ROCKINGHAM – With a decade of experience in managing group fitness and personal training programs (including a program with multiple locations) in his background, Jonathan Pope brings leadership, problem-solving and critical thinking skills to his new job as manager of FirstHealth Fitness-Richmond.
He assumed the new role on Oct. 1, replacing former manager Kim Covington who resigned to spend more time with her family.
Jonathan Pope
“I have been in the health and fitness industry for the past 10 years,” Pope says. “I’ve worked in all departments – sales, operations, personal training, group fitness, front desk and maintenance/facilities, and I wanted a challenging position that allows me to use those skills while allowing me to travel less and spend more time with my family.”
Before joining FirstHealth, Pope served as fitness director of O2Fitness/East Shore Athletic Clubs Raleigh/Charleston, where he was responsible for the overall director of facilities and facility operations departments for 24 locations throughout North and South Carolina.
A graduate of Anson County High School, he was previously employed with fitness operations in Charlotte, Southern Pines and Durham. He is certified in CPR and in the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
“We are very excited about having Jonathan join our FirstHealth Fitness team,” says John Caliri, director of FirstHealth Fitness. “He is experienced in all areas of health and fitness management – from facilities to programming, and he brings a lot of enthusiasm and energy to the work. While we will certainly miss Kim and her great leadership, we believe that Jonathan is more than capable of taking FirstHealth Fitness-Richmond to a new level of community fitness service.”
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