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Talk of the bay

Founder's grandkid to run St. Petersburg Chick-fil-A

By SCOTT BARANCIK
Published September 12, 2005

The operator of a forthcoming Chick-fil-A in St. Petersburg has more than a little history with the fast-food chain.

Andrew Cathy, 27, worked at the company's restaurants for years in his native Georgia. During college, he helped open its third South African location.

He's also the eldest grandchild of founder Truett Cathy.

"I, of course, grew up in the business," said the younger Cathy on Friday as he drove a U-Haul from Alpharetta, Ga., to St. Petersburg. "I felt the best thing was to get out and get a feel for what it was like to be an operator, to get hands-on experience."

Cathy didn't go immediately into the family business after college, despite family pressure to do so. Instead, he spent two years teaching business classes and coaching the football and track teams at his high school alma mater, Landmark Christian Academy. He wanted to make sure his calling wasn't teaching.

It wasn't. Chick-fil-A was. "I really realized this is where I was supposed to be," he said.

Now he's eager to climb the company ladder. His first job will be as operator of a new store due to open by February on 66th Street N, near Tyrone Square Mall. He said he'll stay there a year or two before returning to a job at headquarters in Atlanta, possibly in human resources, and then move to the operations side.

Chances are the St. Petersburg venture will end more successfully than the South African one did. Though Chick-fil-A came to the country in 1997 with plans to open 50 stores, Cathy said, Nelson Mandela's retirement and a downturn in the South African economy led the company to close all its stores there several years ago.

Though Cathy's family didn't initially agree with his decision to postpone joining Chick-fil-A, he said they changed their minds after attending a seminar at Harvard on generational issues in family businesses. Most family enterprises fail before the grandkids can collect their first paycheck. Those that allow their heirs to gather life experiences outside the business tend to survive longer.

Cathy is the first of his generation to join Chick-fil-A. He said several siblings and first cousins plan to follow.

His grandfather, 84, remains the company's chairman.

"He'll be there until he's in the ground," Cathy said.

[Last modified September 9, 2005, 20:59:02]