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Chick-fil-A is the second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the United States based on annual sales. Currently, there are
more than 1,380 Chick-fil-A restaurants in 37 states and Washington, D.C. Remarkably, Chick-fil-A experienced an unparalleled record of 40 consecutive years of annual sales
increases. S. Truett Cathy is founder and chairman. His approach is largely driven by personal satisfaction and a sense of obligation to the community and its
young people. His WinShape Foundation, founded in 1984, grew from his desire to "shape winners" by helping young people succeed in life through scholarships and other youth-support
programs. The foundation annually awards 20 to 30 students wishing to attend Berry College with scholarships up to $32,000 that are jointly funded by WinShape and Berry. In
addition, through its Leadership Scholarship Program, the Chick-fil-A chain has given more than $23.3 million in $1,000 scholarships to Chick-fil-A restaurant employees since 1973.
This year the company will award more than $1.4 million in scholarships to its restaurant team members.
As part of his WinShape Homes® program – a long-term care program for foster children – eight foster care homes have been started in
Georgia, two in Tennessee and one each in Alabama and Brazil that are operated by Cathy and the WinShape Foundation. These homes, accommodating up to 12 children with two full-time
foster parents, provide long-term care for foster children with a positive family environment. Another core component distinguishing WinShape programs is WinShape Camps®. It
was founded in 1985 as residential, two-week summer camps to impact young people and families through experiences which enhance their Christian faith, character and relationships.
More than 1,900 campers from throughout the country attend WinShape Camps annually.
In 2003, Truett helped his son and daughter-in-law, Bubba and Cindy, celebrate the opening of WinShape RetreatSM, a high-end retreat and conference facility
also located on the Mountain Campus of Berry College. The multi-use facility hosts marriage-enrichment retreats along with business and church-related conferences, and in summer
months, houses WinShape Camp for girls.
Cathy built his life and business based on hard work, humanity and biblical principles. Based on these principles, all of Chick-fil-A's restaurants operate
with a "Closed-on-Sunday" policy, - without exception. When not managing his company, Cathy donates his time to community efforts and teaches a Sunday school class
to 13-year-old boys, as he has done for more than 50 years.
Cathy has received countless awards over the years, including: The Cecil B. Day Ethics Award (2007); The Silver Buffalo Award presented by the Boy Scouts of
America (2007); Tom Landry Excellence of Character Award (2007); Greater Dallas FCA Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Poultry & Food Distributors Association (2005);
Norman Vincent & Ruth Stafford Peale Humanitarian Award (2003); Catalyst Lifetime Achievement Award from Injoy/John Maxwell (2003); Georgia Sports Hall of Fame –
Chairman’s Award (2003); the Ernst & Young- Entrepreneur of the Year – Lifetime Achievement Award (2000); and Horatio Alger Award – Horatio Alger Association,
Washington, D.C. (1989) He also is the author of It’s Easier to Succeed Than to Fail (Thomas Nelson Publishing, 1989); Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People (Looking Glass
Books, 2002); It’s Better to Build Boys Than Mend Men (Looking Glass Books, 2004); and How Did You Do It, Truett? (Looking Glass Books, 2007); and he is co-author of The
Generosity Factor with Ken Blanchard (Zondervan Publishing, 2002).
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