expanded to include a comprehensive clinic, fitness center, guest lodge, and The Cooper Institute, dedicated to education and research. His publications have been translated into 41 languages.
Jack LaLanne - At 92 years old, Jack LaLanne is considered the Godfather of Fitness and has been impacting lives for over 70 years. He opened one of the first health studios in 1936 and hosted the "Jack LaLanne Show", a health and fitness TV series that ran nationally from 1959-1985. He also made headlines through amazing feats, such as completing 1,000 push-ups and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hour and 22 minutes at age 45. Then at age 60, he swam from Alcatraz to Fisherman's Wharf towing a 1,000 pound boat while handcuffed . He has been recognized with the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness Lifetime Achievement Award, Dwight D. Eisenhower Award, and the Academy of Body Building and Fitness Award.
Judi Sheppard Missett - Ms. Missett is the Founder and CEO of Jazzercise, Inc., a company with 6,800 instructors in 30 countries. She has been promoting physical fitness and health for almost 40 years. She continues to lead classes and spread her fitness enthusiasm through community-based projects, including raising $26 million for charity, her Kids Get Fit program (free program for schools), and the CyberStretch School Giveaway Program (a free software program that guides users through movements that alleviate tension and reduce the risk of repetitive stress injuries). She has received numerous awards for her entrepreneurial efforts, including induction into the Enterprising Women magazine Hall of Fame, Small Business Administration, IDEA Lifetime Achievement Award, and Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement in Business.
Bonnie Prudden - Bonnie Prudden is one of the founders of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, which was established in 1956 as the "President's Council on Youth Fitness." She began delivering her fitness message in 1945 when she taught an exercise conditioning class to her daughter's friends after school. She utilized the fitness test developed by Drs. Hans Kraus and Sonja Weber to test the fitness of children in the U.S., Europe and Central America, which ultimately led to a report that was presented to President Eisenhower and the establishment of the President's Council. She has authored 19 books on fitness and has developed numerous physical fitness programs for schools, hospitals, camps, factories and other institutions. She has helped hundreds of thousands of women and babies through her pre and post-natal exercise routines. She is renowned in the pain management field, as her technique incorporates physical activity in the healing process. She was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame in 2006 and has dedicated more than 60 years of her professional career to improving the health of women, men, and children.
Bud Seretean - At 83 years old, Bud Seretean still finds the time to lecture on health and wellness and practices what he preaches. He changed his own health habits in 1975 due to a health scare and in turn, changed many other lives. In 1990, through a gift from Mr. Seretean, the Oklahoma State University/Sereatan Wellness Center was built. OSU is one of the first institutions to offer incentives to employees that adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle, serving as a model of corporate health promotion. In 1997, Emory University dedicated the M.B. Seretean Center for Health Promotion, where Mr. Sereatan saw an opportunity to serve and educate. The facility provides an outstanding physical fitness venue and serves the needs of students, faculty and patients at the Emory Clinic and Hospital. He recently wrote a book, "Living Healthy to 100", which conveys the message of healthy living for seniors. He has also served as President of the Atlanta Hawks.
Joe Weider - At 87 years old, Joe Weider has been promoting strength and fitness since 1936. He oversaw a publishing empire that included Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness Hers, Flex, Men's Fitness, Shape, Fit Pregnancy and Natural Health. He and his brother formed the International Federation of Bodybuilding in 1946. He created the Mr. Olympia contest, which Arnold Schwarzenegger won seven times. There are presently 170 countries affiliated with the IFBB, and it now ranks as one of the top seven international sports federations in the world. Mr. Weider is considered by many to be one of the first pioneers in the field of strength conditioning.
