Dan T. Cathy
| Dan T. Cathy | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Daniel Truett Cathy March 1, 1953 Jonesboro, Georgia, US |
| Residence | Atlanta, Georgia, US |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Georgia Southern University |
| Occupation | Chairman, President and CEO, Chick-fil-A |
| Net worth | US $3.4 billion (June 2015)[1] |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | S. Truett Cathy |
| Relatives | Bubba Cathy (brother) |
Daniel Truett Cathy (born March 1, 1953), is an American businessman, the chairman, president and CEO of fast-food chain Chick-fil-A. The chain was founded by his father, the late S. Truett Cathy.[2]
Early life
Cathy was born in Jonesboro, Georgia. He began doing radio commercials for his father's original Dwarf House restaurant in Hapeville, Georgia in the early 1960s. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Georgia Southern University in 1975, then began working for his father's company.[3]
Career
He started as director of operations, eventually being promoted to president and CEO. Cathy spends much of his time traveling to the chain's 2,000 restaurants.
Cathy holds honorary doctorates from the University of West Georgia, Anderson College, Carver Bible College, and Pepperdine University. His family runs the WinShape Foundation, a non-profit which supports a group of Southern Baptist ministries.
Same-sex marriage
Cathy has said that he disagrees with same-sex marriage, and is a supporter of conservative Christian causes.[4]
But in March 2014, he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that it had been a "mistake" for the WinShape Foundation to "support political or social agendas", and had been working with LGBT activist Shane Windmeyer of Campus Pride since 2012. Windmeyer stated that WinShape and the Chick-fil-A Foundation had "dramatically" cut donations to groups gay marriage supporters consider anti-gay. Cathy stated that "While we evaluate individual donations on an annual basis, our giving is focused on three key areas: youth and education, leadership and family enrichment and serving the local communities in which we operate," the company said at the time. "Our intent is to not support political or social agendas. This has been the case for more than 60 years. The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect and to serve great food with genuine hospitality."[5][6]
The website Thinkprogress.org rebutted Windmeyer's comments in January 2013, complaining he had failed to explain any concrete changes taking place at the company. The website added that Chick-fil-A's donations to the above-mentioned groups had been small, no more than $1,000 in any given year, compared with millions of dollars donated to organizations such as the Marriage & Family Foundation and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.[7]
An obituary on Tuesday about S. Truett Cathy, the founder of the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A, misattributed, in some editions, a quotation about same-sex marriage, which was strongly opposed by a charitable arm of Mr. Cathy’s empire. It was Dan Cathy, Mr. Cathy’s son and the president of Chick-fil-A — not Mr. Cathy — who said, “As it relates to society in general, I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.’ ”
Personal life
Cathy is married, with two children, and lives in Atlanta, Georgia.[1]
References
- 1 2 "Dan Cathy". Forbes. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ↑ Staff report (June 1, 2001). New Chick-fil-A chief began career at age 9. The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution; accessed September 14, 2014.
- ↑ Gatlin, Greg (October 7, 1998). "Chick-fil-A hatches expansion plans", Boston Herald; accessed September 14, 2014.
- ↑ Severson, Kim (July 25, 2012). "Chick-fil-A Thrust Back Into Spotlight on Gay Rights", New York Times; accessed September 14, 2014.
- ↑ ""Cathy Seeks to Put Gay Marriage Flap Behind Chick-fil-A" www.myajc.com March 14, 2014". Retrieved September 10, 2014.
- ↑ "New Chick-fil-A filings show decrease in anti-LGBT funding", goqnotes.com; accessed September 14, 2014.
- ↑ "Despite Dan Cathy's new gay friendship nothing has changed at Chick-fil-A", thinkprogress.org, January 29, 2013; accessed September 14, 2014.