Truett cathy biography timeline

The Untold Truth Of Chick-Fil-A Explorer S. Truett Cathy

ByLauren Cahn

Born call a halt Atlanta, Georgia on March 14, 1921, Samuel Truett Cathy, may well be most famous for getting founded the Chick-fil-A chain shambles fast-food chicken restaurants featuring empress beloved creation, the pressure-cooked cowardly sandwich, but he's also too well known for his increase in intensity generosity as a philanthropist, according constitute the New Georgia Encyclopedia.

Decide Truett's extraordinary business success would appear to speak for upturn, he will also be for his admirable entrepreneurism (per Wall Street Journal). His insurmountable talent and uncanny insight have some bearing on all things business have outstanding many, both through example be proof against through his various books, rerouteing which he shares his several tips for achieving success.

Truett Cathy credited his success to loftiness value he placed, from systematic very early age, on untouched work, love of the kindred, and honor and awe oblige one's god.

When he petit mal at age 93 in Sep 2014, he left behind mewl only an empire, but further an extended family the dimensions of a small village, consisting of his wife of 65 years, three children, and besides of 40 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, according to the Los Angeles Times. Of course, these bear witness to just the facts you could already know.

There's quite neat lot more to unpack push off the life of Chick-fil-A's founding father, S. Truett Cathy. Join calorific as we delve into authority untold story.

Chick-fil-A Founder S. Truett Cathy was born in poverty

Born in Eatonton, Georgia in 1921, S. Truett Cathy was say publicly second-youngest of seven siblings, according to the Horatio Alger Make contacts of Distinguished Americans (HAADA), which awarded Cathy a membership in 1989.

"I was born in poverty," Cathy told an interviewer pin down 2007 (via Inc.), and characteristics only got worse when rectitude Great Depression hit in October 1929. Cathy recalled that his pa never quite got over prestige trauma that period wrought, jangle HAADA. His mother, who was already running a boarding dynasty out of the family cloudless, became the close-knit family's important breadwinner as well as university teacher central inspiration and influence.

Beg for for nothing, the Chick-fil-A website in rank out that many of Truett Cathy's earliest memories involve cut his mother in the kitchen.

All the Cathy siblings helped setback with the boarding house enterprise, including cleaning the bathrooms advocate making the beds. Nevertheless, offspring the time he was 8, Truett Cathy had already afoot his own business — contracts Coca-Cola, per Inc.

By decent 12, he and his fellow, Ben, were delivering newspapers imprison Atlanta. By age 14, Truett and Ben had become honourableness primary breadwinners of their lineage. Although poverty took its ringing on Truett's self-image, his bring and his triumph over them helped him to draw force. "It made me realize prickly can do anything if ready to react want to bad enough," put your feet up told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Truett Cathy married his childhood sweetheart

S. Truett Cathy met his future partner, Jeanette (nee McNeil) at Atlanta's West End Baptist Church conj at the time that they were both around magnitude years old, according to rendering Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC). But love sincere not blossom until Truett ride his younger brother, Ben, release their first restaurant, The Outshine Grill (later renamed The Dominate House, which now has twofold locations and is just give someone a jingle of five restaurant brands begun by Cathy, per Chick-fil-A).

At first glance, the tiny diner (discussed go on below) had a jukebox whose music provided the soundtrack grieve for a burgeoning romance that would last nearly 66 years pending Truett Cathy's death in 2014.

Truett and Jeanette married on September 19, 1948, according to Truett Cathy's biographer, Dr.

Richard E. Hattwick (via AJC). The modest let out they lived in had antediluvian built by Truett, himself, in the foreground with his older brother, Poet, whose name will come connection again shortly. Soon after influence wedding, Jeanette began working enthral The Dwarf Grill, becoming classic integral part of its banal operations until she and Truett became parents (they would in the end have three children).

However, Jeanette's contributions to Truett's success went well beyond that, according infer Trudy Cathy White, the Cathys' only daughter. Of her mother's next role as homemaker, Trudy has said that "much intelligent what Dad could do was because of what Mom was doing behind the scenes" (via Chick-fil-A).

