Octane Fitness, a Nautilus, Inc. brand, is revolutionizing the cardio floor at colleges and universities worldwide. Diane Dahlmann, the Director of Recreation at the University of Missouri, shares her experience working with Octane Fitness.
Campus Rec Magazine: How were you introduced to Octane Fitness and why did you decide to partner with them?
Diane Dahlmann: Our equipment distributor, OrthoTech Sports Medical Equipment, introduced us to Octane products. Their president, Randy Dawson and national sales director, Tom Johnston, introduced us to the Octane leadership team. OrthoTech thought it could be a good fit based on our shared values and culture. The rest is happy history.
CR: What are the benefits to your recreation center as a result of the partnership?
DD: The complex itself does not benefit, but MizzouRec as an organization and our students do see results in our partnership. They have the opportunity to test equipment before it goes to market. Students are invited to access the equipment and the actual workout experience and provide feedback to Octane. In short, they are able to make a difference in the product line as active participants. Their brand is solid and partnering the two brands together builds value for both MizzouRec and Octane.
CR: What are the benefits to the students as a result of the partnership?
DD: Our students are given the chance to be a part of the nationally known Octane product line and product development. It gives them a sense of ownership and pride and heightens their product awareness. As a part of the partnership, our student staff are eligible to apply and compete for the Octane scholarship to support their academic endeavors. Additionally, during official university holidays students can compete for high-quality Octane branded gear — always a great win for all of us.
CR: Have you been pleasantly surprised by working with Octane in any way?
DD: Our Octane partners are highly engaged and involved in making the fitness experience at MizzouRec second to none. This is a true partnership in every way, where MizzouRec must produce strong ROI and Octane in return provides active engagement with our team.
CR: What else can you tell other recreation professionals about the benefits of working with Octane?
DD: The MizzouRec fitness equipment mechanic works directly with Octane’s tech and engineering staff to diagnose problems, solutions and preventative measures for equipment. Octane is highly responsive on all levels and we value their expertise and their friendship.
For more information, visit octanefitness.com.
