Very rarely do artist and fitness guru describe the same person, but it is true in the case of the owner and lead designer, Tom. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art & Design and a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology, Tom's educational background, alone, makes him a great fit for the gym design industry. However, it is his nearly 20 years of experience as an elite sports performance coach and gym owner/operator that really sets him apart. Beginning his career as a Division 1 Strength and Conditioning coach, Tom worked with several athletes that went on to have professional careers. He also spent time as an independent sports performance specialist, training a range of clients from youth athletes to football players preparing for the NFL combine. This is the experience he pulls from when working with a client to create the perfect training environment to realize their goals. Eventually, Tom founded Chicago Strength, a series of gyms in downtown Chicago, with locations in the trendy neighborhoods of River North, Logan Square, and Avondale. It was through the experience of building and operating these gyms that Tom cultivated the strong relationships with distributors and contractors that will allow him to provide clients with top of the line service at unmatched prices. Tom grew up in the Chicagoland area, and now lives in Elmhurst with his wife, Teresa, and their 2 children, Valley and Mac.
Teresa is a successful realtor servicing clients in the Western suburbs and throughout the city of Chicago. Her team specializes in new construction, and has built relationships with several local builders. Through her extensive involvement in the new construction process, she realized that the vast majority of homes these days are being built with a dedicated fitness space. The problem is that the people being tasked with designing and equipping these spaces are contractors and interior designers that have zero fitness experience or connections in the equipment distribution industry. The result is poorly conceived, expensive gyms that ultimately go unused. Noticing this void in the market, she and Tom began conceptualizing CS Designs. This isn't her first foray into the fitness industry, as she was a co-founder of Chicago Strength gyms with her husband, Tom. Despite her busy schedule, she continues to find time to coach fitness classes in the city at multiple Chicago Strength locations, while training and competing in Latin ballroom dance. Teresa and her family of 4 (and their beloved Newfypoo) live in Elmhurst.
