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Articles by Rob Bishop
Opinion: Don’t let Netflix chill Silicon Slopes Original
Utah is often called the Silicon Slopes, and for good reason. Our state has become home to entrepreneurs and cutting-edge technology companies drawn by a competitive tax climate, a skilled workforce and a business environment far more welcoming than that in places like California. This didn’t happen by accident, as Utah invested millions to attract companies. Today, over 118,000 Utah residents work for the tech industry, which generates over in annual economic activity for the state.
October 17, 2023
The Michigan Tech soccer team returned from the first of two consecutive road weekends with a draw against No. 9 Grand Valley State and a victory against Davenport. MTU battled to a 1-1 draw against the Lakers on Friday (Oct. 13) at the GVSU Soccer Field. The Huskies overcame a 1-0 deficit with a goal by Reilly Lovercheck in the 80th minute — her career first. "I am incredibly proud of our team's remarkable performance today," head coach Turk Ozturk said.
October 3, 2023 | Tech Today | Michigan Tech
Rudy Luck from the Department of Chemistry at Michigan Technological University will be presenting at this week's Chemistry Seminar. The seminar will be held in person at 3 p.m. Friday (Oct. 6) in Chem Sci 101. Luck’s presentation is titled "Journey to the Dark Side.
April 3, 2023 | Tech Today | Michigan Tech
“Worldwide, birding numbers grew dramatically during the pandemic as people looked for safe, healthy activities to replace some of the social things they used to do,” says Professor David Flaspohler, interim dean of the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. What are you doing for supper tonight (April 3) at 6 p.m. ET? Grab a bite on Zoom with Flaspohler.
Here’s why I support Tina Cannon for my old seat in Congress |Opinion
Tina Cannon, a Republican candidate for Utah’s 1st District in Congress. Tina Cannon There are many candidates for the 1st Congressional District seat for whom I have great respect. Some are new to the political field and have demonstrated promise. However, after reviewing the candidates, I am compelled to support Tina Cannon for the Republican nomination. Here are the five reasons why I choose Tina. 1. She is a reliable conservative.
A peek behind the Asparagus curtain
Hi Gus readers, Back when we were fundraising in the spring, I had a conversation with my mum about the challenges we face when asking for support. One suggestion she made is that the Asparagus team makes publishing look too easy. No matter how stretched thin we are financially or personally, we manage to put out beautiful, professional magazines and keep the stories coming pretty regularly online. From the outside, we look like a much larger operation than we are in reality.
Guest opinion: Forgotten Utah lands are key to economic growth
“People forget,” as the rock band The Who reminded us in their 1982 hit “Eminence Front.” We’ve all done it. Remember when you forgot where you put your car keys? Or your phone? Perhaps you forgot your anniversary? (That’ll cost you a pretty penny … ) However, you’ve probably never forgotten 217,000 acres of land, have you? Well, the federal government did.
Rep. Rob Bishop: How I intend to fix Utah’s broken election system
For more than six years, Utah’s political establishment has argued, piddled and litigated over our election system. Some who voted for SB54 — the compromise legislation allowing candidates to qualify for the primary ballot by collecting signatures, in addition to vying for delegates at the state convention — now oppose it. Some who opposed it now find it politically useful. Some weakly say, “Let the people decide,” to avoid offending anyone.
Guest opinion: Helping Utah’s public education system recover should be top priority
Utah’s schools have now been closed for three weeks, and in that short amount time we’ve asked our public education system to make incredible changes. Our physical classrooms are empty, but our Google and Zoom classrooms are full. Our lunchrooms aren’t open, but you can still grab a meal to go. Our buses aren’t delivering students to school, but they are delivering food and supplies to our families.
Guest opinion: Education - when will we ever learn?
Education policy debates in Utah almost always turn into full-blown arguments. Given education’s standing as the highest ranked priority for Utahns year after year, and the diversity of views around ideas and solutions, it’s no wonder. When will we learn that the “us vs. them” approach — pitting traditional models and structures against innovation and change — is not solving the problem?
