CWA Blog Archive-Calling Small Facility Owners Serve On The CWA’s Board

Calling Small Facility Owners Serve On The CWA’s Board

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The CWA announced a leadership transition on its Board of Directors and used the moment to recruit small-facility operators. Michele Lang, CEO of Insight Climbing &amp; Movement, becomes the new Board Chair, replacing Wesley Shih, co-founder of Sender One. The contrast is deliberate: Insight has two locations while Sender One has seven, reflecting the CWA's commitment to representing facilities of different sizes, locations, and types. As Shih notes, the Board Chair role requires seeing the full perspective of the industry, and by the time someone reaches the chair they've gained the experience to hold those varied viewpoints, which says something about how the Board develops its leaders. The transition is broader than the chair. Mardi Roberts, CEO of 5.Life, becomes Secretary, replacing Kenneth Cronin of CragX, and Mike St. Laurent, CEO of Triangle Rock Club, becomes Treasurer, replacing Jason Noble of Vertical Endeavors. The outgoing leaders guided the CWA through a period of growth and innovation, and all three are retiring from the Board by January 2026 while stepping down from leadership immediately. The heart of the article is a call for new Board members, specifically owners of single-location facilities. Kenneth Cronin had represented the single-location gym owner, and with his departure the CWA wants to fill that perspective again. The pitch is that the Board directs the future of the association and the wider industry, and that the voice of small, single-location operators belongs at that table. For owners who've wondered whether they have something to contribute, the message is direct: the CWA is actively recruiting, and your scale is exactly the perspective it's looking for.

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The CWA named Michele Lang of Insight Climbing as Board Chair, part of a leadership transition that also fills Secretary and Treasurer roles. With longtime members retiring by January 2026, the CWA is actively recruiting new directors, specifically owners of single-location facilities, to keep small operators represented.