In our article titled “Dan Cathy 101: An American Businessman” on Zatrun.com, we will delve into everything you need to know about the American businessman, Dan Cathy, that our readers are curious about in detail.
Who is Dan Cathy?
Daniel Truett Cathy is an American businessman and the president of the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A, which was founded and expanded by his father, S. Truett Cathy. As of November 2020, he has a net worth of $7.1 billion. Cathy was born in Jonesboro, Georgia in 1953, as the first child of Jeanette (nee McNeil) and S. Truett Cathy, who had just opened a restaurant called Dwarf House. He has a younger brother, Bubba Cathy, and a sister, Trudy, and their family provided childcare for many children over the years.
In the late 1960s, while attending local schools, Cathy began doing radio ads for his father’s original Dwarf House restaurant. During this time, his father was expanding the franchise chain, which would later become known as Chick-fil-A, by opening additional restaurants in and around Atlanta and Georgia. Cathy graduated with a business degree from Georgia Southern University in 1975, and started working full-time for his father’s company, which was already established as a franchise chain. He is also married and has two children, and he and his family reside in Atlanta, Georgia.
Career Life
Dan Cathy started as an operations director and eventually rose to become the president and CEO in 2013. Cathy spends a significant amount of his time visiting the chain’s 2,000 restaurants. In late 2021, Dan Cathy stepped down as the CEO of Chick-fil-A, Inc., but remained as the Chairman of the Board.
Cathy has honorary doctorate degrees from West Georgia University, Anderson College, Carver College, and Pepperdine University. His family manages the WinShape Foundation, a non-profit that supports a group of Southern Baptist churches.
Perspective on Same-Sex Marriage
Dan Cathy publicly stated in July 2012 that he opposed same-sex marriage and supported conservative Christian causes. Tax records from 2011 showed that Chick-fil-A’s operators, the WinShape Foundation, and the Cathy family had spent millions of dollars to defeat same-sex marriage initiatives and provide conversion therapy.
In March 2014, Cathy told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that it was a “mistake” for the WinShape Foundation to have supported “political or social agendas” prior to 2012, which was reported and sparked a national debate on same-sex marriage. However, Cathy continued to contribute to campaigns that focused on his ideological political agenda, stating:
“When evaluating individual donations annually, our giving is focused on youth and education, leadership and family enrichment, and serving the local communities where we operate our businesses. Our intent is not to support political or social agendas, which has been the case for over 60 years. The Chick-fil-A culture and tradition in our restaurants is to welcome everyone with respect, dignity, and hospitality, and to serve great food with genuine hospitality.”
In June 2019, it was reported that the National Christian Foundation (NCF), which was reported to be a major recipient of Cathy’s donations, had provided funding to fight the Equality Act.
