Whataburger and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida Honored 2021 Big of the Year and Little

Pensacola, Fla. – For nearly 71 years, Whataburger has proudly supported the communities it serves and its partners, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida (BBBSNWFL). As part of this support, Whataburger hosted a celebration at Restaurant 168 in Pensacola with BBBSNWFL to honor the 2021 Escambia County Big of the Year as well as the brand’s own Family Member and Team Leader.

During the surprise event, BBBSNWFL presented Tommy Huynh with the 2021 Escambia County Big of the Year award for his dedication as a mentor creating impactful change and significant influence in the Northwest Florida community. BBBSNWFL also recognized Huynh’s Little, Whataburger Team Leader John C., with the agency’s LEAP Start Scholarship, established by The Pensacola Chamber of Commerce Leadership Pensacola Class of 2019. Their goal was to create a road map that helps guide Littles to post-secondary education and to provide financial support as they grow to reach their full potential.

“To be able to recognize a match in this way is a true testament of their dedication to each other and to Big Brothers Big Sisters,” says BBBSNWFL President & CEO, Paula Shell. “Our Bigs support their Littles, helping them grow to become productive community citizens. Tommy exemplifies our mission and goes above and beyond to ignite the power and promise of his Little Brother John. We could not be more proud.”

In addition to the $1,125 scholarship as part of the LEAP Start Scholarship Program, John C. is also a recipient of a $2,000 scholarship for the 2021 fall semester through the Whataburger Scholarship Program as part of the Whataburger Family Foundation. The foundation, created in 2003, provides both opportunities and assistance for employees, and is funded by a combination of corporate investment and voluntary employee contributions. Through the Whataburger Scholarship Program, the foundation has provided over $8 million in scholarships to more than 3,000 employees and their immediate family members. 

“As a team, we couldn’t be prouder to host this surprise celebration and recognize Tommy and our own Family Member and Team Leader, John,” said Whataburger Operating Partner Ellon Kidd. “While it was hard to keep this good news a secret, these two hometown heroes bring so much to our friends and neighbors in Pensacola – whether that’s being a standout mentor or serving with pride, care and love every day while achieving goals in the classroom. All of us at Whataburger are so appreciative for the difference they make in our community and their bright future ahead.” To learn more about other BBBSNWFL Big of the Year recipients, visit www.bbbsnwfl.org/big-of-the-year-awards/.  

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About Whataburger

Whataburger has focused on its fresh, made-to-order burgers and friendly customer service since 1950 when Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger as a small roadside burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. Today, the company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with more than 850 locations across its 14-state footprint, and sales of more than $2.8 billion annually. Whataburger has 50,000 Family Members (employees) and more than 60 million customers who like to customize their Whataburgers just the way they like it. Visit whataburger.com or pivot-you.com for more information. To apply for Whataburger jobs now, visit whataburger.com/careers

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida has been the area’s leader in one-to-one mentoring for 30 years by serving children ages 5-18. Our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Last year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida served 646 children in Northwest Florida.

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