IDEA Health & Fitness Association Honors Industry Leaders at the 2018 IDEA® World Convention

SOURCE: IDEA Health & Fitness Association

San Diego, CA.–June 28, 2018–IDEA Health & Fitness Association, the world's leading organization of fitness and wellness professionals, has announced the recipients of its annual IDEA World Fitness Awards that were presented at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2018 IDEA World Convention at the San Diego Convention Center on Thursday, June 28.

Dubbed the Academy Awards of the fitness industry, the 2018 IDEA World Fitness Awards recognize those who inspire greatness every day in the field of fitness in the following categories: IDEA Fitness Leader of the Year, IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, and IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year.

The 2018 award recipients are:

2018 Fitness Leader of the Year, Trina Gray: Gray is the owner and CEO of two fitness facilities in rural Michigan: Bay Athletic Club, a large medically based, full-service health club, and Bay Urban Fitness, an indoor group training facility. She is a leader, but also works in the trenches, teaching 5–10 fitness classes per week. In addition, she created the Corporate Fit Challenge, a 6-week workplace wellness program that provides an accessible entrance into fitness.

2018 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, Alexis Batrakoulis, MS, CSCS:When he’s not at home training clients, leading courses as the Personal Training Education Director at the Greek Athletic & Fitness Training School, or fulfilling his duties as the General Secretary of the Hellenic Exercise Professionals Association, Batrakoulis is traveling throughout Europe and the United States, sharing his knowledge as a technical expert in personal training. With more than 15 professional certifications to his name, he has been dedicated to raising professional standards for the last 20 years. In addition, he is an expert and master trainer for the American Council on Exercise, recognized certified personal trainer emeritus through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a member of the Professional Standards Committee of EuropeActive.

2018 IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year, Irene Lewis McCormick, MS, CSCS: Lewis-McCormick is based in Iowa, but her stellar reputation radiates outwards. She teaches exercise physiology at Drake University in Des Moines, develops and leads education courses for Power Systems, works as a master trainer for SCW Fitness conventions and certification programs, and is the head coach at Orangetheory® Fitness in Ames. She is a RYKA® fitpro brand ambassador and a master course instructor for Savvier Fitness and TRX Suspension Training®. Lewis-McCormick’s desire is to show individuals how to “thrive through exercise” and offers “Workout In the Park” summer workouts in her community.

For more information about the 2018 IDEA World Convention or to sign up for a free IDEA World Fitness & Nutrition Expo Hall pass, please visit www.ideafit.com/world for more information or to register.

About IDEA Health & Fitness Association 
IDEA Health & Fitness Association has been the world's leading organization of fitness and wellness professionals for more than 35 years. We deliver world-class content and continuing education to fitness professionals, business owners and allied health professionals via our seven publications, including the award-winning IDEA Fitness Journal; our fitness, business and nutrition conferences; and hundreds of streaming videos and DVD courses available on our website at www.ideafit.com. Additionally, with IDEA FitnessConnect, we have created the largest national industry-wide directory linking over 250,000 fitness professionals to more than 16 million consumers. Through IDEA professionals in over 80 countries, we Inspire the World to Fitness^®.