REEDLEY – Twenty-six years after driving the Reedley Fiesta royalty through the parade, Kathy Huebert and Robert Huebert will have the chance to ride again, this time with the crowns on their heads.
The Reedley Lions Club selected the Hueberts as 2025 Fiesta King and Queen, a title bestowed on those who have dedicated their careers to serving the Reedley community. Beyond feeling honored that they were even considered for the recognition, the Hueberts said it is extra special to them because Robert’s own parents, Ben and Nighel Huebert, served as king and queen in 1999.
“It especially has deep meaning to us because we can follow in their giant footsteps, but we still have a lot to do to fill those footsteps of a lot of great people that have come before us,” Kathy said.
Robert added that usually, in the history of Fiesta, the king and queen title has encapsulated a person’s volunteerism and community spirit, “but we’re still in the middle of it.”
“We’re still doing stuff,” Robert said. “We still have a lot to do. So … it’s very nice.”
The Hueberts met while they were students at California State University, Fresno, in the 1980s, and have been married for 40 years. Robert was born and raised in Reedley, and brought Kathy, who grew up in Fresno, to Reedley.
While Robert works in Reedley running Lee’s Service, a legacy left by his father, Kathy works in Fresno as owner and president of Horstmann Financial and Insurance Services, a legacy left by her father.
“I always wanted to work with my father, and that’s what I did, and Robert worked with his dad, and it was unique that we should find each other and both have family businesses,” Kathy said.
Outside of their careers, the Hueberts have been a consistent presence in Reedley service clubs and community organizations for decades. Robert has been a board member of the Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce and Reedley Downtown Association off-and-on for many years. He has been heavily involved with the Reedley Rotary Club, serving as president in 1994-95, co-chair of the annual auction and, currently, as treasurer. He is also president of the Sequoia Safety Council board of directors.
Both Robert and Kathy served in Reedley High School booster clubs when their son, Sam Huebert, was in school, and volunteered at St. La Salle School. Kathy is a board member for the Rotary Club of Fresno, which she joined after her father died, and she was on the Sierra Kings Hospital Foundation and hospital board when the health care district still ran the hospital. She currently serves as a board member of the Valley Children’s Health Care Foundation.
Kathy also previously served on the Fresno State Craig School of Business Advisory Council and received the Fresno State Top Dog Alumni Award for the Craig School of Business in 2017.
Among all of their business and service activities and accolades, Kathy said what the couple claims as their biggest accomplishment is something they had nothing to do with — their two grandsons, Dustin and Landon.
Regarding Fiesta, Kathy and Robert view the event as the coming together of the community, celebrating the end of the summer harvest and the start of fall and kicking off the winter season. Robert said his very own 45th class reunion is on Oct. 18, and Fiesta acts as a type of homecoming for people of all ages.
“You see some of these class reunions … and the people look fabulous and they’re having the best time on their floats, and it’s really, really fun to see how many people come back to celebrate,” Kathy said.
Other than the year in which Robert’s parents were king and queen — when Robert drove, Kathy rode next to him and their son, Sam, sat in the back — the Hueberts favorite Fiesta memories are from when Sam was in the Reedley High School marching band drumline.
“It’s a big band, Reedley High School’s band, and they have quite a reputation, and it was a great feeling watching him in the parade, with family and friends watching as well,” Robert said. Reedley
Kathy and Robert will receive their Fiesta crowns during the coronation at the Pioneer Park band shell at 6:45 p.m. Oct. 17 and will be in the parade that starts at 10 a.m. Oct. 18 in downtown Reedley.
