Jenny Craig (entrepreneur)

Last updated
Jenny Craig
Born
Genevieve Guidroz

(1932-08-07) August 7, 1932 (age 91)
Berwick, Louisiana
OccupationBusiness executive
Known for Jenny Craig, Inc.
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1979;died 2008)​
Website jennycraig.com

Jenny Craig (born Genevieve Guidroz; August 7, 1932) is an American weight loss guru and founder of Jenny Craig, Inc. Craig was born in Berwick, Louisiana, was raised in New Orleans, and married Sidney Craig in 1979. In 1983, she and her husband created a nutrition, fitness, and weight loss program in Australia and began offering the program in the United States in 1985. The company became a part of Nestlé Nutrition in 2006. [1]

Contents

Philanthropy

In 1992, Craig and her husband committed $10 million to Fresno State University for its School of Business and Administrative Services, later renamed the Sid Craig School of Business. [2] In 1996, the couple committed another $10 million to the University of San Diego, $7 million of which was used to build the Jenny Craig Pavilion, a recreation and sports pavilion that was dedicated in October 2000. [3]

Horse racing

In 1995, Craig and her husband bought a thoroughbred horse ranch and breeding operation in Rancho Santa Fe, California, formerly owned by sportsman Gene Klein. This area is home to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Craig has been involved in racing and she and her husband have owned a number of successful thoroughbreds. One of their colts, Dr. Devious, finished seventh in the 1992 Kentucky Derby and also raced in England, where he won the 1992 Epsom Derby. [4] That same year, their future National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame filly Paseana won the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Gulfstream Park. In 2003, their horse Candy Ride won six races in a row including the Grade I Pacific Classic Stakes in which he set a new Del Mar track record for one and a quarter miles. Another Craig owned horse, Sidney's Candy, named after Sid Craig, ran in the 2010 Kentucky Derby. [5]

Health issues

In April 1995, while napping in an armchair, she was startled awake, which caused a strange medical anomaly that mimicked lockjaw but was not, as Craig was eventually able to pry her mouth open. Though there seemed to be no imminent threat, Craig's condition gradually worsened making it difficult for her to speak and eat. Her dentist diagnosed temporomandibular joint syndrome, for which she was referred to a specialist, though to little avail. She was, in turn, referred to a series of physicians (reportedly 18), all of whom provided various suggestions but ultimately no solution. In the spring of 1998, she was introduced to Dr. Dennis M. Nigro, typically a cosmetic surgeon, who assessed that Craig had suffered atrophying of her mouth muscles. Corrective surgery was provided by installing bioabsorbable screws into her cheeks. She underwent a four-and-a-half-hour operation and another year of speech therapy. [6] [7] Craig has since fully recovered from the debilitating condition.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thoroughbred racing</span> Sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses

Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in the UK and steeplechasing in the US. Jump racing can be further divided into hurdling and steeplechasing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calumet Farm</span> Thoroughbred racing and breeding operation

Calumet Farm is a 762-acre (3.08 km2) Thoroughbred breeding and training farm established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by William Monroe Wright, founding owner of the Calumet Baking Powder Company. Calumet is located in the heart of the Bluegrass, a well-known horse breeding region. Calumet Farm has a record history of Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown winners and 11 horses in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Unbridled was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic.

The Pacific Classic Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of one and one quarter miles on the dirt track scheduled annually in August or September at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The event currently carries a purse of $1,000,000.

Buckpasser was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1966 Horse of the Year. His other achievements include 1965 Champion Two-Year-Old, 1966 Champion Three-Year-Old, 1966 Champion Handicap Horse, and 1967 Champion Handicap Horse. He was also the leading broodmare sire in 1983, 1984, and 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenny Craig, Inc.</span> Defunct American weight loss company

Jenny Craig, Inc., often known simply as Jenny Craig, is an American weight loss, weight management, and nutrition company. The company had more than 700 weight management centers in Australia, the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. The program combined individual weight management counseling with a menu of frozen meals and other foods which were distributed through its centers or shipped directly to clients. On 4 May 2023, the company announced that it was going out of business after 40 years. It was revived as an e-commerce store by Wellful sometime after this announcement in fall 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea Hero</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Sea Hero was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1993 Kentucky Derby and Travers Stakes. Beginning in 2011, Sea Hero was the oldest living winner of the Kentucky Derby until his death in 2019.