Puerto Rico's people, new leadership have the power to put the island on a path forward
The island commonwealth is on the cusp of ruin and the symptoms are debt, corruption and doubt, symptoms left untreated for decades. Activists in the streets of San Juan decry the corruption their parents have faced for years, and a government built on debt, and paralyzed by litigation, emigration and chaos. Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s resignation is far from a cure to the Island’s afflictions.
Test On This Day Aston Villa Football Club
On this day in 1951 Peter Withe was born in Liverpool. A £500,000 club record signing when he joined Villa from Newcastle United in the summer of 1980, he was described by manager Ron Saunders as “the last piece in the jigsaw.” The manager couldn’t have been more accurate. That season, Withe’s 20 league goals helped to clinch the First Division title and he also scored the winner in the 1982 European Cup final against Bayern Munich.
Rob Bishop Reflects on Favorite AB Contributions
I sneaked into the back of an Orange County Convention Center conference room to check out a couple of speakers I had yet to experience at the Athletic Business Conference (now AB Show). At the front of the room, already in the middle of their session, were a pair of independent health club owners from Scotrun, Pa. Looking somewhat alike, at least from the ears up, they referenced their mutual baldness with self-effacing ease.
Test On This Day Aston Villa Football Club
On this day in 1992, Ray Houghton signed for Villa from Liverpool for £800,000. The Glasgow-born Republic of Ireland international spent three seasons at Villa Park, making 121 league and cup appearances and scoring 11 goals. He had won a League Championship medal with Liverpool and almost added a Premier League medal to his collection as Villa finished runners-up to Manchester United in the new competition’s inaugural season. By Rob Bishop @robbishopavfc 28th July 1992
Rob Keeps His Club Doors Open as He Seeks a Buyer
As we headed into 2018, I actually started to think that it might be possible to save the business. I had made the first few payments under the bankruptcy repayment plan that had been approved by the court. We could now be "discharged" from bankruptcy. So long as we could continue to make our monthly payments to repay the debt, we could operate just like any other business. The $30,000 in attorney fees and court costs we had paid out over the past year and a half would go back into the business.
REP. BISHOP: It’s Time For Congress To Reform The Antiquities Act
3:00 PM 05/02/2019 | Opinion Rep. Rob Bishop | Contributor As the new Democratic chairman and top Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee, respectively, Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva and I recently presided over a hearing examining the status of presidentially declared national monuments under the Antiquities Act, including Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments.
Financial Issues Confront Elevations Health Club
Years ago, I used to read Inc. Magazine. It was for and about small businesses. One of my favorite columns was "Obituary," which looked at small businesses that had failed. It tried to examine why they failed and how they might have survived. In this and future columns, I will be writing the obituary for Elevations Health Club. I am going to have to close my club, most likely by the time you are reading this.
Test On This Day Aston Villa Football Club
On this day in 1897, Villa became the second team in football history to achieve a league and cup double. They beat Everton 3-2 in the FA Cup final at the Crystal Palace, thanks to goals from John Campbell, Fred Wheldon and Jimmy Crabtree, and then received confirmation they were also league champions. Derby County, the only team with a mathematical chance of catching the boys in claret-and-blue, had lost to Bury. By Rob Bishop @robbishopavfc 10th April 1897
The Verdict: Aston Villa 2-2 QPR
Game details Match: Aston Villa v QPR Date: Tuesday 1st January 2019 Competition: Sky Bet Championship Venue: Villa Park Attendance: 37,760 Scoring summary Abraham 21, 75 Freeman 32, Eze 57 Line-up Steer; Bree, Elphick, Chester, Hutton; McGinn, Hourihane, Bjarnason; Adomah (Bolasie 61), Abraham, Kodjia (El Ghazi 61). Subs: Bunn, Whelan, Hogan, Davis, Elmohamady.
