Solidcore Expands With New C-Suite Hires, Adds Marriott Exec to Board
Solidcore has added a seasoned hospitality executive to its team and a Marriott leader to its board. Could a crossover with wellness tourism be in the cards?
Solidcore is bolstering its executive ranks, including the appointment of its first chief people officer and chief commercial officer, as it pushes past 150 studios nationwide.
Michelle Engel, a certified executive coach and wellness enthusiast who most recently served as chief people officer at Clarvida and CHRO at Evolent Health, will become Solidcore’s chief people officer on September 15. She previously held senior human resources posts at AOL. Notably, she timed her start date to coincide with a Ragnar relay race.
“What drew me to Solidcore was more than the workout,” Engel said. “It is the community and culture that set it apart for me. My focus will be on strengthening that culture and ensuring our people have the tools and support to deliver their best work for our communities.”
Later this month, Anne Smith will step into the newly created role of chief commercial officer on September 23. Smith previously oversaw loyalty marketing at Marriott Bonvoy and earlier held senior brand roles at Choice Hotels International, where she relaunched the Comfort brand and introduced Clarion Pointe. Recognized among Hotel Management’s Influential Women in Hospitality and Lodging Magazine’s Leading Women in Lodging, Smith is also a certified yoga instructor.
“Strength has always been at the center of Solidcore, and it is what makes the brand distinctive,” Smith said. “I see a significant opportunity to build on that foundation by reaching more people, deepening client loyalty and making the brand even more relevant in their lives.”
Solidcore is also adding Lucy Werner, senior vice president of global partnerships at Marriott International, to its board of directors. She previously served as chief commercial officer at Rosewood Hotel Group and spent nearly seven years at Google in Hong Kong, where she helped launch Google Cloud in the region and built partnerships across travel, finance and retail.
“I have worked with companies scaling across markets and industries, and Solidcore has the same potential to grow well beyond its current footprint,” Werner said. “The combination of a clear mission and a strong community creates a powerful platform for expansion.”
The duo’s deep experience in tourism and hospitality may also hint at where Solidcore is headed next.
The boutique fitness brand has already begun experimenting with hospitality tie-ins. This past summer, Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore partnered with Solidcore for a three-part workout series featuring high-intensity, low-impact classes that offered sweeping views of the Inner Harbor. Both hotel guests and locals were invited to the series, and following each class, they were invited to enjoy a complimentary signature cocktail at the Splash Pool Bar & Grill.
In addition to the new appointments, Solidcore is recruiting for a head of international to guide global market entry and a head of new business ventures to expand the brand beyond the studio.
“At Solidcore, our strength has always come from the passion and commitment of our team,” CEO Bryan Myers said. “With leaders like Michelle, Anne and Lucy joining us, we are building the foundation for the next chapter of growth. Together, we’ll expand our community, innovate our experience and shape the future of strength training. I cannot wait to see what we accomplish.”
The appointments come after private equity firm L Catterton acquired a majority stake in Solidcore last September in a deal that valued the company between $600 million and $700 million, according to Reuters.
Solidcore founder and serial fitness and wellness investor Anne Mahlum, who launched Solidcore in 2013 before selling her shares in the company in 2023 to investment firm Kohlberg & Company for an undisclosed amount, called it a pivotal moment for the brand at the time.
Mahlum recently led a $3.5 million funding round for The Athletic Clubs (ACs), a squad-based training brand with several locations across New York City. The raise will fuel ACs’ next phase of growth, with plans to expand to 15 locations by the end of 2026 and enter two new markets.