Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy, a devout Southern Baptist layman known for building his business empire on principles of his Christian faith, died Sept. 8 at age 93.
Cathy, who taught 13-year-old boys in Sunday school at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ga., more than 50 years, opened the first Chick-fil-A in 1967. Today, the chain includes 1,800 restaurants in 40 states and Washington, D.C., producing annual sales of $5 billion.
Truett Cathy (second from left) offering samples of the Original Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich. The company was known and even criticized for its charitable donations. (RNS Image courtesy of Demoss Group)He is credited with creating the original fried chicken sandwich and pioneering fast-food service at shopping malls. But Cathy’s biggest claim to fame may be his policy of closing all Chick-fil-A restaurants on Sunday to allow employees the opportunity to go to church.
Cathy always claimed his restaurants did more business in six days than the competition did in seven. He once told a reporter the policy benefitted the business by attracting the kind of employees who want to attend church and be with their families on the Lord’s Day.
Cathy insisted his company’s purpose was “to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come into contact with Chick-fil-A.”
Cathy said in interviews he never found conflict between biblical principles and business practices. In 1984, he started the WinShape Foundation, intended to “shape winners” by helping young people succeed in life through scholarships and other youth-support programs.
The foundation provides scholarships to 120 students at Berry College, a private liberal-arts school in Rome, Ga. The foundation also operates 13 foster-care homes and a two-week summer camp.
In 2003, Cathy helped his son and daughter-in-law, Bubba and Cindy, open WinShape Retreat, a marriage-enrichment center on the campus of Berry College.
Cathy’s daughter, Trudy, married John White, a Samford University graduate who worked as a regional field adviser and assistant to the president of Chick-Fil-A before the two were appointed Southern Baptist missionaries to Brazil in 1983.
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White served as treasurer for the organization of Southern Baptist missionaries in Brazil before coming to IMB headquarters as assistant vice president for overseas operations in 1995. He became the IMB’s executive vice president in 1996 and stepped down in 2003.
The couple went on to form LifeShape, a sister organization to WinShape with ministries including Impact 360, a nine-month “gap year” academic program for students ages 18-20 that earns college credit from Union University in Jackson, Tenn.
Other survivors include Cathy’s wife of 65 years, Jeannette McNeil Cathy; son, Dan, current CEO of Chick-fil-A; 19 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
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