Lessons From a Quarter Century in the Fitness Business
I've been in the fitness business for more than a quarter-century — most of my adult life — and I thought the start of a new year might be a good time to take a look back and see how this industry of ours has impacted me personally. I've come away with at least eight lessons learned. 1. Trust your instincts As an owner and GM, I do a lot of problem solving.
Fitness Pros on Front Lines of Obesity Fight
I recently read an article analyzing the obesity epidemic from the perspective of several overweight individuals who agreed to share their painful experiences. The author points out that obesity is rampant and caused by several societal issues: the overabundance of readily available, overly processed food (especially foods containing high-fructose corn syrup); the high cost of healthful food; and the fact that we are now so busy as a society that there isn't time to plan meals or to exercise.
Ryan Zinke provides bold and energetic leadership: Rep. Rob Bishop
Rob Bishop, Opinion contributor Published 4:52 p.m. ET Dec. 10, 2018 His Department of the Interior has delivered on change: Opposing view Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and President Donald Trump at the lighting of the national Christmas tree on Nov. 28, 2018.(Photo: Erik S. Lesser, epa-EFE) No one wants bad government. Yet that’s just what we’ve gotten from the Department of the Interior for the past several decades.
Secretary Zinke’s Interior Department is a force for good
What good is a national park closed due to crumbling roads; or a national forest always ravaged by wildfires; or a recreation area capriciously placed off-limits by a bureaucrat? What good is a land management system that can’t respond to people because of cumbersome rules and internal red tape?
Test On This Day Aston Villa Football Club
On St Andrew’s Day in 1955, Andy Gray was born in Glasgow. The striker joined Villa from Dundee United for £110,000 in 1975 and quickly established himself as one of the most popular players ever to wear a claret-and-blue shirt.
Four Tips for Helping Employees Exit Gracefully
When a new member signs up at our club, we are careful to go over our cancellation policy. Why do we do this? Because when they join, they don't think they will ever quit. But we know better. The same is true of employees. When someone first comes to work for you, they never think about leaving. But just like any business, turnover comes with the health club territory. How are they going to handle it when it's time to move on to something bigger and potentially better?
Blogservations: My memories of Sir Doug Ellis
Sir Doug Ellis was capable of both taking you sky high and bringing you down to earth, as I can testify from personal experience. When Villa visited Berlin and Dresden in the summer of 1992, for instance, he managed to get me a club class seat on a flight for which I didn’t even have a ticket. That made amends for the time he offered me a seat on a plane which never left the runway. But first the flight that actually happened.
OPINION: Restoring The Land And Water Conservation Fund
Politicians love creating new parks. It’s a cheap way (using someone else’s money) to increase name recognition and bona fides ahead of an election. Unfortunately, maintaining our parks doesn’t have the same appeal. Why would a politician fix a leaky roof or repave a road when he or she could create a new park?
Customer Service Challenges Take Many Forms
A few months ago, a video of an irate member destroying the front desk area of a Planet Fitness location went viral. When I saw the video, I just laughed — because it wasn't my club she was trying to dismantle. But what really caught my eye was the staff members who were also visible in the video. They just stood there calmly and watched. What else could they do besides call the police?
How the Club Market Continues to Change
A few weeks ago, I was talking with a friend who owns a small chain of very successful paint and wallpaper stores in my area. He said, "Even with all of the experience I've gained over the past 20 years, I'd never open an independent paint store in today's market." I was surprised by this comment, as I know he really loves what he does. He explained that his industry has changed dramatically over those two decades, and it wouldn't make sense economically to open stores like his.
Rob Bishop: Wildfires and Washington: How Congress can stop catastrophe before it starts
Charred landscapes, torched buildings and the loss of property and life. These are the consequences of massive wildfires. Most Americans in the Eastern United States aren’t acquainted with this type of destruction. However, these scenes are all too familiar for those of us who live in the West. Congress and the U.S. Forest Service have the opportunity now to stop catastrophic wildfires before they start. This is not some pie-in-the-sky hyperbole coming from Washington.