The 1992 Epsom Derby was a horse race which took place at Epsom Downs on Wednesday 3 June 1992. It was the 213th running of the Derby, and it was won by Dr Devious. The winner was ridden by John Reid and trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam. The pre-race favourite Rodrigo de Triano finished ninth.

Luciano Gaucci was an Italian entrepreneur and sportsman. He was the owner of various clubs:

Dr Devious was an Irish-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse. In a career which lasted from May 1991 until November 1992, he ran fifteen times and won six races. He is most notable as the winner of the Derby in 1992. Dr Devious's other most significant wins came in the Dewhurst Stakes and the Irish Champion Stakes. He was the second horse, after Bold Arrangement in 1986, to run in both the Kentucky Derby and the Epsom Derby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quest For Fame (horse)</span> British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse (1987–2011)

Quest For Fame (1987–2011) was a British-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from October 1989 until November 1992, he ran fifteen times and won four races. His most notable success came in 1990 when he won the Derby. He was later trained in the United States, where he won the San Luis Obispo Handicap and the Hollywood Invitational Turf Handicap in 1992. He was the first Epsom Derby winner to win a major race as a five-year-old since St. Gatien in 1886.

Paseana was an Argentine-bred Thoroughbred racemare who competed very successfully in Argentina and in the United States, where she won 10 Grade 1 races. She received two Eclipse Awards and was also elected to the Racing Hall of Fame.

Tosmah (1961–1992) was a champion Thoroughbred race horse. She was the leading American filly of her generation at both two and three years of age.

Sidney Harvey Craig was an American businessman who was the business partner and husband of weight-loss entrepreneur Jenny Craig. Together, they founded the weight-management company Jenny Craig, Inc., and expanded the company throughout the United States, Australia, and Canada.

St Jovite was an American bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse bred and owned by Virginia Kraft Payson. He was sired by Pleasant Colony, winner of the 1981 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. His dam, Northern Sunset, was a granddaughter of the pre-eminent sire of the 20th century, Northern Dancer.

Candy Ride is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who went undefeated in six starts on both turf and dirt racing surfaces in Argentina and the United States. In Argentina, he won the Gran Premio San Isidro and the Joaquin S. de Anchorena, setting a world record of 1:31.01 for 1,600 meters on the turf in the latter. He was named Argentina's Champion Miler of 2002. Relocated to the United States in 2003, he won the American Handicap and set a track record in the Pacific Classic Stakes. Retired to stud in Kentucky, he developed into a top 10 sire whose notable offspring include American Horse of the Year Gun Runner.

Frances A. Genter was a major figure in American Thoroughbred horse racing. She is best known as the owner of Unbridled, the 1990 American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and winner of the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic. Part of horse racing lore took place at the 1990 Kentucky Derby when trainer Carl Nafzger called the race aloud to the petite 92-year-old Mrs. Genter because her eyesight was failing & she could not see as her horse headed down the stretch en route to winning the race. The staff of Blood-Horse Publications selected the scene for its book Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodrigo de Triano</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse (1989–2014)

Rodrigo de Triano was an American-bred, English-trained Thoroughbred Champion racehorse.

Sidney's Candy is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He is sired by Candy Ride out of the Storm Cat mare Fair Exchange. He was named after Sidney Craig.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Chrome</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

California Chrome is a US Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2014 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and 2016 Dubai World Cup. He was the 2014 and 2016 American Horse of the Year. In 2016, he surpassed Curlin as the all-time leading North American horse in earnings won.

References

  1. ↑ Mulier, Thomas (June 19, 2008). "Nestle Says Jenny Craig Weight-Loss Sales Slowing (Update1)". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-18. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  2. ↑ "We are The Craig School of Business". Fresno State University. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Welcome to the Jenny Craig Pavilion". University of San Diego. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  4. ↑ Wall, Maryjean (April 29, 1992). "Dr Devious looms as Derby threat to Arazi's breeze". Baltimore Sun. Knight-Ridder News Service. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  5. ↑ Jenny Craig's Horse Racing in the Kentucky Derby
  6. ↑ Rizzo, Monico. "Painful Silence". People. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  7. ↑ King, Larry (March 21, 2001). "Larry King Live: What Does Jenny Craig Have to Say Now That She Can Speak?". CNN. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.