Rubin named 2009 Sun Bowl Legend
Rubin named 2009 Sun Bowl Legend
For years, his good works for the El Paso community have been legendary. now he has the title, too.
On Tuesday, the Sun Bowl Association announced that Gerald Rubin was named the 2009 Legend of the Sun Bowl.
“If you look at what kind of impact that Jerry Rubin has had on this game and this association, you will see that his service both to the community and the Sun Bowl have earned him the honor of Legend of the Sun Bowl,” said Frank Bates, Sun Bowl Association president. “He really stepped in and made an impact and for that we cannot thank him enough.”
Rubin and his company Helen of Troy became the game’s title sponsor in December 2003 after it had lost its title sponsor.
But Rubin, who is founder, chairman, CEO and president of Helen of Troy, had been active with the bowl game much earlier.
“Jerry’s association with the Sun Bowl dates back to the 1980s” said Bernie Olivas, executive director of the Sun Bowl Association. “He has always tried to make Helen of Troy a good corporate citizen – one that gives back.”
During Helen of Troy’s six years as title sponsor, from 2004 to 2009, the game has been at 99-percent capacity and had three sellouts. That’s the highest average six-year attendance total in Sun Bowl history.
Legend 26
Rubin is the 26th member of the Sun Bowl Association’s Legends of the Sun Bowl, but the first one who is not a former player, coach, CBS Sports personnel or game administrator.
But his personal contribution to the game goes back more than 25 years. During that time, he’s seen to it that every player leaves El Paso with one of his trademark products – a hairdryer.
In the 1980s, Rubin’s daughter Kari was named the association’s Sun Queen. It was not long after that Rubin began providing hairdryers for the team gift packages for the Sun Bowl, and it has been a staple ever since.
Over 6,000 players and coaches have left El Paso with a Helen of Troy made hairdryer for more than 25 years. Makes sense, since Helen of Troy is one of the world’s leading distributors and marketers of consumer and personal care products, and the largest manufacturer of hair dryers.
Rubin’s generosity has gone beyond the game itself. For the last six years he helped implement the Helen of Troy Halftime Show, bringing in artists like Los Lonely Boys, Diamond Rio, Rihanna and this year, David Archuleta.
Helen of Troy has been El Paso’s premier corporate citizen, donating significantly to more than 400 charities a year.
Good company
Previous Sun Bowl Legends include: Charley Johnson, Harrison Kohl and Bill Stevens, 1994; Johnny Majors, 1995; Tony Dorsett, 1996; Tom Brookshier and Pat Summerall, 1997; Jesse Whittenton, 1998; Hayden Fry and Jimmy Rogers Jr., 1999; Vince Dooley and Derrick Thomas, 2000.
Also John H. Folmer and Barry Switzer, 2001; Thurman Thomas, 2002; Ken Heineman, 2003; Pat Tillman and Alex Van Pelt, 2004; Terry Donahue and Verne Lundquist, 2005; Grant Teaff and Tony Franklin, 2006; Don James and Cornelius Bennett, 2007; and Priest Holmes and Craig Silver, 2008.
Rubin named 2009 Sun Bowl Legend