Gail ‘Big Boy’ Hester is a Round Rock community leader

In 2009, Hester received the Round Rock Chamber’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and each year an award in his name is granted to a top small business in the city.

Every day, as he said he has done for the past 55 years, Hester wakes up early and is often the first to arrive to work at his auto body shop, which has become a family business as well as a hub for the local business and political community.

“Big Boy has always opened his place to all kinds of community activities and fundraisers; if you can do something at Big Boy Hester’s, you’ve arrived,” said Nancy Rabb, who started the Wag-A-Bag convenience store chain in Round Rock with her husband in 1964. “[Hester] has always opened his heart and garage to those who needed it; he’s truly one of a kind.”

Despite his years of service to the city, Hester maintains that his accomplishments have been a group effort. He said running for office or a city position was never attractive to him, although his twin and older brothers served as mayor and on City Council, respectively. Instead, Hester said his “thing” is working behind the scenes, using his relationships and connections to help support and improve Round Rock.

Although the city has grown and changed significantly during his lifetime, Hester said he welcomes the changes that make Round Rock a more healthy and vibrant place to live, and he cannot imagine living anywhere else.

“This is my home; I’ve never thought about moving away,” he said. “If I could, I would do everything here.”