Rob Bishop: To anyone aspiring to be senator: Scrap the filibuster
Dear Mitt, Jenny, Craig, Tim, Reed and anybody else who ever wants to be a senator: Even though I’ve been out of the classroom for several years (once a teacher, always a teacher), there are times I just can’t help myself from handing out assignments; just ask my staff. At the risk of being presumptuous, allow an old history and civics teacher to suggest a short reading assignment for Utah’s next senator.
Rep. Rob Bishop: Trump’s right. It’s time to ditch the filibuster and fix our broken government
There is nothing more frustrating for a baseball fan than when your team leaves runners on base. Anyone who follows baseball knows that opportunities to score are hard to come by, and missed opportunities can cost you the game. With that in mind, if the U.S. Congress were a baseball team, its fan would be devastated to have watched the team leave at least 500 runners on base so far this season. Let me explain. Just like in baseball, politics is a team sport.
11 Design Changes That Might Benefit Our Club
This issue of AB features facilities from all over North America with unique, often spectacular designs. I was recently asked what I would do differently if I could redesign our health club. That question really caused me to take a critical look around. Here are 11 things I'd likely change, if I was starting over from scratch: 1. Branded entrance I love the front entrance to our club, with its beautifully landscaped walkway. But I wish there was a space over the front door for a more prominent sign.
Stemming Attrition Following Record Sales
A number of factors conspired to send our membership and revenue numbers into steady decline throughout 2016. These included internal financial problems, along with increased competition in our marketplace from a low-price chain — not to mention Zumba, personal training and rock climbing studios. With the help of a consultant, we started doing things differently last year, changing our marketing, service and pricing models rather dramatically.
Business Tips for Your Club’s Personal Training Efforts
As readers of this column know, last year our club revamped our membership structure to better suit the needs of our customers. We also restructured our personal training department. How much personal training should we be doing? How many clients should we have compared to the number of members in the club? You'll see different estimates from different experts in the industry, but most say between 20 and 40 percent of your total membership base should be doing some kind of personal training.
Rob Bishop: Changing the dialogue on public lands from 'the problem' to 'our problem'
Thomas Jefferson had it right: “The government closest to the people serves the people best.” The Bureau of Land Management manages 248 million acres, two and a half times the total size of California, of which 99 percent is west of the Mississippi River. And yet, the BLM is headquartered in Washington. The Fish and Wildlife Service manages 89 million acres, an area slightly bigger than Germany. All its responsibilities, too, lie far from Washington.
Utah Representatives: We don’t support recreational marijuana - but stigma shouldn‘t stall scientific research into its effects
Red tape, bureaucratic hurdles and arbitrary roadblocks are pervasive in Washington, D.C. These obstacles not only result in irritation and inconvenience, but also have the capacity to cause great harm to the health and happiness of those suffering from painful disorders and diseases. Barriers to medical-grade marijuana research may be resulting in the preventable and unnecessary pain of countless Americans. Many have sought to address this by legalizing medical marijuana at the state level.
President Trump’s Courageous Decision to Shrink Utah Monuments Places Principle Ahead of Politics
President Trump traveled to Utah this week to announce a reduction in the Grand Staircase–Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments. The historic action demonstrates that the Trump administration is committed to abiding by the law — whether a majority of Americans want him to or not.
Advantages of Pushing Club Operations Online
When we first purchased Elevations Health Club, 22 years ago, members would sign in when they arrived at the club on a piece of lined notebook paper. Membership dues were collected at the front desk each month. Not exactly technology-dependent. As we started to grow, we implemented auto-payments. No more tracking down payments from every member every month. It was an essential change since we simply couldn't keep track of everyone's monthly dues on paper.
Test On This Day Aston Villa Football Club
On this day in 1953, Brian Little was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Little is one of the most famous names in Villa’s history, having inspired major triumphs as both a player and a manager – with a spell as youth-team coach in between. As a player, Little endeared himself to the claret-and-blue faithful with his flair, ability and penchant for scoring. He hit 82 goals in 302 appearances, including the dramatic extra-time winner in the 1977 League Cup final second replay against Everton.
