WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ — David J. Pecker, Chairman and CEO of American Media, Inc.(AMI), today announced that Chris Lockwood, Mike Carlson, and Allan Donnelly have joined the editorial staffs at Muscle & Fitness, Flex and Muscle & Fitness Hers magazines, reporting to Laya Clark and Chris Scardino, Executive Vice Presidents & Co-Publishing Directors of AMI’s Enthusiast Group. The Group includes these three publications, their web sites, Mr. Olympia, and other related events and brand extensions.

In making the announcement, Mr. Pecker said, “One week after naming Laya Clark and Chris Scardino to head our Enthusiast group, we’ve completed our team by bringing in Chris Lockwood as editor-in-chief of Muscle & Fitness with Mike Carlson as his #2, and promoting Allan Donnelly to be executive editor of Flex. This gives us the most forward thinking, authoritative editorial staff of any publication that targets serious fitness enthusiasts.”

Mr. Clark said, “Chris is one of the most knowledgeable writers on the planet on the subject of fitness and nutrition and his vision for Muscle & Fitness will make it the primary source for cutting edge information in these areas. With Mike Carlson as executive editor, we now have two of the most sought after editorial talents in the industry together at one magazine.”

Mr. Scardino added, “As senior editor at Flex, Allan showed us he was ready for bigger and better things. Flex has always been the voice of the hardcore bodybuilding community and Allan will give that voice greater resonance than ever.”

Mr. Lockwood holds an M.S. in Sports Science and is in the process of obtaining his PhD from Oklahoma University in Exercise Physiology. He has been a contributor to Muscle & Fitness since 1998 and has also held executive positions or served as a consultant to a variety of sports nutrition companies including GNC and Weider Nutrition. Mike Carlson most recently launched and served as editor-in-chief of Real Fighter, one of the first magazines to recognize the MMA explosion, and has also been senior editor on the GNC publications Get Active and Physical. Mr. Donnelly has been with Flex since 2006 and had been an editor for Men’s Fitness and a writer at Muscle & Fitness.

Mr. Clark said that he and Mr. Scardino are currently conducting a search for an editor-in-chief at Muscle & Fitness Hers who will report to Mr. Lockwood. Collectively, Muscle & Fitness, Flex and M&F Hers reach over 8 million readers a month. They are the leading titles for serious fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders.

The new came fast and furious Friday morning over this announcement in which Laya Clark and Chris Scardino were being promoted to the top positions. What is going on with Peter McGough, who has been an icon at the Weider offices, running Flex and Muscle & Fitness for a long time now. Peter was on of the most informative and knowlegable people in bodybuilding circles. As Friday rolled along, it seems that Peter had resigned, and will be taking a lesser role as an editorial consultant, and that a few other people will also be promoted to run Flex and M&F seperately. Here is the press release that came out late Thursday, and tune in for additional information next week.

American Media Inc. Names Laya Clark and Chris Scardino Executive Vice Presidents & Co-Publishing Directors of AMI’s Enthusiast Group of Fitness Titles

NEW YORK, Oct 23, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — David J. Pecker, Chairman and CEO of American Media Inc. (AMI), today announced that Laya Clark and Chris Scardino, currently Group Publishers of Muscle & Fitness, Flex and Muscle & Fitness Hers magazines, have been named Executive Vice Presidents & Co-Publishing Directors of the AMI Enthusiast Group. The Group includes the three publications, their web sites, Mr. Olympia, and all other related events and brand extensions.

Mr. Pecker commented “Laya and Chris have exhibited outstanding leadership qualities since AMI acquired the Weider titles in 2003. In their new role as ‘brand champions,” they will continue to be responsible for the advertising of the magazines and web sites, as well as overseeing the marketing, public relations and editorial direction the brands will take in the future.”

Collectively, Muscle & Fitness, Flex and M&F Hers reach over 8 million readers a month. They are the leading titles for serious fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders.

Toney Freeman finished the 2008 competitive season with a 5th place finish at the Mr. Olympia contest. The X-man can now add another notch in his belt of accomplishments by inking a multi-year deal with Team Muscletech.

“Toney has been a fan of Muscletech products for years and we have been big fans of Toney since he earned his pro card at the 2002 NPC Nationals” notes Dave Conlon, Manager of Talent Relations at Team Muscletech Headquarters.

