Clark Hatch is a

physical fitness Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of Outline of sports, sports, occupations, and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, modera ...

"missionary" who explored Asia, bringing the word on improving health via exercise and nutrition. He has been called "a cross between

Marco Polo Marco Polo (; ; ; 8 January 1324) was a Republic of Venice, Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known a ...

and

Jack LaLanne Francois Henri LaLanne (; September 26, 1914 – January 23, 2011), the "Godfather of Fitness", was an American fitness and nutrition guru and motivational speaker. He described himself as being a "sugarholic" and a "junk food junkie" until he ...

" by ''Club Industry Magazine.'' Starting in 1965, Hatch opened fitness centers in 14 Far East countries, usually the first such facility in each nation, and then expanded into Australia, India, the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

and the United States, for a final total of 120. Now retired, he oversees an active organization of 41 centers from

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...

. Over the past 45 years he estimates he has helped some one million men and women along the path to fitness and improved health.

Business career

Hatch's formula for success was to partner with five-star hotels as they opened in Asian capitals, install a modern exercise facility, staff it with trained managers and develop two revenue streams: paid memberships from among the local business and diplomatic community and day use by guests of the hotel. This system showed consistent profits as he continued to expand into new territories including

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...

and

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

. Currently, there are 41 active centers in nine Asian countries plus

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

and

Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...

Books

In 1970, he wrote his first two books: ''Physical Fitness: A Practical Way'', published by Charles Tuttle, and ''Taikaku Kaizen Training-ho'' (Training Method to Improve Physique) together with "Mr. Japan" Mitsuo Endo. Hatch's third book, ''Clark Hatch Fitness Centers Instructors Manual'', was first printed in 1974 and, updated periodically, is still in use at all Clark Hatch Fitness Centers. His fourth book, ''Clark Hatch: Fitness Ambassador to Asia'', an illustrated autobiographical account of his 40-year business adventure and success, was published in the U.S. and in China in May, 2010.

Awards

Mayor's Award, Seoul, Korea, 1975, Plaque of Appreciation
Certificate of Merit, Honolulu, Hawaii City Council, March 23, 1978
Governor's Commendation, Honolulu, Hawaii, March 6, 1999

Press coverage

Vivienne Kenrick, "Clark Hatch" (personality profile), ''Japan Times'', July 7, 1965
Mas Manbo, "Times at Bat", ''Japan Times'', November 6, 1965
"Clark Hatch Physical Fitness Center", ''Mianichi Daily News'' (Japan), December 4, 1966
Marsha Prysuska, "This Is Hong Kong", ''Hong Kong Standard'', March 19, 1975, (p. 5)
"New ownership", ''Amfac Center Newsletter'', December 1, 1976 (cover story)
Ken Jalleh Jr., "Hatch has challenge for the fit", ''Straits Times'' (Singapore), October 19, 1979,
"Clark Hatch Health Centre opens today", ''Bangkok Post'' (Thailand), April 16, 1980
"Hatch Phys. Fitness Center opens", ''China Post'' (Taipei), July 10, 1980
Jim Wolf, "Proving a point – with muscles", ''Bangkok Post'' (Thailand) February 18, 1981,
"Physical contest held to salvage Asian honor", ''The Korea Times'', February 18, 1981,
Richard Buck, "Clark Hatch says he can save corporate dollars with exercise", ''Seattle Times'', July 5, 1981 (p. B6)
Robert King, "Hatch’s Prescription for Keeping Fit in Asia", ''Asian Wall Street Journal'', March 12, 1982
"U.S.-style fitness centers in Asia", ''Fortune'', December 27, 1982 (p. 11)
Kit Bauman, “Adolphus imports well-known Pacific health club”, ''Dallas Downtown News'', April 11–17, 1983
Pamela Lechtman, "Fitness Is Portable!", ''Shape'' magazine, November 1983
"Demand rights for pure air, non-smokers", ''Bangkok Post'', August 14, 1984
''Singapore Business'', August 1984, (p. 65) "Clark is hatching more centres"
Al Watts, "No-nonsense fitness proves Hatch’s forte", ''Pacific Business News'', February 6, 1984 (p. 5)
"On the Road", review of Dallas Clark Hatch Center, ''Fortune'', April 2, 1984 (p. 100)
"The Hatch Dynasty", ''Club Industry'', November 1987 (7-page cover feature)
Patrick Killen, "Clark Hatch Makes Fitness Respectable", ''Daily Yomiuri'', February 5, 1991 (p. A9)
Yeo Hwee Yng, "Fitness staff pass pinch test with flying colors", ''Straits Times'' (Singapore), May 25, 1993
"Asian Explorer"
''Club Business International'' (IHRSA) April 2005 (p. 49)
"Clark Hatch considers public offering to fund expansion"
''Health Club Management'', October 11, 2005,

References

External links

Clark Hatch International
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hatch, Clark Living people Year of birth missing (living people)