How a Customer Service Reboot Rescued Our Club
After approximately 18 months of declining membership and revenue, I realized that our club was in serious trouble. As identified in this space last month, we had two big issues: poor customer service (we weren't as good as we used to be) and a seeming invisibility in our marketplace. To solve our customer service issue, I began by talking to other business owners about how they train their staff members to provide great service.
Identifying Operational Challenges as an Independent Club
Because I write a column that often focuses on helping club owners and managers become more successful in their own clubs, everyone usually assumes that we have a great club (true) and are wildly successful (not necessarily true). I wrote last year about the closing of our second location, how it came to be necessary, how we handled it and how it impacted the community, our staff and our members. Well, we have also experienced some tough times at our main location.
Unique Health Club Design Elements
I started working out when I was 12 years old. So in the past 20 years (okay, 35 years), I've performed more than my fair share of workouts. One thing I really look forward to is working out in different health clubs. Whenever I travel, I make it a point to try out other clubs — usually a half-dozen a year. These are often smaller, independent clubs, but sometimes I'm in an area that has only big-box players, so then I visit those.
Five Tips for Retaining New Club Members
If your club is anything like mine, right about now you're wondering what happened to Stan who was always on the treadmill on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 6 a.m. Or perhaps you can't remember the last time you saw Nancy, who was always in the 10 a.m. cycle class. And wasn't the weight room more crowded last month? It's that time of year when many of our new members start to lose their motivation. The club can go from full of energy to empty in just a few weeks.
Why you shouldn't rush canola seeding into cooler soils
Your flea beetle management strategy this season is going to depend on what type of weather conditions and soil temperatures experienced in the days leading up to seeding. Striped flea beetles are going to be a significant threat to your emerging canola, and were responsible for about 90 per cent of the feeding damage we saw in fields last season.
Forty Years of Commercial Fitness
As this issue of Athletic Business looks back over the magazine's first 40 years, I thought I'd take a look back at the fitness industry to see what has come and gone and what has stuck around. In many ways, 1977 kicked off a fitness revolution that continues today. That year, George Butler released his bodybuilding documentary "Pumping Iron," and the world was introduced to the wonders of free weights and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Suddenly, it seemed, everyone wanted to lift.
Cultivating Corporate Membership Programs
I'm not sure there is a health club out there that doesn't target local businesses with offers of a corporate membership for their employees. Some employers simply want to add such memberships to their checklist of employee perks while others are truly interested in improving the health and wellbeing of their workers. Before we sell a membership or a service to any individual, we first need to assess the needs of that individual. It's the same with a company.
Knowing When to Seek Marketing Help - and From Whom
If you read this column on a regular basis, you know that we've been in business for a long time. And over the years, I'd like to think we've tried just about everything when it comes to advertising and marketing: billboards, direct mail, email, social media, TV, radio and member-referral programs. Some things were successful, and some weren't. Some things worked great the first time and not so great the second or third time.
What to Consider When Dispensing Weight-Loss Advice
This article appeared in the October issue of Athletic Business. Athletic Business is a free magazine for professionals in the athletic, fitness and recreation industry. Click here to subscribe. If you've worked in the health industry for more than five minutes you've undoubtedly been asked: How do I lose weight? Or perhaps: What should I eat? Or maybe: You're in good shape, what supplements do you take? The client asking one or all of these questions is looking for a simple, straightforward answer.
One way to reduce regulations? Give states the power to reject them.
The current session of Congress, much like the ones that preceded it, has been filled with gridlock, recycled policy debates and little progress on the challenges facing our nation. But on the day the House adjourned until November, a ray of hope emerged: A resolution to combat the regulatory state and revive federalism was introduced. There may be hope after all for the republic. Rep.(R-Utah) introduced H.J. Res. 100 on Sept. 28.
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