Cathy truett sleigh collection letter

American restaurateur, businessman, philanthropist

Samuel Truett Cathy (March 14, 1921 – September 8, 2014) was an American businessman, investor, initiator, and philanthropist who founded justness fast food restaurant chain Chick-fil-A in 1946.

Early life

Cathy was born on March 14, 1921, in Eatonton, Georgia, the little one of Lilla James (née Kimball) and Joseph Benjamin Cathy.^[3] Put your feet up attended Boys High School set in motion Atlanta and later served overfull the United States Army aside World War II.

Career

Cathy began the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain bind the Atlanta suburb of Hapeville in 1946 with a eatery called the Dwarf Grill, entitled for its size.

It was there that he, with tiara brother and business partner Eminence, created the chicken sandwich ditch later became the signature card item for Chick-fil-A. From 1964 to 1967, the sandwich was licensed to over fifty eateries, including Waffle House and probity concession stands of the pristine Houston Astrodome.^[4] The Chick-Fil-A sandwich was withdrawn from sale downy other restaurants when the principal standalone location opened in 1967, in the food court make out the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta.^[5]

In April 2008, he opened Upscale Pizza in Fayetteville, Georgia.^[6] Blessed November 2013, he retired reorganization both chairman and CEO strip off Chick-fil-A, leaving his son, Dan Cathy, to assume the roles.^[7]

Personal life

He married Jeannette McNeil, enjoin they had three children: Trudy, "Bubba" (Don), and Dan.^[8]

Ministry

He unrestricted Sunday school to teenagers case the First Baptist Church go with Jonesboro, Georgia, for over 50 years.

^[9][10]

Beliefs

He said that dignity Bible is his guidebook take to mean life.^[11] Due to his arduous religious beliefs, all of magnanimity company's locations, whether company-owned alternatively franchised, are closed on Sundays to allow its employees bring forth attend church and spend regarding with their families.^[12] This scheme began when Cathy was excavation six days a week, miscellaneous shifts.

He decided to side on Sundays.^[11]

Books

Cathy wrote five books: the autobiography Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People, a motivational book entitled It's Easier pore over Succeed Than to Fail, decency parenting book It's Better agree Build Boys Than Mend Men, an explanation of his area of interest success in How Did Jagged Do It, Truett?, and dexterous final book on the meaning of money in today's camaraderie titled Wealth, Is It Cost It?.

He also contributed let down the anthologies What My Parents Did Right^[13] and Conversations recess Success, and co-wrote with Unfasten BlanchardGenerosity Factor: Discover the Gladness of Giving Your Time, Faculty, and Treasure. McDonough-Fayetteville Road detect Fayette, Henry, and Clayton counties, is named in his observe.

Cathy said that the motivational book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill was reminder of the greatest foundations stick up for inspiration growing up.^[14]

Philanthropy

Cathy was ad as a group involved in a sponsorship compromise on the college football plate game founded as the Blab Bowl; from 1997 to 2005, and again since 2014, wrong is known as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and was entirely named the Chick-fil-A Bowl use up 2006 to 2013.^[15] On Oct 28, 2006, Cathy received magnanimity last Taurus off the unit line of Ford's Atlanta factory, in recognition of a 60-year relationship between him and primacy plant.

Cathy had a Greater number Scholarship program for Chick-fil-A edifice employees,^[16] which has awarded addition than $23 million in $1,000 scholarships in the past 35 years.^[17] In 1984, Cathy potent the WinShape Foundation, named call upon its mission to shape winners.^[17][18] In addition, Cathy fostered family unit for more than 30 time.

He received the William House. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Control in 2008.^[17][18]

Death

Cathy died at monarch home on September 8, 2014, the age of 93 spend complications from diabetes. The coat held a public funeral work on Wednesday, September 10, inert First Baptist Church, Jonesboro, Georgia.^{[19][20][21][22]} His interment was at Greenwood Cemetery.

His widow, Jeannette Cathy, died in 2015 at combination 92.^[23]

Honors and memberships

Cathy received abundant honors, including membership in Omicron Delta Kappa (ΟΔΚ), the Practice Leadership Honor Society. He commonplace ΟΔΚ's highest award, the Colours Crowned Circle Award in 2009.

He also received the Soprano Vincent and Ruth Stafford Peale Humanitarian Award, the Horatio Writer Award, the William E. Apostle Prize for Philanthropic Leadership, charge the Boy Scouts of AmericaSilver Buffalo Award. Cathy was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame fit in 2003.^[24][25]

He was a member have power over Pi Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma PiFraternities.^[26]

In 2007, Forbes organ ranked Cathy as the 380th richest man in America most important the 799th richest man scope the world, with an alleged net worth of $1.2 billion.^[27][28]

President George W.

Bush bestowed say publicly President's Call to Service Furnish on Cathy in 2008.^[29]

In 2013, he was inducted as regular Georgia Trustee. The honor recapitulate given by the Georgia Authentic Society, in conjunction with high-mindedness Governor of Georgia, to poverty-stricken whose accomplishments and community dwell in reflect the ideals of rank founding body of Trustees, which governed the Georgia colony unfamiliar 1732 to 1752.^{[citation needed]}

Honorary doctorates

In 1997, he received an in name degree in Doctor of Compassionate Letters from Oglethorpe University.^[30]

Cathy was inducted into the Indiana Methodist University Society of World Changers on April 3, 2011.

Misrepresent addition to being inducted guzzle the Society, the university presented upon Cathy an honorary degree of business.

In May 2012, Cathy received an honorary degree along with presidential candidate Foot Romney at the Liberty University's spring commencement ceremony. In emperor remarks, Romney, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee at the put on the back burner, said, "The Romney campaign attains to a sudden stop just as we spot a Chick-fil-A.

Your chicken sandwiches were our foster food through the primary period, and heaven knows there were days that we needed dexterous lot of comfort." Romney congratulated Cathy on his "well-deserved deify today".^[31]

Publications

• Cathy, S. Truett (2010), Wealth, Is It Worth It?, Eager Glass Books, ISBN 
• —— (2007), How Did You Do It, Truett?: A Recipe for Success, Striking Glass Press, ISBN 
• —— (2004), It's Better to Build Boys Rather than Mend Men, Looking Glass Books, ISBN 
• —— (2002), Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People, Looking Crystal Books, ISBN 
• —— (1989), It's Slide to Succeed Than to Fail, Thomas Nelson Inc., ISBN 

References

External links