"
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.
"
Proverbs 22:1
Our dad is founder and chairman of Chick-fil-A, Inc. He
started the business in 1946, when he and his brother, Ben, opened
an Atlanta diner known as The Dwarf Grill (later renamed The Dwarf
House). Through the years, Chick-fil-A has prospered and led him to
great success in the restaurant business.
In 1967, dad founded and opened the first Chick-fil-A
restaurant in Atlanta's Greenbriar Shopping Center. Today,
Chick-fil-A is the second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant
chain in the United States based on annual sales.
In 2010, he celebrated his 64th anniversary in the restaurant
business with industry-wide recognition: a local celebration at his
first restaurant, The Dwarf House in Hapeville, Ga, and the opening
of the third Truett's Grill location - a concept the chain first
introduced in 1996 to recognize his then-50th anniversary in the
restaurant industry.
Today, there are more than 1,500 Chick-fil-A restaurants in 38
states and Washington, D.C. Remarkably, dad has led Chick-fil-A on
an unparalleled record of 43 consecutive years of annual sales
increases. Our dad's approach is largely driven by personal
satisfaction and a sense of obligation to the community and its
young people.
The 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 $25 million in $1,000
scholarships to Chick-fil-A restaurant employees since 1973.
As part of the WinShape Homes program, eight foster care homes
have been started in Georgia, two in Tennessee and one each in
Alabama and Brazil that are operated by 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. Our parents founded the camps program 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 and abroad attend WinShape Camps every
year.
In 2003, Truett helped Bubba and his wife, 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 WinShape Camp for Girls.
Dad has built his life and business based on hard work, humility
and biblical principles. Based on these principles, all of
Chick-fil-A's restaurants operate with a "Closed-on-Sunday" policy,
without exception.
Dad has received countless awards over the years, including William
E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership (2008); Paul M. Kuck
Legacy Award (2008); President's Call to Service Award (2008); 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). Dad's new book,
Wealth, Is It Worth It? will be released Spring,
2011.
In addition to presiding over one of the most successful restaurant
chains in America, dad is also a dedicated husband, father and
grandfather.