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2019 Ontario Business Achievement Award Winner David ‘Patch’ Patchell-Evans
August 8, 20192019 Ontario Business Achievement Award Winner: David ‘Patch’ Patchell-Evans Goodlife Founder and CEO
The story of how David ‘Patch’ Patchell-Evans built the largest privately-owned fitness club chain in the world is one wrought with great challenges. However, it is because of his tireless work ethic, unrelenting positive attitude and commitment to caring for his team and members that the company enjoys the success and global recognition today.
It all started in London, Ontario in 1979 with one club and a mission to help people really understand the benefits of moving and exercise. Ontario is now home to 225 GoodLife and Fit4Less clubs, 8,224 associates, and over 750,000 members. GoodLife Fitness clubs existed solely in Ontario for the first 25 years.
What do strong women, a motorcycle accident, and autism have in common? Collectively, they are the reasons GoodLife Fitness exists today. We invite you to join us at the Ontario Business Achievement Awards Gala on Thursday, November 14 in at the Beanfield Centre in Toronto to hear from our 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, GoodLife Fitness Founder & CEO David ‘Patch’ Patchell-Evans, on how exactly the combination of these three elements propelled him to create and build a health and fitness company from scratch. Tickets are now on sale for the 2019 Ontario Business Achievement Awards!
GoodLife Fitness has grown to become the largest fitness club chain in Canada. After 40 years, there are over 400 clubs from coast-to-coast, including GoodLife Fitness, Fit4Less and Éconofitness Clubs, approximately 12,400 employees and more than 1.5 million members. GoodLife is helping to transform the health and fitness of 1 in 25 Canadians every day.
Patch has given over $25 million to various non-profits across Canada. In 2007, he was awarded the Medal of Honour by the Canadian Medical Association for his passionate support of autism research and the founding of The Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group. In 2012, GoodLife Fitness pledged $5 million to the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at University Health Network, establishing the first-of-its-kind private/public collaboration to help the estimated 1.3 million Canadians suffering from heart disease.
In 1998, Patch created the GoodLife Kids Foundation to help provide physical activity opportunities to children with special needs. Since 2012, over $5.2 million has been raised through this annual event. As a result, the lives of over 250,000 kids have been positively impacted through physical activity opportunities.
A global advocate for health and fitness, in 2010 Patch chaired the Board of Directors of IHRSA, the world’s leading health and fitness association representing 78 countries. He holds many honourable titles including CVCA Entrepreneur of the Year, Canada’s Most Admired CEOs, Ontario Chamber of Commerce Community Builder Award, London Chamber of Commerce Corporate Icon Award, International Cult Brand Award and Honorary Doctor of Laws from Western University. However, his favourites are heli-skiier, dad, and husband. Patch has two daughters, Kilee and Tygre, and is married to Olympian Silken Laumann.