In 1984, Wayne and Jackie Meier took the biggest gamble of their lives. Wayne was 26 years old, from Cedar Rapids, IA. Jackie was 24, from Coggon, IA. They were not wealthy. They did not have investors. They did not have private equity backing them. They did not have a roadmap. What they had was faith, a dream, and a deep belief that fitness could change lives.
At the time, fitness was not trendy. There were no national gym chains on every corner. Working out was simply Wayne’s passion. He loved fitness and bodybuilding, and Jackie believed in him enough to bet everything they had on that passion.
Wayne and Jackie met while working at Life Investors. When their daughter Chelsey was born, they could not afford daycare, so Wayne left his job to stay home with Chelsey while pursuing a dream that most people thought was crazy.
He walked into bank after bank asking for a chance. Most told him no. Eventually, one bank said yes. The loan was for $20,000. It was the only money they could get.
One family story still makes us laugh today. Wayne brought baby Chelsey with him to a loan meeting because he was the babysitter. During the meeting, Chelsey somehow managed to get her head stuck in the loan officer’s desk. As fate would have it, that became the bank that gave Wayne and Jackie the loan that changed our family’s future.
With every dollar of savings on the line, and with Jackie eventually leaving her job to support the dream, they opened a 1,200-square-foot facility called New Image Fitness and Gym.
There was no safety net. There was no Plan B. There was only faith and hard work.
The early years were tough. They had two young kids, and bills were tight. The family spent time on food stamps. The future was uncertain. But Wayne and Jackie believed God had a plan. They believed helping people become healthier through exercise was their calling, and they trusted that if they continued to serve others, God would provide.
So they worked. Taking turns opening and closing the clubs. They cleaned, sold memberships, fixed equipment, encouraged members, raised a family, and built the business one day at a time.
For their children, the gym was part of life. When they got in trouble, their “punishment” was opening the gym or cleaning equipment. At the time, it may have felt like a chore. Looking back, it was part of the legacy.
What began as a small dream in 1984 has grown into something that has impacted generations of members, families, employees, and friends. The M.A.C. and iGYM exist today because Wayne and Jackie were willing to take a risk, work hard, and trust God with the outcome.
This is more than a gym story. It is a story of faith, sacrifice, perseverance, family, and community.
And it was built right here at home.
The Next Generation
Today, siblings Curtis Meier and Chelsey Meier-Oberreuter proudly continue the family legacy. Growing up in the gym, cleaning equipment as a “punishment,” and watching their parents sacrifice everything instilled a deep respect for what The M.A.C. represents. They are carrying forward the exact same mission, values, and community commitment that Wayne and Jackie started in 1984.
Curtis and Chelsey understand that The M.A.C. is more than just a place to work out.
- • It’s where friendships begin.
- • It’s where confidence is built.
- • It’s where families spend time together.
- • It’s where athletes develop.
- • It’s where community comes together.
More than 40 years later, we remain proudly family-owned, locally operated, community-driven, and committed to Fitness for EVERY.BODY.
