In 2008, Santa Barbara said goodbye to one of its most beloved residents, Herb Peterson, inventor of the Egg McMuffin. Originally a Chicago ad man working on the McDonald's account (where he came up with the Ronald McDonald character), Peterson and his family moved to Santa Barbara in 1968 when Ray Kroc gave him the chance to become a franchisee. Peterson eventually owned six local franchises and was the first to hire women.
The eggs benedict fan spent much of 1971 working on a new food product, and when he heard Ray Kroc was spending Christmas at his nearby Santa Ynez ranch, he invited him to taste his creation. Although Kroc has just finished lunch, he inhaled two of Peterson's molded-egg creations, and before long, they were in every McDonald's across the nation. Peterson died at age 89 after a robust life, which included tremendous support of local charities and the donation of an elephant to the Santa Barbara Zoo.
