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After witnessing his father play a pivotal role in the growth of Burlington Coat Factory as a head of construction in the 1990s, Mark Girnys was eager to follow in his footsteps. While studying electrical engineering in college, he interned at JE Dunn Construction, one of the largest domestic general building contractors in the US, dabbling in some of the general contractor projects his dad took on.
“Starting a project and finishing it properly and on time was a joy,” says Girnys, now vice president of construction at CR Fitness Holdings. “I also enjoyed navigating the various hurdles that would pop up along the way during construction from delays to unforeseen issues. Persevering past those challenges was really gratifying.”
Armed with a passion for construction, he started his career at Clayton Joseph, where he worked as a project manager for nearly six years. There, his team specialized in big box interior fit-outs, working with industry-leading clients. That includes Tesla Inc., which contracted the company to build a service sales center in Decatur, Georgia.
Girnys eventually crossed paths with CR Fitness Holdings, a leading franchise in the health and fitness industry and the largest Crunch franchisee, opening its first clubs in Florida before expanding to Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. As a general contractor, he and his team delivered five of their locations. The success of those projects made his team a go-to contractor as CR Fitness continued its expansion plans. When a private equity (PE) firm invested in the company in 2019, Girnys was tapped to join their ranks and further the Crunch gym footprint across the US.
He proudly answered the call.
“They came to me and said, ‘Mark, PE came aboard. It’s basically just how fast we can build them at this point,’” Girnys says. “My wife and I made the decision to make the move and the company has really handed over the keys to the car, saying run and go as fast as you can.”
As VP of construction, he has played a significant role in the company’s growth ever since. When he first started, the plan was to build 50 clubs in five years. In just four, he and his colleagues built 62, with CR Fitness tripling its footprint and tripling its revenue since 2019. Currently, the company has locations in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. It’s eyeing new locations in Dallas, Atlanta, Tennessee, and Phoenix.
“I tell my team that I don’t want them to come to me with a problem without having one or two solutions. Because there are options, and we just need to make the right decision.”
Mark Girnys
Girnys credits the company’s success to a strong team makeup and a solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving.
“I’ve always been very big on the fact that every problem has a solution, and every problem is an opportunity,” he says. “If we identify something being problematic, it’s not the end of the world. It’s not the end of the day. We don’t just throw our hands up and complain about it. It’s focusing on who has the solution, what it is, and where it is.”
As someone who handles a variety of issues, including design and engineering, lease negotiation and new club openings, Girnys is a team player until the end. He remains hands-on and endeavors to stay a motivating factor for his team.
“We don’t want situations to change our mindset or to create more additional problems then there are,” he says. “We are always solutions oriented. So, I tell my team that I don’t want them to come to me with a problem without having one or two solutions. Because there are options, and we just need to make the right decision.”
That mindset is reflective of the way he and his colleagues navigated the supply chain crisis in 2022 and 2023, when vital materials were hard to get in a timely manner. His team had to find creative ways to value engineer amid high costs and scarce resources.
“Essentially, we met with engineers and an architect team to design a shell of a club. We knew what certain size units that we needed for certain areas and that let us buy in bulk and create a revolving door of supplies. If we needed it, we had it,” Girnys says. “It was critical that we did that, and that’s why we were able to grow so quickly.”
“I’ve always been very big on the fact that every problem has a solution, and every problem is an opportunity.”
Mark Girnys
When he isn’t pushing for growth and development at work, he is at home. The proud father of a three-year-old, Girnys looks to create a future his daughter can be proud of.
“She’s my passion,” he says, cheerfully. “She’s the star of my eye, and everything goes her way. I try to give her the best life possible.”
MEC General Contractors is a full-service commercial construction company with locations in Orlando and Melbourne, Florida. MEC is a family-owned and operated, third generation business serving our clients for over 50 years.
NNI Construction has worked with Mark Girny and his team on multiple locations in many states across the country. NNI has built over 330 fitness facilities, amassing more than 6 million square feet of construction nationwide. Mark is someone who really has his finger on the pulse of the entire development process and how it weaves together, from real estate to leases to land purchasing to design, construction, and maintenance. He is on the ball from day one.
