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F E A T U R E

Where The Gloves Come Off

July 8, 2002
By David Joachim

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Brent Zempel, CIO

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	In this article
	Introduction
	Bahram Akradi, CEO
	Brent Zempel, CIO
	Wesley Bertch, Director of Software Systems
	Robert Mendel, Director of IT Operations
	Gary Lien, Systems Architect
	Jud McKee, Director of Network Operations
	Next Steps

• At Work: Runs Life Time's IT organization.

• At Home: 37 years old. Married, three children. Hobbies include golf and motocross

• Alma Mater:: Still pursuing college degree; says he "should be finished by 2015."

• How He Got Here:

1995 to 1996: General management (Life Time Fitness)
1988 to 1995: Independent sales and management consultant
1986 to 1995: Self-employed photographer
1984 to 1987: Personal trainer, club manager and salesperson

• Mouthing Off:

MMS' greatest business challenge: "Developing the business case and ROI supporting the conversion from the legacy system."

Toughest moment during development: "Convincing an all-Microsoft shop that we were going to be converting, developing, implementing and maintaining our core system using unfamiliar technologies."

MMS is important to Life Time Fitness because: "The system's flexibility, scalability and ease of use allow us a variety of options when developing new strategies, whereas the old system dictated what we could and couldn't do. MMS also gives us a quicker, much more accurate, real-time look into our business conditions."

If only I had a bigger IT budget, I would: "Invest in R&D, technical and communications training and more time off for the team."

I work at Life Time Fitness because: "It's an extremely aggressive multibusiness company that is focused on changing people's lives in a positive manner."