---
title: "PickleRage Appoints Rich DeStasio as Chief Executive Officer to Lead Next Phase of Growth"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/f8a4752f-d7fe-4eb6-aa18-b65f856bd51f
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20260417_picklerage_appoints_rich_destasio_as_chief_executive_officer_to_lead_next_p.html
category: "Boutique fitness"
industry: "Fitness"
segment: "Boutique fitness"
topics: ["People"]
published: 2026-04-17T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T16:24:03.475Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1540497077202-7c8a3999166f?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# PickleRage Appoints Rich DeStasio as Chief Executive Officer to Lead Next Phase of Growth

**TL;DR:** PickleRage, an indoor pickleball club franchise, has appointed Rich DeStasio as its new Chief Executive Officer to lead the company's next phase of growth. DeStasio brings over 25 years of experience in fitness, wellness, and franchising to the role.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2026-04-17. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20260417_picklerage_appoints_rich_destasio_as_chief_executive_officer_to_lead_next_p.html).*

## Story

MIAMI, April 16, 2026 // PRNewswire // -- PickleRage, an indoor pickleball club franchise, today announced the appointment of Rich DeStasio as Chief Executive Officer.

DeStasio brings more than 25 years of experience across fitness, wellness, and franchising, with a proven track record of building and scaling multi-unit businesses across corporate, boutique, digital, and franchise models. His appointment aligns with the brand's ongoing growth in the indoor pickleball industry.

Most recently, DeStasio served as Chief Marketing Officer at FASTer Way to Fat Loss, a leading digital fitness and nutrition company. Prior to that, he was Chief Operating Officer at Austin Fitness Group, one of the largest Orangetheory Fitness platform ownership groups. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles at Town Sports International and The Edge Fitness Clubs.

"Rich brings a unique combination of operational excellence, brand-building expertise, and franchise leadership that aligns perfectly with our growth trajectory," said David Smith, COO at PickleRage. "His experience scaling multi-unit platforms and building high-performance teams will be instrumental as we continue expanding into new markets and supporting our growing network of franchise partners."

DeStasio is widely recognized for implementing operating systems that drive scalable growth and for developing high-performing teams across complex, multi-unit environments. At PickleRage, he will focus on improving operational infrastructure and strengthening the brand's position as a destination for indoor pickleball.

"Joining PickleRage at this stage of its growth is an exciting opportunity," said DeStasio. "The brand has built a strong foundation centered on community, quality, and experience. I look forward to working with the team, our franchise partners, and investors to scale the business and bring this concept to more communities across the country."

PickleRage operates across key U.S. markets with a model that combines facilities, technology-forward operations, and a community-driven approach designed to deliver an indoor pickleball experience.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- franchise growth (topic)
- Fitness (sector)
- fitness industry (topic)
- executive appointment (topic)
- PickleRage (company)
- indoor pickleball (topic)
- David Smith (person)
- The Edge Fitness Clubs (company)
- Rich Destasio (person)
- Austin Fitness Group (company)
- FASTer Way to Fat Loss (company)

---
Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20260417_picklerage_appoints_rich_destasio_as_chief_executive_officer_to_lead_next_p.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/f8a4752f-d7fe-4eb6-aa18-b65f856bd51f).