Women's Chamber Of Commerce Of Texas Honors Curves Founder As Texas Businesswoman Of The Year

Diane Heavin Chosen From Among Four Finalists to Receive Chamber's Top Award

(Wednesday, February 22, 2006) - Curves International Inc., the world's largest franchisor of fitness clubs, announced today that Diane Heavin, Curves' founder and publisher of diane, The Curves Magazine, was named 2005 Texas Businesswoman of the Year by the Women's Chamber of Commerce of Texas. The award, presented at a luncheon on February 17 at the Hyatt Regency in Austin, is given annually to a woman who has excelled in her field and shown a commitment to the economic advancement of women and to the community. "This is our top award, given to recognize extraordinary achievements of Texas' most distinguished businesswomen," said Rose Batson, President of the Women's Chamber of Commerce of Texas. "It proved especially challenging to select an honoree this year due to the exceptional caliber of the four finalists. Diane Heavin was chosen not only for her success in business, but also for her commitment to the economic advancement of women, community engagement, leadership, and her strong professional values system." Heavin and husband Gary opened the first Curves in 1992, using the $10,000 they had saved to begin what is today the world's tenth largest franchise company with almost 10,000 locations in 40 countries. As Curves' image-maker, Heavin has responsibility over the company's marketing, advertising, products, and promotions lines. She launched diane, The Curves Magazine, in 2004, and a high-fashion retail line in late 2005. Heavin is one of the largest philanthropists in Central Texas, providing funding for healthcare and health education for women, family abuse prevention, adoption services, and more. She models corporate giving with the annual Curves Food Drive, which last year raised almost 11 million pounds of food for the hungry, as well as with a Charity Match program that encourages franchise owners to give back to their communities. -moreTexas Businesswoman of the Year Page 2 of 2 "I am deeply grateful to have been chosen for this award," said Heavin. "Just to be named a finalist among this incredible group of women is an honor. It's uplifting to hear about how these women have utilized their positions and resources to create opportunities for others." The other three finalists were Mo Anderson, Vice Chairman of Keller Williams Realty International, the fastest growing and fifth largest residential real estate company in North America, headquartered in Austin; Gay Gaddis, President and CEO of T3 (The Think Tank), the largest privately held advertising agency solely owned by a woman in the U.S, headquartered in Austin; and Karen Simon, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the Fort Worth office of Dallas-based Bradford Commercial Realty Services. Recent recipients of the award include Shell Oil President Lynn Elsenhans and Southwest Airlines President Colleen Barrett. Heavin credits Curves franchisees for building the Curves community and empowering the women they serve. "I want to share this award with our nearly 10,000 franchisees—90 percent of whom are women—because they're the ones serving the women in their communities every day and helping them take back their lives." About Curves Curves offers a 30-minute workout that combines strength training and sustained cardiovascular activity through safe and effective hydraulic resistance. Curves also offers a weight management program featuring a groundbreaking, scientifically proven method to raise metabolic rate and end the need for perpetual dieting. Gary Heavin, Curves' Founder and CEO, is the author of several books, including The New York Times Best-Sellers "Curves: Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting" and "Curves On the Go." With thousands of locations and millions of members worldwide, Curves is the world's largest fitness franchisor and fastest growing franchise in history. For more information, please visit: www.curves.com.

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