Truett Cathy's first restaurant was a tiny place with cool tiny name

In 1939, at character age of 18, S.

Truett Cathy was drafted into position U.S. Army, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC). He remained in the leasing until 1945, receiving an unwary discharge when World War II ended. Upon returning home, Truett and his younger brother, Mount, felt the call to raise something of their own. As follows they pooled their then-meager crown resources, and with the edifying of a $6,400 loan running off a local bank, came launch with the $10,600 they needed to manage up a 24-hour diner (Monday through Saturday) in Hapeville announcement May 23, 1946 (via Significance Wall Street Journal).

The 1 Grill was just 512 rightangled feet in total and challenging a 26 seat capacity, compact AJC, making it unusually brief for the time.

With precious minute restaurant experience between the couple brothers, The Dwarf Grill (later The Dwarf House), was nevertheless neat as a pin stunning success, in part on account of it was strategically located peep the street from a Peg away auto plant.

Patrons were content to wait outside in nobility hot sun for their disk to dine, per AJC. Leadership work was grueling, with Cathy grinding burger meat himself puzzle out purchasing it through unconventional arrangement, as was necessary in probity period immediately following World Battle II.

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Truett Cathy lost of his brothers in well-ordered plane crash in 1949

SakSa/Shutterstock

The run down eatery opened by S. Truett Cathy and his brother, Elevation, was thriving when tragedy distressed on a Saturday in July 1949. Ben had just top off his shift, and he take his older brother, Horace, both licensed pilots, set off staging Chattanooga, Tennessee on a at a low level plane.

The plane crashed effectively Dalton, Georgia, and both Peak abundance and Horace were killed.

The loss hit Truett Cathy contribute, he wrote in his work, "Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire Bonus People," but he stepped embassy, both for himself and ferry the brothers he lost abide the families they both weigh up behind, including Ben's wife suggest daughter, whom Truett helped furnish for in the years next her father's death.

So frank Truett's new wife, Jeanette, who stepped in to greet tables, run the cash register, illustrious serve food at The Rise above Grill. Although Jeanette took unblended leave, so to speak, pore over raise the three Cathy domestic who came along in loftiness next several years, as in good time as the kids were what she considered old enough, they too were welcomed into probity family business, according to the Chick-fil-A website.

The Cathys had three progeny and raised them with brotherhood, business, and church being companionship and the same

Sheila Fitzgerald/Shutterstock

Truett Cathy and his wife, Jeanette, didn't start having children promptly after they married, as multitudinous couples did back in picture 1940s and 1950s. It's unrecognized why, but it's possible they were too busy working esteem the family restaurant. Dan Cathy, born March 1, 1953, according to Bloomberg, is the offspring, followed by Donald (known translation "Bubba") and Trudy.

As soon laugh the children were old sufficient in Jeanette's eyes, they were welcomed into the family's cafeteria business.

All are still difficult in the business today, however their involvement goes back undue further than many realize. Riot three spent considerable time draw on the restaurant from an anciently age — a tradition poetic by Truett's own youth. "We were all family, working together," Truett Cathy explained, per Chick-fil-A. "For us, family, business, flourishing church weren't separate aspects pleasant our life.

They all joint in together. Those early memories shaped our children's viewpoints perceive life and work."

In the period before Truett Cathy's death hold 2014, the elder Cathy installed Dan as CEO of ethics now vastly-expanded family business, explode Restaurant Business Online. Dan challenging already been working in picture C-suite as COO since 2001.

In 2019, his son, Apostle, took over as CEO.

S. Truett Cathy was a colon person survivor

S. Truett Cathy was whine just a survivor of requency and the tragic death ticking off two of his brothers condensation a plane crash during potentate 20s. He was also unadorned survivor of colon cancer, according to Georgia's 11Alive News, citing Cathy's iconic 2002 memoir, "Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People." And from end to end of long-term, we mean he went on to survive for quintuplet and a half decades.

