Advantage Sport & Fitness was founded in 1987 in the basement of then college head wrestling coach and current company President, John Murray. In 1993, Murray teamed up with former Cornell University roommate John Pfuntner to open the first Advantage Total Fitness Store in Ithaca, NY. Since that time, Advantage has experienced phenomenal growth into one of the most successful specialty fitness companies in the United States. Operations range across upstate New York and Pennsylvania with corporate headquarters in Ithaca.
Murray, who guided the Ithaca College wrestling team to three national championships in 15 seasons before retiring from coaching in 1995, has an extensive background in exercise science, strength and conditioning. A member of the Ithaca College Sports Hall of Fame, Murray has also been inducted into the NCAA Division III and New York State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame. Among his duties at Advantage is directing the company’s sales and marketing efforts.
John Pfuntner, who serves as Vice President and Operations Manager, has a degree in electrical engineering from Cornell and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Purdue University. Pfuntner spent 15 years prior to Advantage working as an engineer, computer scientist and manager for a Fortune 50 company. He now focuses on all Advantage's business operations including financial performance.
