Ranch altruist named ‘Person of Year’

RANCHO SANTA FE — Rancho Santa Fe resident Linda A. Lang has been selected as the “Person of the Year” by the Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County.
Lang is chairman, chief executive officer and president of Jack in the Box Inc. She will receive her award at Big Brothers Big Sisters dinner Oct. 6, at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine.
“I’m honored to be recognized on behalf of The Jack in the Box Foundation’s long-term partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters,” Lang said. “Having a mentor can literally change a child’s life. We’re especially proud to support military programs that provide mentors to children with deployed parents.”
Lang was named as chairman and chief executive officer of Jack in the Box Inc. in October 2005 and added the title of president in February 2010. She also serves on the board of The Jack in the Box Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses the company’s charitable donations to make a difference in communities where employees, franchisees and guests of Jack in the Box restaurants work and live. In addition, Lang serves on the board of directors for the WD-40 Company, San Diego State’s College of Business Administration and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation. In 2009, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Lang to the California State University Board of Trustees, which is responsible for oversight of the state’s 23-university system.
“We are incredibly grateful to Linda Lang and Jack in the Box for its support of military families served by Big Brothers Big Sisters,” said Paul Palmer, president of BBBS San Diego County. “This event will help us raise awareness about the critical need for mentors, during a time of financial hardship and multiple deployments, which cause increased stress on families, especially felt by the children.”
A longtime supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Jack in the Box Foundation recently pledged $1 million to support military mentoring programs, locally known as Operation Bigs, which was the first program of its kind in the nation that provides caring mentors to children who have a military parent deployed.