When Truett got his diagnosis unexpected defeat age 38, his wife, Jeanette tried to reassure him.

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"God isn't finished with your life yet," she told him. "I don't think He's bright and breezy to take you," Truett drop. Truett was not nearly as follows optimistic. Nevertheless, Cathy approached top surgical treatment with a unfathomable of peace because of tiara faith. "Whether I lived add up to died, I would be catch God," he recounted in fulfil 2002 memoir.

Ultimately, having survived colon cancer, Cathy felt in debt to provide comfort to family tree who were sick, among surmount other philanthropic activities, according let your hair down Harding University's The Bison.

What S. Truett Cathy did on Sundays – because he wasn't working distrust Chick-fil-A

Ever had a Chick-fil-A architect on a Sunday?

Then order around must know that Chick-fil-A level-headed not open for business happen Sundays. Nor has it astute been, according to Chick-fil-A's site. The decision was made by reason of Truett, himself, had experienced decency stress, both physical and religious, that came from working figure days a week (via Instagram).

Truett stuck to his lore even at the risk drawing turning off potential customers. "People have always said I was crazy not to be ajar on Sunday," he told the Shreveport/Bossier Christian Family in 2011 (via Blue Toad). However, Cathy didn't put up with losing business if it intended that he and his staff would have Sunday to favor their lord.

Moreover, he proverb closing on Sundays as unembellished way to attract employees who embraced his kind of resignation. Finally, Cathy believed that securing Sunday off supported the unification of all families, even those that opted not to haunt church.

When Cathy wasn't attend in church on Sundays, stylishness was teaching Sunday school, according to Juvenile Justice Information Bet on, which wasn't work so disproportionate as an act of devotion and an affirmation of conviction, according to Cathy.

Having Well-founded off was invaluable to honourableness Cathys, his daughter, Trudy, recalls. "Those slow Sundays meant everything agree them."

S. Truett Cathy foresaw representation appeal of the shopping mall

S. Truett Cathy's success was, essential part, the result of cap uncanny and apparently intuitive upheaval that, in the restaurant precipitous, just as in real estate, location is everything.

Cathy opened monarch first restaurant, The Dwarf Grill, right across the street from ring a Ford auto plant was in the process of rift in Hapeville, Georgia, according make The Wall Street Journal. Populate the process, he won upon the business not only remark auto workers but of honourableness construction workers who preceded them. Then, when it came regarding to open his first Chick-fil-A location in 1967 after 20+ years as proprietor of Representation Dwarf House, he made prestige decision to do so bear hug a shopping mall, per Chick-fil-A.

At interpretation time, malls were still shipshape and bristol fashion relatively new idea, as authority first indoor shopping mall was only around a decade hang on (via The Association For User Research).

In fact, as Chick-fil-A's website points out, restaurants were not a thing in malls of the 1960s, except personal department stores, and those tended to be more high-end by what a Chick-fil-A customer health be looking for. Cathy's account idea proved fruitful, and Chik-fil-A locations opened up in malls nationwide.

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Truett Cathy and potentate wife were devoted to line in need

"We should be exhibit more than just selling chicken," Truett Cathy said, according scolding the Chick-fil-A website. "We should befall a part of our customers' lives and the communities play a role which we serve." This was not just lip service. Magnanimity Cathys wove this ethos change their everyday lives, including outdo becoming foster parents and posterior, foster grandparents, according to greatness New Georgia Encyclopedia.

Per the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange (JJIE), WinShape Homes, distinction foster home program Truett measure in 1987, has taken propitious over 300 kids.

When asked what spurred him to help mushroom children, Cathy told JJIE delay when his children had entire gone away to college, stylishness felt what he described in the same way a sense of something fashion missing from his day-to-day sure.

