[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 13, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ON THE BIRTHDAY OF A GREAT AMERICAN, TRUETT CATHY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2001, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins) is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COLLINS. Mr. Speaker, on March 14 we will celebrate the 80th 
birthday of a great American, Mr. Truett Cathy, founder and chairman of 
the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain.
  In his book, It is Easier to Succeed Than to Fail, Mr. Cathy says and 
I quote, ``The longest journey begins with the first step. Ahead of 
each person is a pilgrimage to success, a journey characterized by 
challenge and adventure. So here's to the winners, for they give each 
task their effort and find in the end it's easier to succeed than 
fail.''
  Mr. Cathy has lived out his own words. He started his business in 
1946 when he and his brother, Ben, opened an Atlanta diner known as the 
Dwarf Grill, later renamed the Dwarf House. That restaurant prospered 
over the years.
  In 1967, Mr. Cathy founded and opened the first Chick-fil-A 
restaurant in Atlanta's Greenbriar Shopping Center. Today Chick-fil-A 
is the third largest quick-service chicken restaurant company in sales 
in the United States. Today there are more than 963 restaurants in 34 
States and South Africa.
  Remarkably, Mr. Cathy has led Chick-fil-A on an unparalleled record 
of 33 consecutive years of sales increases. Most recently, in 1996, he 
has led the company into international expansion into South Africa.
  Mr. Cathy's approach is largely driven by personal satisfaction and 
his sense of obligation to the community and its young people. His 
WinShape Centre Foundation, founded in 1984, grew from his desire to 
shape winners by helping young people succeed in life through 
scholarships and other youth programs.
  The foundation annually awards 20 to 30 students wishing to attend 
Berry College with $24,000 scholarships that are jointly funded by the 
Rome, Georgia, institution. In addition, through its Leadership 
Scholarship Program the Chick-fil-A chain has given over $15.6 million 
in $1,000 scholarships to Chick-fil-A restaurant employees since 1973.
  As part of his WinShape Homes Program, there is a long-term care 
program for foster children. Eleven foster-care homes have been started 
in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and Brazil that are operated by Mr. 
Cathy and 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.
  To add benefits to his WinShape Homes program, Mr. Cathy committed to 
Chick-fil-A's first major sports sponsorship, the Chick-fil-A Charity 
Championship, hosted by Nancy Lopez. In 1995, the LPGA-sanctioned 
tournament at Eagles Landing Country Club in Stockbridge, Georgia, 
raised $170,000 for WinShape homes. Having completed its 6th year, the 
Chick-fil-A championship hosted by Nancy Lopez has contributed more 
than $2.1 million to WinShape homes.
  In 1996, Chick-fil-A became the title sponsor of the Chick-fil-A 
Peach Bowl, the annual college football match-up between the top teams 
for the Atlantic Coast Conference team and the Southeastern Conference. 
As with the LPGA tournament, a portion of the proceeds from the Chick-
fil-A Peach Bowl is donated to WinShape. To date, the Chick-fil-A Peach 
Bowl has raised more than $400,000 for the WinShape cause.
  The third core component distinguishing WinShape programs is Camp 
WinShape. It was founded in 1985 as a series of 2-week summer camps at 
Berry College to help boys and girls build self-esteem through physical 
and spiritual activities. More than 1,500 campers from 20 States attend 
WinShape sessions annually.
  Mr. Cathy is a devoutly religious man who built his life and business 
on hard work, humanity, and Biblical principles. Based on these 
principles, Mr. Speaker, all of Chick-fil-A restaurants, both 
domestically and internationally, operate with a closed-on-Sunday 
policy without exception.
  When not managing his company, Mr. Cathy performs community service 
and teaches a Sunday school class of 13-year-old boys, as he has done 
for the past 45 years.
  In addition to presiding over one of the fastest-growing restaurant 
chains in America, Mr. Cathy is a dedicated husband, father, and 
grandfather. His two sons, Dan and Don, known as Bubba, have both 
followed their father's footsteps in learning the business from the 
ground up.
  Dan is executive vice president of Chick-fil-A and president of 
Chick-fil-A International, and Bubba is senior vice president and 
president of Chick-fil-A Dwarf House Division.
  Mr. Cathy's daughter, Trudy, is the youngest of three children. She 
and her husband, John, have returned to the United States from Brazil, 
where they served as missionaries. Mr. Cathy and his wife, Jeannette, 
have 12 grandchildren.
  Thank you, Mr. Truett Cathy, for all you have done for our country, 
our community, and for your fellow man. Happy birthday, Mr. Truett 
Cathy.

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