Harvey grew up one of ten children to Ann and Harvey Zernial in Lumberton, Texas. He graduated from Lumberton High School in 1980.

Harvey spent 40 years in Retail Grocery business working for Market Basket, Kroger, and then retiring after 27 years with HEB Grocery Company as General Manager of one of the largest stores in the Houston Division. Harvey spent years in HEB Supervision (8 years) and Human Resources (2 years) overseeing 28 stores in the Houston and the East Texas areas before settling back home in the HEB PLUS store in Beaumont, Texas. He has served on several community organizations Board of Directors to include Southeast Texas Food Bank, Young Mens Business League (YMBL) , Gift of Life, Beaumont Public Schools Foundation (BPSF), Lumberton Education Foundation (LEF), and the Lumberton School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) to name a few of passion. Harvey started a second career at the Southeast Texas Food Bank in 2017 as the Director of Programs and thoroughly enjoys the work and continuing his passion for helping people.  

Harvey has been married to his wife Alejandra (Alex) for 32 years and has three beautiful children in Abby (31), Emily (28), and Zach (26) with one grandchild Rylan (12) who all still live in their hometown of Lumberton.