Randy Richter was a nice young man - maybe too nice to be a cop. He joined the sheriff's department in Montgomery County, Ohio, at about the same time that I did, and he was a good friend. We worked the same beat, but different shifts. One day, I walked into the station to relieve him, but he hadn't returned from his tour of duty. Randy, I discovered, had been murdered.
He had approached a suspicious man seated in a car - the type of thing every cop does thousands of times each year. What Randy didn't know, though, was that the man had just robbed a store. Without warning, he shot Randy once, but once was enough.
Randy was dead, and his murderer was on the loose. No one in the department would rest until his murderer was found.
Day after day we searched. Everyone was determined to be the cop who found Randy's killer. The dispatchers and clerical staff worked just as hard as us, sharing information with every law-enforcement agency in the country. Then, finally, an investigator from the prosecutor's office made the arrest.
The killer was caught as a result of dedicated, cooperative teamwork.
One of the many things that IHRSA does very well is promote teamwork throughout the fitness industry. The Legislative Summit it stages each year in Washington, D.C., is a great example. The organizers of this event assemble teams of club operators to talk to the nation's legislators about the industry's vital interests-not just my interests, not just your interests, but every club owner's interests. In many cases, direct competitors work side by side to promote their mutual good.
This year's Summit - held in May, although it still seems like yesterday - was a memorable experience and fantastic success. I had the opportunity to contribute to the team effort and can't recommend it too highly. The next Legislative Summit is seven months away, but please begin making plans now to join us then. We need you to help us convince lawmakers that we're in the disease-prevention business, and can have a positive impact both on public health and healthcare costs. The Summit is educational, incredibly productive, and you'll have a great time.
There are 1,000 good reasons why you should be at the Summit. Me? I've got 1,001.
Randy Richter's name is inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.
