Over 27 years ago, Curves founder Gary Heavin dropped out of a pre-med program he could no longer afford. He took over a failing health club in Houston, Texas, and began to provide fitness services that would prevent illness. At age 25, he owned six successful women-only fitness centers and was providing weight loss guidance to thousands of women through group meetings. By age 30, Gary had built a fitness center chain with 17 locations and then... he lost it all. As he rebuilt his business and personal life, Gary applied many lessons he learned from both his successes and failures.

He and his wife Diane, opened the first Curves in Harlingen, Texas, in 1992. This new concept of 30-minute fitness, strength training, weight loss guidance and a comfortable environment designed for women, was immediately successful. Diane had a passion for exercise and the experience of an advertising executive. They realized that women across America would benefit from the Curves program. Together they began to franchise this wonderful concept and opened the first franchise in 1995.

At the end of the first year, there were 50 franchise locations. Curves reached 1,000 locations within 36 months and 9,000 locations in just nine years. Curves is listed in Guinness World Records as "The World's Largest Fitness Center Franchise." Entrepreneur Magazine named Curves "The Number 1 Best New Franchise" two years in a row. They also named Curves "The Number 2 Best Franchise" overall and "The Number 1 Fastest Growing Franchise" in their January 2003 issue. Curves is now located in over 50 countries and have over 10,000 locations serving over 4 million women.

Gary holds a degree in Health and Nutrition Counseling and his most recent book, Curves, is a bestseller. Published by Penguin/Putnam publishing, it will be available in bookstores around the world.

Gary and Diane attribute Curves' success to the biblical principles on which their business is based. "The biblical laws of integrity, service, unity, use, reciprocity and responsibility have guided us as we've made those decisions on which this company was built."

Curves is an organization built on a solid foundation of values. The Curves franchise family attracts solid and diverse people, many of faith, who are passionate in their concern for the welfare of other people.

for more info about Curves: www.curves.com