BOULDER, CO - Most would agree that being a CEO of a company is tough enough, but hundreds of CEOs combine their difficult corporate responsibilities with training for triathlons. They get up at 4:30 and finish their daily workout before most people have finished their morning coffee. On weekends they rise early to get in their 80-mile bike rides and 16-mile runs, then spend the day with their families.
As the world leader in sport competitions for CEOs, Boulder-based CEO Challenges has had the privilege of welcoming hundreds of C-level Executives across finish lines all over the world. And now, based on analysis of 10 years of race results, CEO Challenges is pleased to announce the CEOs that are regarded as the World's Fittest! (please see the chart below)
The number-one ranked Fittest CEO® of the decade is Frank Karbe of Exelisis (EXEL) in San Francisco who set the CEO Challenge record at the Ford Ironman Hawaii World Championship in 2005.
Behind Frank you will find CEOs from companies that are recognizable (e.g., Jarden Corporation, Philadelphia Insurance, Chartis, Deloitte), and companies that are privately held and not so well know.
Two highly-skilled women made the list. Kim Nelson, CEO of Royal Containers in Toronto, ranks #12 on our list of mostly male dominated companies. She is not only very fit and very fast (she once won a 15-person CEO Challenge competition overall), but she successfully combines her training, with running her company, and looking after three children who are all under the age of eight!
The other female on the list is Mary Dannelley of American Interbanc in Los Angeles (ranked #15). In the last two years Mary has competed in the XTERRA World Championship, a 7-day mountain bike race in British Columbia, and even the high altitude Leadville 100. Mary shares ownership of American Interbanc (and heads up Legal) with her husband, Mike, who usually competes alongside his wife and did well enough to earn a #7 ranking on the list â€" surely making them the world's Fittest CEO® couple!
CEO Challenges Top 25 Fittest CEOs of the Decade
| Name | Company | Location | |
| 1. | Frank Karbe | Exelisis (EXEL) | San Franciso, CA |
| 2. | Paul Gompers | Spur Capital Partners | Boston, MA |
| 3. | Peter Lazar | Bank Austria Creditanstalt | Graz, Austria |
| 4. | Guiseppe Maurizio | Deagostini Partworks B.V. | Parma, Italy |
| 5. | David Mullaney | Edgen Murray LLC | Philadelphia,PA |
| 6. | Mike Dannelley (Over 50) | American Interbanc, LLC | Los Angeles, CA |
| 7. | Scott Binder | Comcast Colorado | Denver, CO |
| 8. | Brian Weaver | Anthem Media Group | Kansas City, KS |
| 9. | Luis Alvarez | Mecanismos Automotrices | Mexico |
| 10. | Chris Shackelton | Coliseum Capital Management | New York, NY |
| 11. | John McWhorter | Bank of Houston | Houston, TX |
| 12. | Kim Nelson (Female) | Royal Containers | Toronto, Ont |
| 13. | Guy Berkebile | Guy Chemical Company, Inc. | Somerset, PA |
| 14. | Ted Philip | Decision Matrix Group | Wayland, MA |
| 15. | Mary Dannelley (Female) | American Interbanc, LLC | Los Angeles, CA |
| 16. | David Brule II | Northern Star Industries, Inc. | Iron Mtn, MI |
| 17. | Scott Herkelman | BFG Technologies Inc. | Chicago, IL |
| 18. | Schlagenhauf | Badger Truck Center | Milwaukee, WI |
| 19. | Martin Franklin | Jarden Corporation (JAH) | Rye, NY |
| 20. | Jamie Maguire | Philadelphia Ins Co. (PHLY) | Bala Cynwyd, PA |
| 21. | Michael Fisch | American Securities | New York, NY |
| 22. | Charles Williamson | Chartis | New York, NY |
| 23. | Michael Ochstein | Price Realty Corporation | Dallas, TX |
| 24. | Bill Beyer | Deloitte and Touche | Washington, DC |
| 25. | Maury Blackman | Accela, Inc | San Ramon, CA |
All 25 CEOs on the list will be invited to the CEO Endurance World Championship, hosted at the Four Seasons Resorts on the island of Lanai in Hawaii in September. TEAM Unlimited of Hawaii has developed six grueling tests of endurance over three days for the CEOs, incorporating swimming, biking, running, and orienteering (with mental acuity tests), with all the action filmed for future broadcast. The lead is expected to change hands many times over the course of the Championship, and the person with the most points at the end of the competition will earn the Title of 2011 Fittest CEO®!
Besides crowning the 2011 Fittest CEO, the objective of the World Championship is to allow CEOs the opportunity to express how important fitness is to their careers and personal life. There is currently a perception that a CEO that is fit may be spending too much time away from the office. But, as these CEOs can attest to, their company's success is due to the fact that they are healthy, energetic, and able to handle whatever stresses they encounter.
"Training is a big anchor in my life," said Michael Fisch, CEO of American Securities Capital Partners (#21 on the list). "The phone does not ring, no one bursts into my office, and my Blackberry does not vibrate. A hectic schedule, frequent business travel, or even family vacation doesn't stop me from training. Six days a week I get an hour or more of quiet time for personal reflection, peaceful strategic thinking, and/or work prioritization. And it shows in my personal happiness, relationships with family and work colleagues, and work productivity."
Forbes and Chartis are Presenting Sponsors of the CEO Endurance World Championship, and more information, including a list of participants, can be found HERE.
Honorable Mention
• Charlie Komar Komar New York, NY
• John Macfarlane (Over 50) Tudor Investment New York, NY
• Brent de Jong AEI Services LLC (AEIS) Houston, TX
• Mike Byam Terryberry Grand Rapids, MI
• Carl Wernicke Oak Hill Advisors New York, NY
• Mark Holowesko Holowesko Partners Ltd. Bahamas
• Stephen Freidheim Cyrus Capital Partners New York, NY
• Joe Desena Collins Stewart Vermont
• Derek Glanvill (Over 50) McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. St Louis, MS
• Sir Rocco Forte (Over 50) Rocco Forte Hotels London, UK
• Thomas Stroup CSM Wireless/SquareLoop Great Falls, VA
• Sean Foote Labrador Ventures Palo Alto, CA
• Andy Palowitch SAIC (SAI) McLean, VA
• Fred Uytengsu Alaska Milk Corporation Phillipines
• Sam Beall Blackberry Farm Walland, TN
• Bahram Akradi Lifetime Fitness (LTM) Minneapolis, MN
• Michael Johnson Herbalife (HLF) Los Angeles, CA
About CEO Challenges (www.ceochallenges.com)
CEO Challenges is the world leader in sport competitions designed for C-level Executives, with the goal of identifying the world's best CEO in several sports. Founded in 2001 with the CEO Ironman Challenge, CEO Challenges has expanded to include CEO Triathlon, Cycling, Hockey, Marathon, and Fitness Challenges in spectacular settings worldwide. Chartis Insurance is the Title Sponsor of CEO Challenge events around the world.
About TEAM Unlimited (www.xterraplanet.com)
TEAM Unlimited is a Hawaii-based television events and marketing company, founded in 1988. It owns and produces XTERRA, a worldwide series of more than 150 off-road triathlon and trail running events. There are 30,000+ competitors, ages 13-71, from all 50 states and more than 40 countries competing in XTERRA. In addition, TEAM TV has produced 300 adventure related television shows in the past 20 years resulting in three Emmy's and 42 Telly Awards for production excellence. XTERRA also operates its own 24/7 web TV network at Xterra.tv.