“We have had Toney on our radar for quite some time and his impressive showing at this years Mr. Olympia competition, on top of his consistent placings in 2008 instantly confirmed that we had to add him to our already stacked roster of the worlds greatest bodybuilders, we couldn’t be happier to have him on the team.”

When asked how it feels to be a member of Team Muscletech, Toney said…

“It gives me great pleasure and it is also an honor to finally become a part of Team Muscletech.  My goal is to live up to and exceed all expectations. This is a very special time for me and I will continue the great tradition established by the great champions before me.  “Muscletech made the X-MAN the Next Man”

Congratulations Toney. Another great addition to Team Muscletech.

Toney Freeman at the 2008 Olympia.

Supplement industry guru Mel Rich passed away on Octover 18, 2008, after a long battle with cancer. He was 64 years old. Mel was born on November 29, 1944 in New York. Mel was married to Ronnie, and has two daughters, Hallie and Barrie.

Mel always believed that science should be at the root of all dietary supplement formulations and he always valued efficacy over marketability. As a child, Mel used to do work for his father, Sidney Rich, founder of Phoenix Laboratories Inc., stuffing cotton in bottles. After graduation, Mel began working the family business, but was drawn to the dietary supplement side of manufacturing and soon became the industry’s “go-to” person for any company who wanted to develop unique and credible products. Mel began to formulate and manufacture products for Great Earth Vitamin Stores. In1988, Mel and the Rich family purchased the Great Earth franchising company, and Mel became president of Great Earth. In the 1996, Mel created Bodyonics Ltd., and its brand, Pinnacle®. Mel developed many “firsts” for the dietary supplement industry, including a mega-potency multiple vitamin, a patented time-released process for use in dietary supplements and an antioxidant formula.

“Mel Rich always believed in the vision of individuality,” said Bernie Bubman, pharmacist and co-founder of Great Earth Vitamin Stores. “That is what Great Earth was based on. Belief that the unusual or the different matters and can be done if one has the will. And he worked harder than anyone to prove it.”

“Mel Rich was one of the pioneers of new supplements, new ways to increase the bioavailability of nutrients,” said Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D., author of “The Vitamin Bible” and co-founder of Great Earth Vitamin Stores.

“He was always looking and researching to better the industry with quality products. His enthusiasm to share what he discovered with me is something I will never forget. I will miss him and so will the whole industry.”

Mel Rich was born on Nov. 29, 1944 in New York. He graduated from Columbia University, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1968 with a degree in pharmacy.

Thanks to Natural Insider for providing the info.

It was a sad day on Saturday, October 18th, we I woke up, and found out that Ben Weider had passed away. He was an icon, and up until his passing, a person that was very aware and still came every year to the Olympia event, as he just did a few weeks ago. I got to meet Ben Weider a number of times, and one of my favorite honor was when Ben called my name on stage at the 2007 Olympia, and thanked me on stage. Here are some pictures I took from the 2008 Olympia. You will be missed Ben.

Ben  & Joe Weider

Jim Manion, Dexter Jackson and Ben Weider on stage

Ryan DeLuca with Ben Weider

Vince Scalisi and Dave Conlon with Ben & Joe

Ron Avidan with Joe & Ben

 Bev Francis and Steve Weinburger with Ben

Russ DeLuca with Joe & Ben

Isaac Hinds with Ben

Rob Wilkins, Bob Cicherillo, Dan Solomon and Robin Chang with Ben

Funeral service from Paperman & Sons at 3888 Jean Talon West on Monday, October 20 at 1 pm in Montreal, Canada. More inforation, call 514-733-7101. Burial at the Victorian Cemetery Association, de la savane. Shiva strictly private. Please respect the family’s wishes to observe shiva in the strictest of privacy. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre. 514-737-6551 or to the Cardiology Research Fund, Jewish General Hospital Foundation.

February 1, 1923 – October 17, 2008

Ben Weider, sports leader, scholar, businessman, and philanthropist, known and honored worldwide for his pioneering work promoting and organizing the sport of bodybuilding and groundbreaking work as a self-taught but hugely influential and popular Napoleonic historian and author, died suddenly Friday in Montreal, city of his birth and lifelong home. He was 85 years old.

Beloved husband of Huguette Derouin for 49 years. Devoted father and father-in-law of Louis and Linda, Eric and Renee, Mark and Natalie. Cherished grandfather of Aisha, Joseph and Vanessa. Dear brother and brother-in-law of Joe and Betty, Freda Yankofsky, the late Jacob, the late Louis and brother-in-law of Bertha Levy and Andre Derouin.

