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Remembering Kenny Kassel

A very special man who helped everyone in our sport and was especailly there for the female bodybuilders and athletes. I cannot imagine the sport without Kenny.

I met him at my first bodybuilding show. We worked together and were good friends ever since.

Kenny only had kind words to say about others. We all loved him dearly. He had a heart of gold.

This is a major loss for the bodybuilding and fitness industry. I will miss his kind smile, assuring presence and calm.

[more about Kenny HERE on Femalemuscle]

KK was a walking bodybuilding encylopedia for not only the women, but the men as well. He knew every person and every single detail that happened behind the scenes.

I believe that Kenny did what he truly loved most and surrounded himself with people whom he choice to be around. He was living life on his terms and always made things happen for the better. Anyone who knew Kenny would say that he just made their live richer in some way. He lived outside of the box doing things his way and always encouraging his friends to live their lives the same way.

An innovator and creator, he thought it and then made it happen. Ahead of the curve and taking risk was Kenny's way. Let's all learn from him as we go through our lives. Not to be afraid, rather be strong mentally as well as physically and take on the tough challenges life brings you and turn them into something wonderful.

Kenny will never be forgotten by anyone who knew him. What a colorful and amazing man! One of the good guys. Another muscle angel is now in heaven watching over us.

more olympia photographs

Kenny Kassel has been involved in the fitness industry for over 25 years and in the entertainment industry for over 15 years. Kenny had been training with weights since he was 14 years old. He was lucky enough to have learned how to properly work out from legendary bodybuilders like Tom Platz, Danny Padilla, Robby Robinson, Leon Brown, and Pete Grymkowski, while visiting California in the 1970s.

After starting a gym, he began training many bodybuilders, and specializing with the women, starting around 1981. Kenny also had some of the professional athletes in his native NY area, such as members of the NY Yankees training in his gym. He worked with several members of the 1986 Super Bowl Champion NY Giants.

His foray into the entertainment industry began when he started Beauti-Fit Talent Agency, in order to start and nurture the careers of model Raye Hollitt, who became a star of the popular television show "American Gladiators." Kenny also worked with several women who were bodybuilders and were marketable and helped them find work doing guest performances, and receiving major media coverage.

Kenny has managed 1989 National bodybuilding Champion Sharon Marvel, and later on managed 2000 Ms. Olympia Valentina Chepiga. In the early 1990s a friend who was a trainer and had moved out to California to train film stars introduced Kenny to 11-time World Kickboxing Champion Don "The Dragon" Wilson, who had already starred in over 20 action films.

Don had needed some fitness people for an upcoming film, and Kenny was able to provide what he needed. Their friendship turned into an opportunity, when Don asked Kenny to be his business manager.

Kenny has done some casting work for Don's last 7 films, and has done casting for film and television projects for other producers, as well. Kenny is a mentor now for many women who compete in fitness/figure/bodybuilding, and he does seminars dispensing information about how to market yourself, and how to break into the entertainment industry.

Kenny has recently become bi-coastal, splitting time between Tenafly, NJ and his second home in Palm Desert, Ca.