Jack H. Brown

Jack H. Brown served as the Chairman of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer and most recently Executive Chairman of Stater Bros. Markets for over 35 years. Through Jack’s vision and leadership, Stater Bros. has become the largest privately owned Supermarket Chain in Southern California, currently operating 169 Supermarkets in seven counties with nearly 18,000 members of the Stater Bros. Supermarket “Family”. In addition, he served the Supermarket Industry for over 65 years.

Jack was born in Victorville, California on June 14, 1938 to Rose and Jack Brown. He was their only child.

A native son of San Bernardino, California, he began his Supermarket career as a box boy at Berk’s Market Spot in San Bernardino, California at the age of thirteen (13), after the death of his father.

Jack was a graduate of San Bernardino High School. He attended San Jose State University on a football scholarship and also attended UCLA, majoring in Business Administration. He was a proud Navy Veteran and served on active duty with the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy during the Vietnam War era.

Prior to Stater Bros., he served as Vice President-Sales and Merchandising for Sage’s Complete Markets in San Bernardino, California, and Corporate Vice President for Marsh Supermarkets in Indianapolis, Indiana. He also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Pantry Food Markets in Pasadena, California and American Community Stores Corporation in Omaha, Nebraska.

He has received numerous awards throughout his life, which include honors from the Governors of the States of Indiana and Nebraska for his personal and professional contributions, the prestigious “Book of Golden Deeds Award” from the Inland Empire of Southern California, the “Inland Empire Entrepreneur of the Year” from California State University, San Bernardino, and “Business Leader of the Year” for San Bernardino County. He was

inducted into the “Athletic Wall of Fame” at his alma mater San Bernardino High School, inducted into the “Alumni Hall of Fame” at San Bernardino Valley College, and named “Retailer of the Year” by California State University, Los Angeles.

On May 1, 1992 Jack was one of ten Distinguished Americans to receive the 1992 “Horatio Alger Award” in recognition of his outstanding contributions to America and the “American Dream.” Also in 1992, California State University, San Bernardino named a new 5-story building “Jack H. Brown Hall.”

In 1993, he was the first individual in history to be honored with a Joint Resolution by the Boards of

Supervisors of both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, and he was named “Food Industry Executive

of the Year” by the Food Industry Management Program at the University of Southern California (USC). Jack

was also appointed “Adjunct Professor” in the College of Business and Public Administration at California

State University, San Bernardino. Jack was one of five recipients throughout the State of California to receive the

”Distinguished Alumni Award” for his accomplishments as an alumnus of San Bernardino Valley College.

Jack was selected in 1999 as “Citizen of the Year” by the citizens of the Inland Empire (San Bernardino and Riverside Counties), and he was awarded the notable “George Washington Honor Medal” for patriotism by the Freedom Foundation of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

He was honored for being a Founder of the Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino, he received the “Shirley N. Pettis Award”, and the “Friend of the Veteran Award.” He received the Supermarket Industry’s highest award, the “Sidney R. Rabb Award”, the California Grocers Association “Hall of Achievement Award”, and he was appointed “Fellow” by the University of California, Riverside.

Jack was awarded an “Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters” by California State University, San Bernardino; an “Honorary Doctorate of Humanitarian Service” from Loma Linda University’s School of Medicine; and an “Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters” by the University of Redlands.

He was so proud in 2007 when Stater Bros. officially opened the new Stater Bros. Corporate Offices and Distribution Center on the former Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, California. The 2.1 million sq. ft. Distribution Center replaced 11 warehouses, in seven locations, in four cities. The Stater Bros. Distribution Center is the largest under-one-roof Supermarket Distribution Center in America.

In 2008, he was the inaugural inductee in the “Food Industry Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame” at California State University, San Bernardino. Also in 2008, Jack was awarded the “Semper Fidelis Award”, which was presented to him by the Commandant of the Marine Corps on behalf of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.

He was awarded the “Honorary Knight for Life” from the Loyal Knights of the Round Table, the “White Rag” from the YMCA, and in 2010 he received an award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society for his years of contributions in promoting and perpetuating the principles upon which our nation was founded … “Courage,

Sacrifice and Selfless Service.”

In 2011, Jack received the “Patriot Award”, the highest award the Congressional Medal of Honor Society can bestow upon an individual.

In July 2016, the California State University Board of Trustees named the “Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration” at California State University, San Bernardino.

Jack is the Founding Chairman of Children’s Fund of San Bernardino County.

He has served as President or on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross, Kiwanis, Goodwill lndustries, Inland Empire Symphony Association, Rotary, Navy League, YMCA United Fund, Southern California Grocers Association, California Retailer’s Association, California Angels Baseball, and he served ten years as a trustee of the University of Redlands in Redlands, California.

He also served as the 51st President of the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC), and was Vice Chairman of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) from 1989-1991. He most recently served on the Board of Directors of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Council, San Bernardino County Coroner’s Council, UCLA Alumni Association, San Jose State Alumni Association, Native Sons of the Golden West, Elks, the Air Force Association, and the American Legion.

Jack will be remembered with love, affection and by his countless acts of kindness. He was an incredibly thoughtful man whose accomplishments and generosity will be remembered for many years to come.

Jack is survived by his cherished wife Debbie, three beloved daughters J. Kathleen Smith (Michael Smith), Cara Hoffman (Scott Hoffman) and Melissa Koss (Pete Koss). He had seven grandchildren: Kaitlyn, Colleen, Caden, Dylan, Julianna, Jack Ryan and Emma.

His burial will be private, for family only. A public memorial service will be held at Citizens Business Bank Arena (4000 E. Ontario Center Pkwy., Ontario CA 91764) on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 9:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to:

- Stater Bros. Charities-Veteran’s Initiative

(P.O. Box 150 San Bernardino, CA 92408)

- Children’s Fund (348 W. Hospitality Ln., Ste. 110,

San Bernardino, CA 92408)

- CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation-Rose Brown

Scholarship (University Advancement, 5500

University Pkwy., San Bernardino, CA 92407).