In 1935, 32-year-old Charles Lubin and his brother-in-law bought a small chain of neighborhood bakeries in the Chicago area. They were called Community Bake Shops.

Lubin was constantly testing new recipes on his wife, Tillie, and his eight-year-old daughter, Sara Lee. After about 100 different cheesecakes, he finally hit upon the perfect recipe.

Tillie suggested that her husband name the product after their daughter. The cheesecake was so popular that he renamed his bakery Kitchens of Sara Lee. As a teenager, Sara Lee worked part-time in the plant offices, but that was her only professional affiliation with the company that bears her name.

In 1953, the Sara Lee company began selling frozen baked goods, which allowed the company to expand into 48 states.

In 1956, Sara Lee was bought by Consolidated Foods Corporation. Sara Lee's name is now featured on more than 100 kinds of bakery products. A marketing survey shows that 98 percent of American consumers are familiar with the name.

In 1985, Consolidated Foods adopted the name for their entire operation, "to reflect the consumer marketing orientation." Today Sara Lee Corporation has more than $19.7 billion in annual sales. The corporation markets more than 150 brands, including Hanes, L'eggs, and Playtex bras. In fact, the Sara Lee Corporation now sells more underwear than baked goods. Sara Lee Lubin, owner of one of the world's most recognized names, is a computer enthusiast and a grandmother.