More than 50 years after creating a boneless chicken sandwich that would one day feed millions, Truett Cathy, the small-town Georgia cook and entrepreneur who created a multi-billion-dollar restaurant chain, is calling it quits.
The long-time head and face of Chick-fil-A, who is almost as well known as the spelling-challenged bovine mascots that helped put the company on the map, is stepping aside as chairman and chief executive officer.
Cathy’s empire started with a small Hapeville diner. Along the way, he revolutionized the fast-food industry by setting a higher service level based on Biblical principles, and he re-energized a college bowl game held annually in Atlanta.
He also earned a fortune: His net worth is about $6 billion, according to a September 2013 listing of Forbes 400 Richest Americans.
