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Chick-fil-A Founder and Restaurant Industry Icon Truett Cathy Celebrates 60 Years in the Restaurant Business

May 23 Proclaimed 'Truett Cathy Day' by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue

Restaurant industry icon Truett Cathy, founder and chairman of Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. celebrates a 60-year legacy that is as much about values as business success. And while he is perhaps best known as the inventor of the quick-service industry's first chicken sandwich, Cathy is also widely recognized for his philanthropic efforts and the values he has been able to instill in young people.

Still at the helm of the chain, the 85-year old patriarch of the Chick-fil-A® brand has adapted to changes in American culture, the restaurant industry and the corporate environment, but stayed true to the principles he held 60 years ago when he opened his first restaurant. Now a $2 billion company with more than 1,250 restaurants in 38 states, Chick-fil-A remains a family-owned business that still adheres to its 60-year-old "Closed on Sunday" policy. With the recent opening of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Tampa, Fla. that is operated by Cathy's grandson, Andrew, the family's third generation continues the business values and tradition established by their grandfather.

Activities planned to commemorate Cathy's milestone achievement and his well-known tradition of excellence in the industry include an appearance at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago as keynote speaker for the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation's SPIRIT Awards, followed by a reception held in his honor at the original Dwarf House restaurant in the Atlanta suburb of Hapeville, Ga., where Cathy's restaurant career began. The celebration event will be highlighted with a proclamation by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue declaring May 23 as "Truett Cathy Day" throughout the state.

"My dad's determination and industry knowledge combined with his endless dedication to his faith and moral values continue to inspire our business goals and our daily excitement," said Dan Cathy, president and COO of Chick-fil-A and oldest son of Truett Cathy. "He started a legacy that we are proud to continue, and we will always insist that the Chick-fil-A business reflect the same spirit of Dad's first sixty years of service-oriented attitude, a giving and caring heart, and savvy business-oriented philosophies."

Cathy's restaurant business started as he ended his Army service at the end of World War II in 1946 when he and his brother, Ben, pooled their resources and opened a small restaurant in Hapeville known as the Dwarf Grill (later named the Dwarf House). The diner only had 10 stools and four tables, and their first-day total sales of $58.20 hardly served as an indication of the future business success Cathy was to achieve with Chick-fil-A. Ben Cathy tragically passed away in a plane crash two years into their restaurant venture, but Truett continued to pursue their dreams of entrepreneurship.

Driven by his dedication to product quality and creating customer loyalty, Cathy set out in the late '50s to create what later would become the Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich. In an effort to cut down on cooking time, Cathy started with a boneless breast of chicken, which he then pressure cooked in peanut oil with a special blend of seasonings. He would test his early offerings with his best customers, changing his recipe until everyone agreed that he had it right.

After initially licensing his new product to other restaurateurs, Cathy decided he would need to open his own chain of restaurants in order to maintain his own high standards for product consistency and quality. He opened the very first Chick-fil-A restaurant in 1967 inside Atlanta's Greenbriar Shopping Center, helping to pioneer the nation's in-mall food service industry. After 38 straight years of consistent sales growth, the Chick-fil-A chain has evolved into a nearly $2 billion business operating in 38 states and Washington, D.C.

Currently with 1,250 restaurants nationwide, the chain is well-known for consistent quality, all-natural chicken menu items, and Cathy legitimately is credited with being the inventor of the boneless breast chicken sandwich in the quick-service industry. In addition to its quality products, Chick-fil-A also has maintained an industry reputation for focusing on providing family-oriented establishments that become a vital part of their communities.

"Truett has truly been a pioneer in everything he does, from his creation of the Chick-fil-A sandwich and a thriving company to support it, to his value-based approach to running the business," said Sr. Vice President of Marketing Steve Robinson. "His continued involvement in the business after 60 years, as well as his legacy of positive influences through his business, serve as a model to us all."

Cathy's unique business approach is largely driven by personal satisfaction and a sense of obligation to the community and its young people. His WinShape Centre® 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 the Rome, Ga. institution. In addition, through its Leadership Scholarship Program, the Chick-fil-A chain has given more than $21 million dollars in $1,000 scholarships to Chick-fil-A restaurant employees since 1973.

As part of his WinShape Homes® program -- a long-term care program for foster children -- 14 foster care homes have been started in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Brazil that are operated by Cathy and the WinShape Foundation.

Another core component distinguishing WinShape programs is WinShape® Camps. It was founded in 1985 as a series of two-week summer camps at Berry College to help boys and girls build self-esteem through physical and spiritual activities. Nearly 1,800 campers from throughout the country attend WinShape® Camps sessions annually.

In 2003, Cathy helped his son and daughter-in-law, Bubba and Cindy, celebrate the opening of WinShape™ Retreat, 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 the girls attending WinShape® Camps.

About Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc., the nation's second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain (based on sales), currently has more than 1,250 restaurants in 38 states and Washington, D.C. Credited with inventing the chicken sandwich and first introducing the chicken nugget concept, Chick-fil-A serves nutritious and freshly prepared food products in malls, Free-Standing Units, Drive-Thru Only Restaurants, Chick-fil-A Dwarf House® and Truett's Grill® full-service restaurants, and through licensed outlets in college campuses, hospitals, airports, businesses and industrial sites.

In 2005, Chick-fil-A reported system-wide sales of more than $1.975 billion, sustaining its 38-year-streak of consecutive sales gains. Chick-fil-A is an 11-time recipient of Restaurants & Institutions magazine's Choice In Chains Customer Satisfaction Award. More information about Chick-fil-A is available on the chain's websites, located at www.chick-fil-a.com, www.chick-fil-apressroom.com or www.truettcathy.com.

Newswire by Market Wire