In a message sent to employees this morning, Chick-fil-A announced that its founder and chairman emeritus, S. Truett Cathy, died at 1:35 a.m. Monday at the age of 93. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones.
Born March 14, 1921, in Eatonton, Ga., Cathy was four years old when his family moved to Atlanta, where he attended Boys High, now known as Grady High School. In 1946, Cathy relied on a keen business sense, a strong work ethic, and a deep Christian faith to build a tiny diner in the Atlanta suburb of Hapeville, Georgia. He developed it into Chick-fil-A, which today has the highest same-store sales and is the nation's largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain based on annual system-wide sales. It was at the original restaurant that Cathy created the sandwich that became the company's signature item.