Gary Heavin
Encyclopedia
Gary Heavin is a Texas
businessman. He is the founder
and CEO
of the fitness chain Curves International
.
, Texas. This business venture was unsuccessful, and he filed for bankruptcy.
After his first marriage, Heavin was sentenced to jail for failure to pay child support
. While in jail he rededicated his life to Christian
values, and he has been outspoken about his support for pro-life
causes.
In 2004 Heavin was named the Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur of the Year. According to Guinness World Records
, Heavin's company Curves is the fastest growing franchise ever. He is also the author of several books, including Curves: Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting and Curves On the Go.
Heavin and his second wife Diane opened their first Curves center in 1992 in Harlingen, Texas
. Diane Heavin is an exercise enthusiast and advertising executive, and diane Magazine, affiliated with Curves, bears her name. Curves is now based in Waco, Texas
; it has over 10,000 locations and is the largest fitness chain in the world.
They currently reside in a small community called Mound
in central Texas.
On April 3, 2011 Gary and his wife Diane were featured on ABC's show Secret Millionaire
where they gave away $410,000 dollars.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
businessman. He is the founder
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the fitness chain Curves International
Curves for Women
Curves International, also known as Curves for Women, Curves Fitness, or just Curves, is an international fitness franchise co-founded by Gary and Diane Heavin in 1995. Curves currently has 10,000 locations worldwide and an estimated 4 million plus members...
.
Career
Heavin originally took over a fitness center in HoustonHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas. This business venture was unsuccessful, and he filed for bankruptcy.
After his first marriage, Heavin was sentenced to jail for failure to pay child support
Child support
In family law and public policy, child support is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child following the end of a marriage or other relationship...
. While in jail he rededicated his life to Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
values, and he has been outspoken about his support for pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
causes.
In 2004 Heavin was named the Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
Entrepreneur of the Year. According to Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
, Heavin's company Curves is the fastest growing franchise ever. He is also the author of several books, including Curves: Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting and Curves On the Go.
Heavin and his second wife Diane opened their first Curves center in 1992 in Harlingen, Texas
Harlingen, Texas
Harlingen is a city in Cameron County in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, United States, about from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The city covers more than , and is the second largest city in Cameron County and the sixth largest in the Rio Grande Valley...
. Diane Heavin is an exercise enthusiast and advertising executive, and diane Magazine, affiliated with Curves, bears her name. Curves is now based in Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
; it has over 10,000 locations and is the largest fitness chain in the world.
They currently reside in a small community called Mound
Mound, Texas
Mound is an unincorporated community in Coryell County, Texas, United States. Its elevation is 692 feet . Although Mound is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 76558....
in central Texas.
On April 3, 2011 Gary and his wife Diane were featured on ABC's show Secret Millionaire
Secret Millionaire
The Secret Millionaire is a reality television show which originated in the UK, in which millionaires go incognito into impoverished communities and agree to give away tens of thousands of pounds . Members of the community are told the cameras are present to film a documentary...
where they gave away $410,000 dollars.