About the Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre. The Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre provides a full range of fitness, recreational, educational and community-oriented social programmes for children and adults. The state-of-the-art facility houses the Annie and Nathan Steinberg Aquatic Centre complete with an 8 lane, 25 metre pool; Hoppenheim/Eltes Gymnasiums; a studio gym; the Mark Wasserman Aerobic Centre; a weight room; the Reinitz Wrestling Centre; the Schwartz/Segel Family Childcare Program; the Pollack Education Centre; a full-service men’s and women’s health club; Physio Plus Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy Clinic; a kosher restaurant; meeting rooms; indoor parking and a car wash service.

From a canadian newspaper… 

MONTREAL, Oct 18, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Ben Weider, sports leader, scholar, businessman, and philanthropist, known and honored worldwide for his pioneering work promoting and organizing the sport of bodybuilding and groundbreaking work as a self-taught but hugely influential and popular Napoleonic historian and author, died suddenly Friday in Montreal, city of his birth and lifelong home. He was 85 years old.

In his more than sixty years of involvement in bodybuilding, as Founding President of the International Brotherhood of Body Builders (I.F.B.B.), Mr. Weider worked in close association with his older brother Joe Weider, an iconic figure known as the Father of Modern Bodybuilding. The Weiders anticipated, then led, the worldwide fitness revolution and legitimized bodybuilding — training with weights to build strength and musculature — in all of athletic conditioning and healthful exercise for the general public. The I.F.B.B., founded by the Weiders in 1946, has 173 member national federations worldwide and sanctions thousands of amateur and professional competitive events.

Mr. Weider’s achievements in Napoleonic history were as notable as his work in organized sport. Mr. Weider’s knowledge of health, through his work in bodybuilding, led him to doubt the generally accepted theory of Napoleon’s death — that he died of stomach cancer. Working with a fellow-doubter, a Swedish dentist and toxicology expert, Mr. Weider obtained authenticated Napoleon hair samples and arranged for forensic tests that showed that Napoleon had been poisoned with arsenic. A popular account of the historical sleuthing, co-authored by Weider and published in 1982 — The Murder Of Napoleon — became one of the best-selling history books of all time, now with editions in 45 languages. Though subsequent analysis provided proof positive that Napoleon was killed by a poisoner, entrenched academic historians, particularly in France, resisted Mr. Weider’s new findings, before finally accepting them. Even France was finally won-over, witness Mr. Weider receiving the Legion of Honor, France’s highest national honor, in 2000.

The French award was one of many such high honors. In 1975 he received the Order of Canada, his nation’s most prestigious award, in recognition of his contributions to sport. In 2001 he received another signal honor, the Order of St. John, in recognition of charitable work promoting youth fitness and health worldwide. Montreal, where he was a very well-known figure, has such monuments to his philanthropy as the Ben Weider Jewish Community Center and a new museum gallery showcasing a major collection of Napoleon’s personal artifacts donated by Mr. Weider to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Mr. Weider died less than a week before a gala gallery opening, scheduled for October 23.

Concerning his decades-spanning struggles to win respect and acceptance for bodybuilding, a once-reviled, fringe activity, and mainstream recognition of the truth about Napoleon’s death, Mr. Weider wrote, “I must love long, uphill battles…”

Ben Weider’s ultimate battle, to make something of himself in spite of poverty, lack of opportunity, and prejudice, began with his birth in Montreal’s old Jewish immigrant quarter, known as “The Main.” Ben was the third son of Louis and Anna Weider, immigrants from Poland. He, like his big brother Joe, had to drop out of school at the end of the seventh grade to help support the family, which was hit hard by the Great Depression of the 1930s. Young Ben took jobs in garment sweatshops and restaurants before enlisting in the Canadian Army and serving during World War II. After Ben left the Army, then-overt anti-Semitism walled him out of entry-level positions in Montreal architecture firms, his dream career path at the time. While he sought work, he pitched in to help his brother Joe, a passionate believer in bodybuilding, who put out a physique magazine and operated a mail-order business in weights and exercise gear.

