Published: Friday, October 12, 2012 at 2:20 p.m. Last Modified: Friday, October 12, 2012 at 2:20 p.m.

Joe Cirulli, founder and CEO of Gainesville Health & Fitness Center, received a lifetime achievement award Thursday from Club Industry magazine during the Club Industry Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas.

In announcing the award, Club Industry noted that Cirulli opened his first club with three employees in a 1,500-square-foot space above a bank and today has three locations with 400 employees and 28,000 members.

Joe Cirulli is one of the biggest success stories in our industry, Pamela Kufahl, editor-in-chief, said in a news release. And despite becoming successful in this industry, he continues to hold true to his mission of helping to make his community of Gainesville one of the healthiest cities in America. He has not felt the need to franchise his concept and expand beyond his community, but he welcomes club operators from other communities into his club to share his expertise with them. That desire to serve his community and to serve the fitness industry makes him the perfect choice for our award this year.

The Wellness Councils of America gave Gainesville a Gold Well City USA Award in 2003 after GHFC teamed with Shands and the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce to recruit businesses to participate in health and wellness efforts.

Cirulli is the 10th recipient of the award, joining such past winners as television fitness guru Jack LaLanne, Golds Gym and World Gym founder Joe Gold and Jazzercise founder Judi Sheppard Missett.

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Gainesville Health & Fitness founder Cirulli honored in Las Vegas