Pete Aguilar: “I thank my colleague for yielding. Many communities have larger-than-life figures, people who dedicate themselves to the…”

“I thank my colleague for yielding. Many communities have larger-than-life figures, people who dedicate themselves to the service of others and change countless lives for the better, leaders who touch so many lives that their legacies outlive them. For my community in southern California's Inland Empire, that figure was Jack H. Brown. Jack was the executive chairman of Stater Bros. Markets, one of the Inland Empire's largest employers. But he will be remembered for far more than his successes as a local community member than as a business leader. Jack poured himself into our community using his time and resources to make the Inland Empire a better place, especially for children. He helped establish the Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino to give the children of our community a safe place to learn, live, and grow. He served as the founding chairman for the Children's Fund of San Bernardino County, a nonprofit organization that has provided assistance to more than 1.4 million children in our region since its inception in 1986. But Jack's commitment to his community didn't stop there. Each time our region has been rocked by earthquakes, wildfires, floods, or acts of terror, like on December 2, 2015, we knew that Jack Brown would be there for the community and for the brave first responders who ensured that loss of life didn't continue to grow. {time} 1600 When we lost Jack Brown in late 2016, we lost a constant presence in our community.…”