Machine shop owner builds fitness center for his employees

By Shannon White
Special to the Register & Bee
Published: July 5, 2008

Once they walk into the fitness center, patrons are immediately greeted by the sounds of weights being dropped back into their racks, the hum of a treadmill and good-natured bantering among those working out.

It is a scene typical of most fitness centers, but there is a slight twist.

Membership to this gym is contingent, not on annual dues, but on being an employee of Piedmont Precision Machine Co. (PPM) on Airside Drive in Danville.

William Gentry Jr., owner of PPM, is a firm believer in his father’s old adage, “You are only as good as the people around you,” and is quick to acknowledge the skill, loyalty and dependability of his employees.

The company has managed to not only stand its ground, but continue to grow and expand in the face of a slow economy. Gentry gives the credit for that success to his employees.

“We’ve got, undoubtedly, the greatest bunch of people here,” he said proudly. “From the floor sweepers to the general managers, they all take ownership in their jobs. We’re like a big family here.”

Gentry worries about the overall welfare of all the members of that family and hopes that, with the recent establishment of a fitness center on site at PPM, his employees will live longer, healthier lives.

With that goal in mind, Gentry commissioned John Wall, owner of HealthQuest Expert Fitness personal training studio, to help set up equipment, organize workouts and oversee the facility.

The gym is equipped with four commercial stair-steppers, three treadmills and three elliptical machines to improve overall cardio-respiratory health. There also are 15 Nautilus strength and conditioning machines and 10 fully equipped Olympic free-weight stations.

Gentry also has contracted with HealthQuest personal trainers to provide three hours a day for instruction, supervision and motivation, along with advice on workout routines, regimens and nutritional counseling.

Wall demonstrates obvious enthusiasm over PPM’s efforts to look out for its employees.

“I absolutely applaud Mr. Gentry and his staff for investing in this facility,” he said. “Not only have they provided a convenient, no-cost avenue for the employees to achieve higher levels of health and physical well-being, but he has eliminated many reasons that hinder people from exercising, such as lack of opportunity, no place to train, they don’t have time, they are not experienced, they don’t feel comfortable in a gym, or they simply can’t afford it.”

The investment already is paying off.

Richard Hendricks, an 18-year employee of PPM, has maintained a regular workout routine since the fitness center opened two months ago and said a recent visit to his doctor confirmed that both his blood pressure and cholesterol levels were down.

Other employees report an improvement in their overall health, saying they have more energy, sleep better and are even having to tighten their belts.

For Gentry, that is exactly the return on his investment he had hoped for.

“We’ve got such a good group of people here,” Gentry said. “I try to be as good of support to them as they are to me.”