APRIL 8 • 2021 | 23

F

lorine Mark, pio-
neering Michigan 
businesswoman, civic 
volunteer and philanthropist, 
has sold the WW Group, her 
Weight Watchers franchise 
in Michigan and Ontario, 
to parent company WW 
International. Financial terms 
were not disclosed. Mark was 
the franchise founder and 
served as its president and 
chief executive officer at its 
Farmington Hills headquar-
ters.
“It was time,” she says of her 
decision, made with her chil-
dren, to sell Weight Watchers. 
“It’s bittersweet. I’ve been in 
this business for 50 years. My 
joy is being able to help peo-
ple get healthy,” Mark says.
According to Mark, COVID 
temporarily ended in-person 
Weight Watchers classes, and 
she anticipates that atten-
dance will be limited as some 
WW studios reopen. “Weight 
Watchers has closed most of 
its centers and wants to go 
digital. They have great apps, 
but I’m not in the digital busi-
ness,” Mark explains.
According to Nick 
Hotchkin, COO of WW 

International, “WW 
International acquired 
the WW Group’s fran-
chise businesses in 
Michigan and Ontario, 
Canada. As we exe-
cute on our vision of 
bringing wellness to 
all, we look forward to 
delivering a consistent 
member experience to 
WW members in these 
regions. We want to 
thank the WW Group 
and the Mark family for 55 
years of helping members on 
their wellness journeys.” 

PIONEER, ENTREPRENEUR
As a young married woman 
with five children living in 
Detroit, Mark struggled to 
lose weight, even trying diet 
pills. While in New York, she 
enrolled in Weight Watchers 
and was able to lose 50 
pounds. Michigan didn’t have 
a Weight Watchers program, 
and Mark was inspired to 
open a franchise. 
 As a woman entrepreneur, 
she initially had difficulty 
obtaining a bank loan. (Years 
later, Mark chaired the Detroit 
Branch of the Federal Reserve 

Bank of Chicago.) 
Eventually, she found 
financing and opened her first 
Michigan Weight Watchers 
franchise in 1966. Mark sub-
sequently expanded the busi-
ness to 14 states, Canada and 
Mexico. Most of these fran-
chises were sold for a reported 
$180 million in 2003.
Weight Watchers is a point-
based, healthy eating system 
that has received awards for its 
effectiveness. Mark has been a 
very visible public face of the 
company, hosting a podcast, 
appearing on a regular “Ask 
Florine” health segment on 
WDIV, and doing motiva-
tional speeches to encourage 
healthy lifestyles. In addition 
to individual members, the 

WW Group has worked with 
employers seeking to pro-
mote healthy habits among 
their workforce.
Mark has a three-year 
contract to work for WW 
International. “I don’t want 
to retire. I’m a motivator. 
Maybe I can be a consultant 
for companies — helping 
employees to be the best they 
can be,” she says.
She volunteers on many 
nonprofit boards, which 
“takes up wonderful time,” 
including serving as a life-
time Federation board 
member and chairing 
the Jewish Community 
Center. Mark received 
Federation’s William 
Davidson Lifetime 
Achievement Award in 
2018. Previously, she 
was an at-large board 
member and has served 
on several of its com-
mittees. Mark was the 
first woman to serve on 
the Detroit Renaissance 
(now Business Leaders 
for Michigan) board and 
has received many hon-
ors for her business and civic 
achievements. 
Now that she’ll have more 
free time, Mark says that she 
may return to playing the 
piano and might take sing-
ing lessons. She continues to 
attend a weekly virtual Weight 
Watchers session and uses a 
Fitdesk, a stationary bicycle 
with a platform for a tablet, to 
help stay fit while working.
According to WW 
International, local Weight 
Watchers members will be 
able to continue their mem-
berships, which include a 
digital and physical workshop 
plan, as well as a new digital 
option with coaching. 

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
End of
a Chapter

Florine Mark sells her
Weight Watchers franchise.

On her
“Ask Florine” TV 
news segment

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FLORINE MARK

Florine Mark 
at a WW 
Celebrating 
Our Success 
event.

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

