A Generational Change In Leadership At Chick-fil-A

Dan Cathy has been promoted to chair and CEO of Chick-fil-A, succeeding his father, who remains as chair emeritus. S. Truett Cathy, 92, who founded the Atlanta-based quick-service chain in 1946, will turn his attention more fully to entrepreneurial efforts, including a new restaurant concept called Truett’s Luau, which is scheduled to open in Fayetteville, Ga., next month.

Dan Cathy currently serves as president and COO; he will retain the title of president. Privately held Chick-fil-A is based in Atlanta. It has more than 1,765 restaurants in 39 states and Washington D.C. The company’s 2012 sales were $4.6 billion.

“Dan is ready to take Chick-fil-A into its next chapter of growth and stewardship,” Truett Cathy said in a statement in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.