# Gary Heavin > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gary_Heavin > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gary_Heavin.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Heavin > Source revision: 1337758255 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Gary Heavin** (born 1955) is an American businessman from [Texas](/source/Texas). He is the [founder](/source/Entrepreneur) of the fitness chain [Curves International](/source/Curves_for_Women). ## Career Heavin dropped out of college at age 20 and took over a failing [fitness center](/source/Fitness_center) in [Houston](/source/Houston,_Texas), Texas. Along with his brother David, he built the business into a chain of 14 locations. He was a millionaire by age 25 but then lost it all by age 30; he filed for bankruptcy.[1] After his first marriage, Heavin was sentenced to jail for failure to pay [child support](/source/Child_support). While in jail he rededicated his life to [Jesus Christ](/source/Christianity), and he has been outspoken about his support of [anti-abortion](/source/Anti-abortion) causes.[2][3] In 2004 Heavin was named the [Ernst & Young](/source/Ernst_%26_Young) Entrepreneur of the Year. 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[4] in [Harlingen, Texas](/source/Harlingen,_Texas). Curves is now based in [Waco, Texas](/source/Waco,_Texas). By 2007, Curves had over 10,000 locations and was the largest fitness chain in the world.[4] However, since selling Curves to North Castle Partners, a private equity company, more than 75% of the Curves franchises have closed. North America is now the home of approximately 600 Curves franchises. The Heavins currently reside in [Mound](/source/Mound,_Texas) in central Texas. On 3 April 2011, they were featured on ABC's show *[Secret Millionaire](/source/Secret_Millionaire)*, where they gave away $410,000. Gary and Diane Heavin have recently begun to produce politically conservative and Christian themed films. *Mission Air* is a Christian movie that has been available since 2013. *[Amerigeddon](/source/Amerigeddon)* is an action adventure film that opened in 30 theaters on 13 May 2016, the plot of which surrounds the takeover of America by a UN/Globalist supported terrorist organization. ## Views Heavin was a guest on *The Ron Paul Liberty Report* on 4 April 2018, and has referred to himself as a "right-to-life" [libertarian](/source/Libertarian) and is for a [non-interventionist](/source/Non-interventionist) foreign policy.[5] In 2020, Heavin gave $10,000 to the [Oath Keepers](/source/Oath_Keepers), the far-right anti-government militia organization that helped lead the [2021 United States Capitol attack](/source/2021_United_States_Capitol_attack).[6] ## References 1. ["Curves reshapes the style of women's fitness clubs"](http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002100719_curves25.html). *[Seattle Times](/source/Seattle_Times)*. November 25, 2004. Retrieved March 15, 2010. 1. ["Curve Ball"](https://archive.today/20130202104352/http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2004/05/19/curves/index.html). *[Salon.com](/source/Salon.com)*. May 19, 2004. Archived from [the original](http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2004/05/19/curves/index.html) on February 2, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2010. 1. Rosen, Ruth (April 29, 2004). ["What's wrong with Curves?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040604230919/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/04/29/EDGAB6C1IO1.DTL). *[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/04/29/EDGAB6C1IO1.DTL) on June 4, 2004. Retrieved March 15, 2010. 1. ["What I read"](https://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2007-05-03-whatiread_N.htm). *[USA Today](/source/USA_Today)*. May 3, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2010. 1. Archived at [Ghostarchive](https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211210/OmMf4k1872Q) and the [Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/web/20180404175014/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmMf4k1872Q&gl=US&hl=en): ["A Pro-Life Libertarian Looks At Foreign Policy - With Guest Gary Heavin"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmMf4k1872Q). *[YouTube](/source/YouTube)* 1. Ballhaus, Rebecca; Safdar, Khadeeja; Ramachandran, Shalini (16 June 2021). ["Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, Forceful on Jan. 6, Privately Are in Turmoil"](https://www.wsj.com/articles/proud-boys-and-oath-keepers-forceful-on-jan-6-privately-are-in-turmoil-11623859785). *WSJ*. Retrieved 16 June 2021. Mr. Dunn said a $10,000 donation last year from Gary Heavin, founder of the Curves fitness chain, was never officially reported to the board. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gary Heavin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Heavin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Heavin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.