The Little Girl
 he idea for the Little Debbie brand name came from O.D. McKee, the co-founder of McKee Foods. In 1960, he decided his granddaughter’s name was perfect for the new family pack of snack cakes if he put the word “little” in front of it. Her grandmother suggested using a black-and-white photo of Debbie that was taken when the little girl was 3½. They decided to use the photo of Debbie in her cowgirl hat, but to have an artist draw the girl to look older — perhaps 8 or 9.
 To add to the surprise, the McKees kept the new name and logo a secret from Debbie and her parents. But when Ellsworth and Sharon found out, they were not thrilled. They had definite ideas on how their little girl should be brought up and believed the less public attention a child got the better.
Fortunately, Debbie survived the spotlight just fine and went on to become a McKee Foods vice president and plant manager. Perhaps her only regret is that with her personal history forever entwined in the company’s history, everyone knows how old she is.
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