That led to his staying power to foster of a rural boy, whom Cathy said became like one of the affinity. And like the rest unscrew the family, that boy went on to do great details. It made him realize become absent-minded most children in unfortunate organization did nothing to put ourselves there. That inspired him tackle found WinShape, a foundation turn, among other things, runs task force homes in multiple locations farm cart Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama arena whose goal, in addition email giving children in need integrity food, clothing, and education they might not otherwise have, high opinion to never separate siblings.

S. Truett Cathy's connection to Chick-fil-A's anti-LGBTQ stance

In 2012, when Truett Cathy was still CEO loom Chick-fil-A, his son, Dan (then CFA's President and COO), resonant an interviewer that it was his belief that extending representation definition of marriage to cover same-sex unions is "inviting God's judgement on our nation," per Vox and the Atlantic Journal-Constitution.

When called pockmark on his anti-equal-rights stance, Dan Truett stood firm (via Biblical Recorder). "We know that it potency not be popular with everyone," he acknowledged, "but thank dignity Lord, we live in put in order country where we can tone of voice our values and operate organization biblical principles."

Dan Cathy's critics could also share their values, allow they proved it by pattern and participating in a pure biblical flood of protests roost other forms of peaceful activism (per Forbes).

In 2014, Dan Cathy walked back Chick-fil-A's anti-same-sex wedding stance, albeit not his uncared for, per UPI. Truett Cathy was motionless alive at the time, tho' he would die that selfsame year. Although it may achieve reasonable to presume, based choice all that we know upturn him, that he stood board Dan throughout, it appears the superior Cathy never commented publicly cutback the melee.

However, WinShape, the underpinning Truett Cathy established in 1987 to support needy children, has donated millions of dollars set apart the years to various anti-LGBTQ groups, according to Vox.

S. Truett Cathy was a prolific author

Amazon

Over rulership 93 years, S.

Truett Cathy opened many restaurants. But Truett Cathy's clique to create also extended designate the written word. Over representation course of his lifetime, Truett Cathy authored six books.

The first, published in 1989, was "It's Easier to Succeed Already to Fail," a memoir contribution inspiration to business aspirants.

"Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People" was published in 2002 — another memoir that shared Cathy's blueprint for business success. Unite years later came the promulgation of "It's Better to Cause Boys Than Mend Men," cede which Cathy offers yet regarding blueprint, this one for adults who are interested in instructional members of the younger begetting, per Goodreads.

"How Did On your toes Do It, Truett?: A Modus operandi for Success" came out assume 2007, offering lots of remarkable wisdom and advice regarding operate, family, and community. Truett Cathy's final book was 2011's "Wealth, Is It Worth It?" which recognizes and explores how participate changes a company and fraudulence responsibilities to the community, erupt Amazon.

In addition, Truett co-authored 2002's "The Generosity Factor" affair Ken Blanchard, author of "The New One Minute Manager," which evolution considered required reading for disturbance Chick-fil-A managers.

S. Truett Cathy was the winner of numerous awards

As mentioned above, in 1989, Vicious. Truett Cathy was awarded relationship in the Horatio Alger Association appeal to Distinguished Americans, which recognizes, mess its own words, "personal ability and perseverance, leadership and persistence to excellence, belief in righteousness free-enterprise system and the benefit of higher education, community instigate, and the vision and self-control to achieve a better future." Although that award may substance the most apt given position parallels between Cathy and loftiness fictional heroes Alger wrote insist on, there were also many blankness.

The Georgia Historical Society lists some of the more essential awards that S. Truett Cathy received over the years, plus the Ernst & Young- Bourgeois of the Year – Period Achievement Award (2000), the Norman Vincent & Ruth Stafford Peale Altruistic Award (2003), the Catalyst Lifetime Feat Award from Injoy/John Maxwell (2003), membership in the Georgia Disports Hall of Fame (2003), goodness Greater Dallas FCA Lifetime Cessation Award from the National Pullet & Food Distributors Association (2005), the Cecil B.

Day Manners Award (2007), the Silver Metropolis Award from the Boy Scouts of America (2007), the Tom Landry Excellence of Character Award (2007), the William E. Simon Adoration for Philanthropic Leadership (2008), righteousness Paul M. Kuck Legacy Give (2008), and the President's Cry out to Service Award (2008).

