S. Truett Cathy
American restaurateur, businessman, philanthropist (1921–2014)
Samuel Truett Cathy (March 14, 1921 – September 8, 2014) was an American businessman, investor, author, and philanthropist who founded the fast food restaurant chain Chick-fil-A in 1946.
Early life
Cathy was born on March 14, 1921, in Eatonton, Georgia, the son of Lilla James (née Kimball) and Joseph Benjamin Cathy. He attended Boys High School in Atlanta and later served in the United States Army during World War II.
Career
Cathy began the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain in the Atlanta suburb of Hapeville in 1946 with a restaurant called the Dwarf Grill, named for its size. It was there that he, with his brother and business partner Ben, created the chicken sandwich that later became the signature menu item for Chick-fil-A. From 1964 to 1967, the sandwich was licensed to over fifty eateries, including Waffle House and the concession stands of the new Houston Astrodome. The Chick-Fil-A sandwich was withdrawn from sale at other restaurants when the first standalone location opened in 1967, in the food court of the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta.
In April 2008, he opened Upscale Pizza in Fayetteville, Georgia. In November 2013, he retired as both chairman and CEO of Chick-fil-A, leaving his son, Dan Cathy, to assume the roles.
Cathy was closely involved in a sponsorship deal on the college football bowl game founded as the Peach Bowl; from 1997 to 2005, and again since 2014, it is known as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and was simply named the Chick-fil-A Bowl from 2006 to 2013.
Personal life
He married Jeannette McNeil, and they had three children: Trudy, "Bubba" (Don), and Dan.
Ministry
He taught Sunday school to teenagers at the First Baptist Church of Jonesboro, Georgia, for over 50 years.
“S. Truett Cathy” enters the record as american restaurateur, businessman, philanthropist (1921–2014). Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Truett, Cathy and American can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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