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Meet the Cathys, heirs to the Chick-fil-A empire, who have a fortune of more than $11 billion and are one of America's wealthiest family 'dynasties'
Meet the Cathys, heirs to the Chick-fil-A empire, who have a fortune of more than $11 billion and are one of America's wealthiest family 'dynasties'
Hillary HoffowerMar 15, 2019, 01:11 IST
Ric Feld/AP Photo; Alex Wong/Getty; Shayanne Gal/Business Insider
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The Cathys are the family behind Chick-fil-A, a popular and highly profitable fast-food chain.
Dan and Bubba Cathy, the company's CEO and executive VP, have a collective reported $11 billion fortune, making them America's 15th-richest family "dynasty," according to a recent report.
In 2018, Chick-fil-A generated more than $10 billion in revenue.
When it comes to the Cathy family's reported $11 billion fortune, it's all about the fried chicken. That's because the Cathys are the family behind the Chick-fil-A empire.
S. Truett Cathy officially founded the popular fast food chain in the 1960s, laying the roots for what is today America's 15th-richest family wealth "dynasty," according to the left-leaning Institute for Policy Studies' "Billionaire Bonanza" report.
Since then, the family-owned business has remained in the hands of second and third generation family members. Truett's sons, Dan and Don "Bubba" Cathy, currently run the company as CEO and executive vice president, respectively - they each have a reported net worth of $5.5 billion, according to the Forbes 400.
Born and raised in the south, the Cathy family has been dedicated to continuing Truett's legacy, growing Chick-fil-A across the US. Chick-fil-A has been celebrated for its company culture, customer service, and quality food, but it's also received backlash over anti-same-sex marriage issues that align with the Cathys' Christian beliefs.
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Take a look inside the rise of Chick-fil-A and the family behind it.
In 1946, without any management or restaurant experience, S. Truett and his brother Ben opened an Atlanta diner called the Dwarf Grill, later renamed The Dwarf House.
When he passed away in 2014, he left the fast food chain to his sons, Dan and Bubba. They have a collective reported $11 billion fortune, making them America's 15th-richest family wealth "dynasty," according to a recent report.
Outside of Chick-fil-A, he's very involved in community organizations, including the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Aquarium, and Atlanta Committee for Progress. He's particularly passionate about the revitalization of Atlanta's Westside.
He also serves on multiple boards and is involved in ministries, philanthropies, and non-profits like City of Refuge, Passion City Church, and The Rock Ranch.
Like his brother, Bubba is a motorcyclist, leading groups on charity rides in the US. He's also an avid sailor, taking groups on charity yacht voyages.
Their sister, Trudy Cathy White, began working for the family business at age 19 when she became operator of a new Chick-fil-A restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama. Today, she's an ambassador.
It could be said that she got the writing gene from her father, who published five books about business, motivation, and parenting during his lifetime.
Truett raised his children in a "modest house," but had a car collection that included former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert's 1937 Lincoln Continental, George Glaze's Brewster 8 Town car, and a 1931 Duesenberg.
The Cathy family is known for their Southern Baptist values — Chick-fil-A is famously closed on Sundays, restaurant openings often include prayer, and employees are advised "to base your business in biblical principles."
Truett and his wife created the WinShape Foundation in the 1980s, which donates money to Christian organizations and offers residential camps, a retreat center, and a foster home.
The Whites served for 20 years with the International Mission Board; for half that time, they served as missionaries in Brazil, where they started a small church.
In 2012, Dan stirred controversy for his comments on gay marriage. In an interview with Baptist Press, he said he's "guilty as charged" when it comes to supporting what he calls the "biblical definition of the family unit."
WinShape was criticized for donating to anti-gay marriage groups — about $5 million since 2003, Forbes reported in 2012. Chick-fil-A told Business Insider that giving to all but one of these organizations — Fellowship of Christian Athletes — has stopped.
Dan has said the chain doesn't have an anti-gay agenda. "While my family and I believe in the biblical definition of marriage, we love and respect anyone who disagrees," he previously said.
Chick-fil-A may be considered controversial by some, but it also has a reputation for its commitment to customer service and employee experience: It's received a number of rankings in both categories and has been dubbed the "Best Franchise Brand."
Its giving arm, the Chick-fil-A Foundation, is focused on providing support for youth and education programs nationwide. In 2017, they funded $150,000 programs for Salvation Army, including camps for kids and the Angel Tree program in Atlanta.
In 1973, Truett initiated a scholarship program called Remarkable Futures Initiative. It has awarded $75 million to nearly 53,000 team members, Chick-fil-A told Business Insider.
In 2018, it awarded $14.65 million in scholarships to restaurant team members. This year, it plans to award $15.3 million to 6,000 team members nationwide.
Franchisees have been known to cover costs for not just a worker's education, but for support during a personal emergency. They also encourage employees to follow their dreams.
Chick-fil-A's employee culture translates to how the brand treats its customers, with a focus on quality food and a pleasant dining experience. It's taken on a healthier menu, removing all trans fats from its foods and using only antibiotic-free meats and even established an Innovation Center to develop recipes.
The Cathy family has been working together for more than 70 years and third generation members continue to carry on the tradition — 12 of Truett's grandchildren work at Chick-fil-A.
