---
title: "HOTWORX® Founder & CEO Stephen P. Smith Named a 2026 Most Admired C-Suite Executive by New Orleans CityBusiness"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/b0ebb33b-f0c3-4786-ab4d-0b6a48d1da7d
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20260520_hotworx_founder__ceo_stephen_p_smith_named_a_2026_most_admired_csuite_execu.html
category: "Boutique fitness"
industry: "Fitness"
segment: "Boutique fitness"
topics: ["People"]
published: 2026-05-20T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T16:11:17.137Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1540497077202-7c8a3999166f?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# HOTWORX® Founder & CEO Stephen P. Smith Named a 2026 Most Admired C-Suite Executive by New Orleans CityBusiness

**TL;DR:** HOTWORX CEO Stephen P. Smith has been named a 2026 Most Admired C-Suite Executive by New Orleans CityBusiness. Smith founded HOTWORX in 2017 and has since expanded the brand to over 800 locations globally.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2026-05-20. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20260520_hotworx_founder__ceo_stephen_p_smith_named_a_2026_most_admired_csuite_execu.html).*

## Story

The inaugural awards program recognizes top executives across the greater New Orleans area who demonstrate exceptional leadership, vision, integrity, operational excellence and community impact. Smith was selected among a group of leaders across multiple industries.

“This recognition from CityBusiness is an honor, especially among such an accomplished group of leaders in our home region,” said Smith. “As a New Orleans-based company, we are proud to contribute to the local business community while continuing to grow HOTWORX nationwide. Our success is driven by our franchise partners, our team and a shared commitment to innovation in fitness.”

Smith founded HOTWORX in 2017 with a vision to reinvent the traditional gym experience through a combination of infrared heat, isometric workouts and virtually-instructed sessions. Since then, the brand has expanded to over 800 locations across the globe, attracting a loyal and growing membership base of over 400,000 members.

Beyond its business performance, HOTWORX has remained committed to supporting the communities it serves, including initiatives that promote health, wellness and entrepreneurship. Smith’s leadership continues to emphasize both scalable growth and meaningful local impact, aligning with the values recognized by the Most Admired C-Suite Executives program.

Honorees will be recognized by CityBusiness in 2026 as part of the publication’s celebration of standout leadership in the New Orleans business community.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- Fitness (sector)
- fitness industry (topic)
- award recognition (topic)
- business expansion (topic)
- leadership award (topic)
- HOTWORX (company)
- Stephen P. Smith (person)
- New Orleans CityBusiness (regulator)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20260520_hotworx_founder__ceo_stephen_p_smith_named_a_2026_most_admired_csuite_execu.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/b0ebb33b-f0c3-4786-ab4d-0b6a48d1da7d).