Crunch Appoints New President and CFO.

NEW YORK -- Crunch, the health club chain renowned for fusing fitness and entertainment, today announced the appointment of Michael R. Jacobs as president and chief financial officer. As an industry leader with more than 25 years experience in operational management, retail development and corporate expansion, Jacobs will oversee the management of Crunch's unique fitness business with 30 locations in the U.S.

"I'm thrilled to be joining Crunch and working alongside its talented leaders to accelerate the growth of the most innovative brand in the fitness industry," said Jacobs. "It's incredibly exciting to partner with CEO Tim Miller to leverage the powerful combination of our hospitality industry backgrounds to make the Crunch member experience unique, entertaining, and unparalleled by any other health club."

Drawing on his extensive operational experience at B.R. Guest Restaurants, one of the hottest and fastest growing restaurant groups in the country, Jacobs will be responsible for Crunch's growth strategy, financial planning and information management, all with an eye on the overall development of the brand and member experience.

"Michael's background in strategic growth within the hospitality industry and his unique ability to understand how branding, operations, corporate culture and customer experience connect to impact the business, makes him the perfect person for this role," said Tim Miller, chief executive officer, Crunch. "I am extremely pleased to be working with Michael to lead Crunch's plans of expansion and continued success."

Before joining Crunch, Jacobs was chief operating officer and member of the board of directors of B.R. Guest Restaurants where he was responsible for the operational management of the group's 18 restaurants and supply commissary, as well as management of business development and all corporate support functions. Previously, Jacobs served as the company's chief financial officer where he played an instrumental role in accelerating the organization's growth, including a sale transaction to Starwood Capitol Group in 2007. Prior to his tenure at B.R. Guest, Jacobs' roles included chief operating officer at ACS TradeOne Marketing, an Affiliated Computer Services subsidiary (NYSE - ACS), and Haynes Security as well as chief financial officer of a major food and beverage manufacturer and distribution company.

Crunch is a health club chain that leads the industry in fusing fitness and entertainment. Headquartered in New York City and owned by the private equity group of Angelo Gordon, Crunch serves over 100,000 members with 30 gyms in New York, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta. Renowned for its one-of-a-kind group fitness programming, Crunch is the leader in group fitness innovation and creativity. Often cited as the gym with the "best classes," Crunch has raised the bar for the entire fitness industry.