Colleen Keating Steps Into Planet Fitness Leadership Role With Three Decades of Hospitality Expertise

fork_in_the_road · 2026-01-12T17:10:23+00:00

Planet Fitness, Inc. appointed Colleen Keating as CEO, effective June 10, 2024. With over 30 years of experience in hospitality and franchise management, her leadership is expected to guide the brand through evolving market challenges. Craig Benson will remain on the Board of Directors.

fork_in_the_road

2026-01-12 17:10:23

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Planet Fitness, Inc. (PLNT) has named Colleen Keating as its new Chief Executive Officer, with the transition set for June 10, 2024. The appointment follows a rigorous board-led search to identify an executive capable of steering the fitness brand forward.

Keating brings substantial cross-industry credentials to the role. Her career spans more than 30 years navigating hospitality, real estate operations, and franchise ecosystems—sectors that share operational complexities similar to fitness franchise management. Most recently, she led FirstKey Homes LLC as CEO from 2020 onward, building on her earlier tenure as Chief Operating Officer of InterContinental Hotels Group’s Americas division, a position she held between 2018 and 2020.

The new Planet Fitness CEO built her foundation during a 16-year run at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. In that timeframe, she ascended through increasingly demanding leadership roles, culminating in her oversight of franchise operations and compliance across North America and regional operations management between 2012 and 2016. Her track record centers on brand stewardship and directing organizations with customer-centric business models—skillsets directly transferable to the fitness industry.

Craig Benson, who served as Interim CEO during the transition period, will step down from the executive position but maintain his presence on the company’s Board of Directors. The restructuring positions Planet Fitness to leverage Keating’s operational playbook and franchise management pedigree as it navigates an evolving fitness market landscape.

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