It is with so much gratitude, that we announce our BAC Employee of the month for July—the one and only, Mike Locke.
It’s hard to put into words, let alone, a few short paragraphs, how much Mike means to BAC, it’s employees and members. We have all benefited from his intellect, passion, and diverse training background in his 34½ years as the Fitness Director here at BAC.
Mike has had quite the year! From his son’s engagement to quite a drastic health scare, and most recently a very beautiful wedding, uniting his son Sean and BAC Personal trainer Alexa. Those of us that have worked so closely with Mike over the years were able to share, pray for, and encourage him as he dealt with the incredible journey that he was forced to take after suffering a heart attack—a risk condition that ran in his family. We quickly found out how much he means to ALL of us, what a loyal father and husband he is—and thankfully, what a true fighter he continues to be. Making several lifestyle changes, and working on his own health has been a priority.
He is now back to full-time work and we couldn’t be more grateful. Mike has poured his energy into keeping all of us current on the latest trends, exercises, equipment, and classes that continuously change, and he is passionate about not only leading us but teaching us as well.
Mike and his wife Melissa met at BAC and will celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary in August. Together they have 2 children, Sean and Brianne. On Father’s Day, his family gifted him with a Golden Retriever puppy—to add to their 4-legged family, which includes 2 horses as well.
Brian Porter, a lifetime resident of Bellingham, has been with BAC since February of 1993. He is currently in charge of Operations. He has really done it all…from coaching basketball at the Boys and Girls Club to triathlons, Ski to Sea, and marathons. He also owns a screen printing business and is responsible for printing most of BAC’s uniforms and pro shop items as well as the towels. He is married to Regis. He has two kids, Amy and Andrew, and two stepkids. He also likes hiking, biking, S.C.U.B.A. diving, fishing, and most other outdoor activities.
Congratulations, Izy, on being nominated for June’s employee of the month! Izy was hired just last year. She started out in the maintenance department and quickly moved to Kids Club. She is also very involved in our youth programs, such as Friday Night Out and birthday parties. Izy recently started working at the front desk where she has quickly grown to be a very important and reliable part of our staff!
Tiffany Morton has been working as a personal trainer at the Bellingham Athletic Club since 1998. During that time she has started several programs that you will still see at the club today such as Weights for Women, Biggest Winner, and Dino Muscles. She managed Kids Club for several years and is still passionate about working with children and helping them lead an active and nutritious life. She has also worked with and directed several clients and small groups through the journey of weight loss.
Cathy began working in the health and fitness industry as a lifeguard in college. After graduation from the University of Washington, Cathy was instrumental in developing a complete Aquatic program for the new Bellevue Athletic Club facility. The next ten years at the “other” BAC provided her with great experience in facility management and taught her the importance of superior customer service. Moving to Bellingham in 1990 with husband, Stu, and children, Shannon, Todd, and John, found Cathy without a pool! While teaching CPR and First Aid throughout Whatcom County, she was introduced to Bellingham Athletic Club and was hired in 1991 as Aquatics Director. Cathy’s strong communication skills and attention to detail led to her being hired as BAC’s Operations Manager in 1993. She purchased BAC from the Trillium Corporation in 1997. Cathy has served as president and board member of FitLife, an organization of Northwest Quality Clubs. She is an upcoming President of the Rotary Club of Bellingham and has served on numerous philanthropic boards throughout the Northwest. “The Athletic Club business has changed greatly over the past 45 years, it used to be a ‘look in the mirror’ business, more about vanity than health. But today it is clearly a Health business. I am passionate about spreading the word about how instrumental staying fit is in the process of Aging actively, happily and successfully. I truly believe the major health problems associated with aging are more related to atrophy than the actual physical process of getting older. Staying active and fit can make the difference between being stuck in a recliner or continuing to do the things you love into retirement and beyond.”
Twenty-two months ago I announced to Cathy and my co-workers I would be retiring, of course at the time it was a long ways off. Now…I will be officially retired. Yikes!
Jessie has been employed at BAC since 2006. She is not a full-time employee any longer as she accepted a job at Mount Baker Imaging in August of 2016, but she is still running racquetball and basketball programs. She grew up in Indiana and graduated from Ball State University in 2006. Jessie enjoys water skiing, playing racquetball and anything else close to the water, and of course, spending time with Jasper.
Carly originates from Vancouver, WA and at the early age of 18 she moved to Bellingham to attend Whatcom Community College. In August of 2013, she was hired as a part of the Kids Club staff. Over the course of 3 years, she worked in different departments and became an integral part of the BAC. After a 3 year hiatus from the Club, she is now back serving as our Member Services Director.