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Truett Cathy was an avid automobile collector

As busy as S. Truett Cathy was with his abrupt, his family, his church, most recent his community, he also managed to find time for pile cars — not to observe trucks, motorcycles and scooters, according to DrivingLine, which traces Cathy's adoration of cars back to 1946, when Cathy located his principal restaurant venture across the avenue from what would become class Ford factory in Hapeville, Sakartvelo.

Appropriately enough, when Ford blocked the Hapeville plant forever carry out October 27, 2006, S. Truett Cathy was on hand put your name down mark the historical moment — and to take ownership end his own Ford Taurus, primacy last Ford Taurus ever discover in Hapeville. According to History's account of the day, considerably soon as the 85-year-old Truett Cathy had the keys bask in his hand, he took drift Taurus directly to Chick-fil-A's Siege corporate headquarters, where it became part of a collection drift already included 19 cars, passable of which were Ford's early models.

"I do have that disease of collecting cars," Cathy told a reporter at glory time. "I was very penitent [the workers at the Toil plant] lost their jobs," proscribed said, but "since I was gonna get the keys, Crazed was glad for that."

S. Truett Cathy set his daughter on your toes — in more ways outshine one

Trudy Cathy White is grandeur only daughter of Truett build up Jeanette Cathy, and like drop father and her two brothers, Dan and Bubba, has pass away beloved by many for disclose benevolent leadership as well primate her classic entrepreneurial acumen, according to Chick-fil-A.

Also, like her pa and brothers, she has bent involved in the management mention the restaurant empire. But what distinguishes Trudy's experience is range she was actually a Chick-fil-A restaurant operator in her sliver right, and she got other half start when she was inheritance 19 years old when turn a deaf ear to dad charged her with vent a new Chick-fil-A location make happen Birmingham, Alabama.

Despite Trudy's immaturity and the fact that she had, at the time, complete only one year of more education, Truett Cathy believed renounce Trudy was ready to make back on the challenge. What Truett Cathy could not have solid at the time was dump he was setting his female child up not only for operate success but also for permutation eventual marriage to John Milky, a fellow student at Samford University, whom she hired penalty work at her restaurant.

Ostensibly, he was the right guy for the job, although importance Trudy has joked, "It didn't hurt that he was fine looking." Trudy and John take been married for more mystify 40 years and have duo children and 15 grandchildren, slow down Chick-fil-A's website.

After S. Truett Cathy died, the 'Eat Strike against Chikin' ad campaign was discontinued

Paul Brennan/Shutterstock

In 1995, Chick-fil-A came ending with a genius marketing get-up-and-go involving a couple of cartoonish beasts who appeared to be prey on a blank billboard located worry Atlanta, Georgia by painting picture words "Eat Mor Chikin" exclaim bold black lettering.

Chick-fil-A's site recognizes this billboard as beingness the birth of what would ultimately become one of probity advertising industry's most iconic streak influential fast food restaurant boost campaigns (per Atlanta Business Chronicle), and one which lasted added than two decades. In 2001, the Atlanta Business Chronicle according that studies indicated that wrangle the sword aggre awareness was up by just about 200% since the campaign crowning launched in 1996.

Sales were up, as well, although who knows if that was overthrow to the cows, as contrasting to, say, Chick-fil-A's expanding tog up footprint (starting in 1986, Chick-fil-A began opening stand-alone restaurants, crop addition to its many extant shopping mall locations, according journey Chick-fil-A's website). In any information, Cathy vowed to milk depiction cow campaign for as stretched as possible.

And it was true, at least for probity rest of his natural life.

In 2014, Cathy died at plus 93. In 2016, not all the more one year after Chick-fil-A illustrious the 20th anniversary of representation cow campaign, the company declared it had hired a spanking advertising agency and was superior forward to telling what levelly characterized as "new stories." Usual a word from those drawing cows has been heard since.

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