The management solutions of ACTIVE Network are purposefully built to set recreation centers and communities up for success
For over 20 years, Eric Ives worked at ECSI — a Global Payments company — where he held nearly every leadership position across technology, operations, product and customer service.
While those years shaped his leadership style on being customer-first, team-driven and outcome-focused, it wasn’t until 2022 when he’d be able to leave a lasting impact on the community recreation industry.
It was then he was asked to step in and lead ACTIVE Network — a company that provides premier software solutions to help organizations and municipalities grow and thrive — during a time of transition.
Ives said he knew ACTIVE Network had the potential to make a deep, lasting impact on communities. He saw the chance to lead the charge in revitalizing a purpose-driven brand was a no-brainer.
“It was a challenge, and an opportunity to recenter the brand on its roots: community, partnership and service,” said Ives. “As someone who’s always been active with golfing, coaching, traveling and raising two boys, ACTIVE Network’s mission resonated with me immediately. I’ve also spent several years on local YMCA and Parks and Rec Boards, so I felt like I had some idea of their needs from a partner like ACTIVE.”
Now in 2025, Ives can be found spending his workday making sure the company’s teams are aligned, customers are heard and products are delivering the best results possible.
“Some days I’m on video calls and others I’m on-site with a customer, but every day I’m focused on removing roadblocks so we can serve better,” said Ives. “I’m also ACTIVE’s voice at the table with Global Payments, our parent company. I ensure they understand our focus and strategy. My top priority is to help my team by removing obstacles and allowing them to focus on the work at hand.”
The mission of that work is three-fold: to be the most trusted partner for community organizations in the industry, to help customers streamline operations, and to enable stronger, healthier and more connected communities through technology that works.
However, what makes ACTIVE Network different from other similar suppliers is its end-to-end support.
“We don’t hand you a login and wish you luck,” said Ives. “Our implementation, training and professional services are second-to-none. No third-party consultants are needed. Our in-house experts guide you from setup to go-live — and stay with you long after. We adapt to you. Whether you have a full-time IT team or one person wearing six hats, we meet you where you are.”
ACTIVE has built this structure thanks to over two decades of serving YMCAs and community rec organizations. Because of that history, Ives’ team understands the difference between serving and selling.
“While driving revenue is critical, we know you’re not here to maximize profit — you’re here to maximize impact,” said Ives. “We respect that mission and have built tools and services that align with it.”
The drive behind community recreation hits home for Ives who said he’s at his best when he’s trying to build something meaningful — whether it’s a team or a solution. As a dad and husband first, those values guide his work.
“What I enjoy most about this position is the people,” said Ives. “Both our internal team and our customers are deeply committed to doing good work that matters. We’re not here to chase vanity metrics. We’re here to support people and build something that lasts. I get to see firsthand how the right tools free up staff time and improve real lives.”
To keep this undertaking going, ACTIVE Network hosts regional user groups, officials participate in industry events and the company conducts interviews to capture real feedback. Also, ACTIVE’s product roadmap is shaped directly by its customers.
This level of collaboration allows Ives and his team to assess the biggest trends in the industry. Specifically, Ives said community organizations are collecting mountains of data, but few know exactly what to do with it.
“The future is in clarity, not quantity,” said Ives. “Operators want visual, actionable dashboards that guide decisions, not overwhelm them. Organizations are also torn using one big system with workarounds or patch together a dozen tools that don’t talk to each other. We’re seeing increased demand for flexible platforms that integrate well and still offer deep functionality where it counts.”
Rec leaders want to meet members where they are — on mobile, on the go and on their terms. Ives said centers can expect even more demand for mobile-first apps that are seamless, intuitive and branded to the organization.
But there are challenges that exist in technology adoption. Ives said limited budgets mean centers need clarity on what they’re trying to solve before purchasing technology. Seasonal and part-time staff also require continual onboarding and retraining and without a clear technology lead, even the best systems can become misused. Finally, out-of-the-box software isn’t custom, but with the right implementation it can still exceed expectations.
“Assign a technology champion,” said Ives. “Someone who understands the ‘why’ behind the system, not just the ‘how.’ Also, don’t skip documentation. Define workflows and build internal guides to create consistency. Take your time implementing. It’s better to do it right than fast. Your future self will thank you.”
Implementation of new systems sets the tone for all operations. Ives said it shouldn’t be treated just as the first step but rather the foundation of an organization. That’s where the magic happens with ACTIVE.
“Our training and support model reduces onboarding time and helps teams work smarter, not harder,” said Ives. “Our single, powerful solution — ACTIVENet — replaces multiple platforms. ACTIVE HUB and our analytics tools give leaders clear, real-time insight into performance.”
With years of success assisting community recreation, Ives said the next step for the company is creating deeper integrations to reduce reconciliation headaches and manual tasks for more of a one-stop-shop solution for all information.
“We’ll be gaining more insight from our clients,” said Ives. “We believe in being customer-centric and that starts with having open conversations with our customers and hearing what can help solve their problems. I know the leadership team plans to visit even more clients in person and gain an understanding of how ACTIVENet can help them from a day-to-day perspective. You don’t need a huge team to succeed with ACTIVE Network. We’ve got you.”
