2024 Small Business Leader of the Year

Greenville, NC – Greg Lassiter, owner and president of Champions Health & Fitness, was named the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Small Business Leader of the Year during the Chamber’s annual Small Business Awards event at the Eddie & Jo Allison Smith Center for Student Advancement (Chris Smith Multipurpose Room) on the campus of Pitt Community College.

 

In 1984, while teaching Health Education at East Carolina University, Lassiter opened his first health club in Ayden, North Carolina. What started as a small gym with only three pieces of equipment has since grown into a 23,000-square-foot facility in Winterville, North Carolina, making Champions Health & Fitness a staple in Pitt County.

 

At the heart of Lassiter’s success is his commitment to creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for his members. He is deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of his business, ensuring that his employees see the value of hard work and dedication. “I am never too good for anybody or anything,” Lassiter believes, a philosophy that has driven his approach to leadership.

 

Lassiter, a former college baseball player, holds an associate degree from Lenoir Community College and a Bachelor of Science Degree in School and Community Health from East Carolina University. Prior to dedicating his time to his health club business, Lassiter taught middle school and served as the head football and baseball coach at Ayden Midde School.

 

“Our Small Business Leader of the Year Awards (event) is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize our local entrepreneurs that have made significant contributions to the economic and social fabric of Greenville and Pitt County,” said Trent McGee, president and chief executive officer of the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. “By recognizing their achievements, we are not only showing our appreciation but also inspiring others to strive for excellence, fostering a thriving business environment for all businesses.”

 

Lassiter is the 38th recipient of the Chamber’s Small Business Leader of the Year Award, presented annually to recognize an individual leader from a business with 50 or less full-time employees who has not only successfully operated his or her business, but has also has made a significant contribution to the community and demonstrated business leadership.

 

Additional finalists for the 2024 Small Business Leader of the Year award included Sid Bradsher, executive director at Heart for ENC, and Jason Jones, chief operating officer at CopyPro, Inc.

 

The Small Business Leader of the Year Awards ceremony was presented by First Citizens Bank and Optimum Business.

 

For a list of past recipients of the Chamber’s Small Business Leader of the Year award, visit greenvillenc.org/smallbusinessawards.

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Media Contact: Lauren Phillips
Director of Marketing & Communications 
Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce
lauren@remove-thisgreenvillenc.org 

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