Howard University alumnus Chequan Lewis named CEO of Crunch Fitness
Lewis’ appointment as CEO marks the latest milestone in a career spanning law, business and executive leadership.
Chequan Lewis has been named CEO of Crunch Fitness, marking the latest milestone in a career that began with a political science and economics degree at Howard University.
Lewis’ promotion was confirmed in a June press release, with Lewis succeeding Jim Rowley, who had led the company since 2019 and now moves into the role of executive chairman. TheGrio has reported on the broader wave of Black professionals leaving corporate America in recent years to build their own ventures, a trend Lewis’s ascent through traditional corporate structures stands somewhat apart from. TheGrio also reported on Howard’s recognition as the top HBCU by LinkedIn last year, based on alumni career outcomes and advancement, the exact trajectory Lewis represents.
According to Yahoo Finance, Lewis credited a family-instilled “mission to do all that I can with all that I’ve been given” as the throughline of his career.
Lewis graduated from Howard in 2005 and spent four years at industrial supply company McMaster-Carr in Atlanta, working roles spanning from business analyst to national employment manager. He later worked as a lawyer at Baker Botts before joining Yum! Brands as a franchise lawyer for Pizza Hut U.S.
Over nearly eight years there, he was promoted three times, ultimately becoming chief operating officer in January 2022. “The reality was I still had this fire burning from my time at McMaster-Carr to not be a lawyer on the outside of the business, but in the heart of the action,” Lewis said on the “Aspire to Inspire” podcast.
Lewis joined Crunch Fitness as president in January 2024, drawn by both his personal passion for fitness and the opportunity to grow an established but still-expanding brand.
“I love this idea of fitness, and I think fitness is so critical to people being the best version of themselves,” he said. Lewis now sits at the helm of a company with locations across multiple countries. “As we enter this next chapter, our focus remains clear: to support our franchise network, invest in innovation, and grow the Crunch community in a disciplined way while staying true to the culture, values, and ‘No Judgments, No Limits’ experience that define this brand,” he said.