Thus was born an extraordinary lifelong alliance, with a division of responsibilities that also endured. Joe functioned as the visionary and creative engine of the Weider enterprises, while Ben became the promoter and producer of physique contests and traveled the world as an ambassador of bodybuilding, introducing the sport overseas and organizing new national federations of the I.F.B.B. In 1947, Joe relocated to New Jersey, later moving the U.S. Weider enterprises to Southern California, while Ben remained in Canada.

Ben developed his own passions commensurate with Joe’s, for the federation he led, and for the power of sport to build bridges between nations and foster international amity. His two passions fused in dream of winning recognition for the I.F.B.B. by the International Olympic Committee, an ultimate stamp of approval by the group that championed his own highest ideals about sport.

Beginning in 1947, Ben traveled the world, promoting his sport, organizing exhibitions and competitive events. Where there was sufficient interest, he helped set up I.F.B.B. affiliate national federations. At the height of Cold War tensions, he courted sports officials of militantly anti-Western regimes in the then-Soviet Union and Communist China. Though Jewish, he had great successes promoting his sport and setting up affiliates in Arab countries. Through bodybuilding he struck a blow at the racist apartheid system in South Africa, insisting on shared accommodations and equal treatment for all athletes at a world championship contest in Pretoria in 1975. While he grew his sports organization, he courted successive presidents of the International Olympic Committee and laid groundwork at national, regional and I.O.C. top organizational levels for recognition of bodybuilding, which was temporarily, provisionally granted in 1998, but then lapsed.

Ben Weider, characteristically, was not at all discouraged by the lapse in recognition, declaring that his dream would surely be achieved, for good. And he was deeply, justifiably proud of what the near miss meant. As he wrote, “Wherever there are people on this earth, there are bodybuilders organized under the I.F.B.B.”

Ben Weider is survived by his wife, Huguette, nee Derouin, sons Louis, Eric, and Mark, and grandchildren Joseph and Vanessa. Also surviving are his brother Joe and sister Freda Yankofsky. Family and friends will gather for a memorial service on Monday, October 20th, at Paperman’s Funeral Home in Montreal. The family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Ben Weider Jewish Community Center.

 An interesting article that ran today…

World’s Largest Physical Culture Collection Gets $1 Million and 25 New Artifacts
AUSTIN, Texas — The world’s largest physical culture collection, located in the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports at The University of Texas at Austin, has received a $1 million gift from physical fitness icons Joe and Betty Weider, along with their pledge to donate around 25 unique paintings and sculptures from their personal collection.

This is the second $1 million gift the Weiders have given to The University of Texas at Austin. To acknowledge the Weiders’ generosity and honor their lifetime of achievements in the field of physical culture, the Stark Center announced that its galleries related to the history of  “Physical culture” is a broad term that originated in the 19th century and that refers to many ways of promoting strength, health and vigor. The attainment of health and strength could be through purposive exercise regimens like running, resistance training, cycling, swimming, athletics, field sports and walking, as well as through proper eating habits, recreation and rest. Reflecting the breadth of the term, the Stark Center collections include books, magazines, photographs, correspondence and artifacts related to physical fitness, sports, nutrition and alternative medicine.

The Weiders’ involvement with The University of Texas at Austin began in 2004 when the Weider Foundation pledged $1 million to create the Joe Weider Physical Culture Endowment Fund. Interest from that fund has supported work related to the Todd-McLean Physical Culture Collection, a donation to the university from Drs. Jan and Terry Todd, longtime faculty members in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education and record-setting competitive lifters.

At the time of their first $1 million gift, the Weiders indicated that another $1 million would be forthcoming when the university provided a large space to serve as permanent home for the Todd-McLean Collection. In 2006, the Todds secured a $3.5 million gift from the Nelda C.and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, and that gift triggered The University of Texas at Austin’s decision to allocate 27,500 square feet of space at the north end of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for the collection. The collection was named in honor of Lutcher Stark, who served on the University of Texas System Board of Regents for 25 years.

Fulfilling their promise, the Weiders presented their second $1 million gift and pledged paintings, sculptures, books, photographs and other rare artifacts from their private collection.

— Read the Full Story Here.

At the 2008 Ironman Pro, Isaac vs. Ron went at it in the Gladiator Jousting Challenge, and Ron pulled through, with a blow that sent Isaac off the ground.  At the 2008 Olympia, once again, the two went out it again, while Lonnie Teper was the emcee of this event. Two rounds, and the so-called ‘Experts’ fought there way towards a battle in which LT gets knocked down at the end!