Former Point Loma resident and community leader Jim Evans was inducted into the U.S. Natural Bodybuilding Hall of Fame this month in Albuquerque, N.M. Evans has spent 41 years in the fitness industry and for the past 25 years has devoted his efforts to promoting drug-free bodybuilding. “It’s a great honor,” Evans said. In 1984, Evans founded the North American Natural Bodybuilding Association (NANBA) with the aim of providing a venue where athletes could complete without feeling pressured to use steroids. The organization still exists today as the North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation. “The organization that I started 25 years ago to help athletes who wanted to compete in the sport of bodybuilding is still in existence today and still fighting the same battles,” Evans said. “It levels the playing field and gives people an opportunity to compete on a fair basis.” Evans created NANBA when he noticed that teenagers that used a gym he owned in Minnesota felt pressure to use steroids. He said even parents approached him to buy performance-enhancing drugs for their children. “I decided since I’m in the gym business, I’m going to take a stand and create an opportunity for these young people to compete without being forced to use drugs or thinking they have to use drugs,” Evans said. Evans thinks performance-enhancing drugs are still present in most professional and amateur sports. He said the public and the media are most at fault for handing out praise to the wrong people. “We glorify the athletes based on their performance and we don’t care how they do it,” Evans said. “We don’t give any recognition at all to the people who do it naturally. It’s all about fame and money.” Evans lived in Point Loma from 1997 to 2002. He was the owner and general manager of the Peninsula Athletic Club at the former Naval Training Center, which had 3,500 members and catered to a largely elderly crowd. After the city forced Evans to move in 2001 because of the redevelopment of NTC as Liberty Station, he managed the Gold’s Gym on Sports Arena Boulevard for a year. During his time in Point Loma, Evans and his wife served on the Peninsula Community Planning Board. Evans was a member of the Point Loma Association beautification group. Evans was also involved with the NTC Trust for Historic Preservation. “At that time, the most contentious issue was the redevelopment of NTC and how it would impact traffic and development in the area,” Evans said. “I’d like to think we made somewhat of a difference on that.” Evans currently resides in Benicia. He has retired from the fitness trade and spends his time writing and consulting.