Known as true leader in the business world, Truett Cathy was recognized for his confident leadership and his willingness to stand for Biblical truths. Not only did he create and manage an extremely successful fast-food restaurant known as Chick-fil-A, but his Godly leadership helped his employees, and even his customers to see Jesus. We honor his passing last week and remember some of our own interactions with him.

In modeling Christ in business, Truett Cathy and Chick-fil-A have significantly impacted Regent University and the people it touches in the marketplace. In 1996, when RCE Director John Mulford was dean of Regent’s Business School, he presented Truett Cathy with the school’s first Servant Leadership Award in recognition Truett’s years of Christ-like servant leadership in business.

Mulford also recalled an interaction with Truett that demonstrated his generosity and care for others. After offering Chick-fil-A’s headquarters building for a Business School recruiting event, Truett had to withdraw the offer due to security details in the building. However, he didn’t use that as an excuse. Instead, Truett insisted on paying the full cost of holding the event at one of Atlanta’s top hotels.

On a subsequent visit to Atlanta, Dr. Mulford presented Truett with a Windsor chair engraved with Truett’s name and the Regent University School of Business logo. A
few years ago, while attending a meeting at the Chick-fil-A HQs, Mulford reminisced on these times with Truett when he saw the engraved chair still in Truett’s office.

RCE continues to benefit from Truett’s legacy through its partnership with the Winshape Foundation, founded and funded by the Cathy family. Winshape, and now Lifeshape International, organize and support groups of Chick-fil-A operators to travel to RCE’s Business Development Centers where they mentor, train, and consult with BDC entrepreneurs. Truett’s legacy is worldwide, as thousands of people have been trained in genuine and compassionate servant leadership.

We wish all of his family and the Chick-fil-A family well, and we believe that the best is yet to come.

Learn more about Truett here: http://www.truettcathy.com/memory.asp