
Chick-fil-A board chairman Dan Cathy reflects on Jimmy Carter’s ‘profound’ legacy
President Jimmy Carter has touched the lives of millions of people — including mine. In fact, I’ve had the great honor of knowing him for many years.
My late father, S. Truett Cathy, who founded Chick-fil-A, was a contemporary of President Carter with similarly humble Georgia roots. In the early 1970s, when the future president was Georgia’s governor, my dad would see him from time to time, often sharing chicken sandwiches.
When President Carter returned to Georgia after leaving the White House, Dad was honored to host him for a welcome home luncheon, so much so that he later marked the president’s chair with an engraved brass plate.

Years later, when I served on The Carter Center’s board of councilors, the president insisted on informality: “Just call me Jimmy.” And I can assure you that Jimmy and his dear wife Rosalynn have always been humble, hands-on leaders.
Together, the Carters have made a profound difference in the world. Through The Carter Center, they’ve advanced democracy with election monitoring and nearly eradicated guinea worm disease. With Habitat for Humanity, they’ve inspired countless others to help build decent, affordable housing.
For years, I’ve personally been inspired by the ways President Carter has lived out his Christian faith. Again and again, he has shown what it means to be the heart and hands of God on Earth, in service to the poor, the sick, the neglected and downtrodden.
Now, with the news that President Carter is at home with his family on hospice care, people everywhere are talking about his extraordinary life. I believe his story of humility, compassion, leadership and love will inspire others to action and service for generations to come, in America and around the globe.
Dan T. Cathy is chairman of Chick-fil-A, Inc., one of the nation’s largest family-owned businesses, and 2019 chair of The Carter Center’s Board of Councilors. He was previously the company’s chief executive officer, serving as CEO from 2013 until Nov. 1, 2021.
Read more on President Carter:
Jimmy Carter: From Plains to prominence
A look at Jimmy Carter's Georgia
Commentary: He is ‘Mr. Jimmy’ to me
Commentary: What Jimmy Carter taught me about being a public servant and reading a compass
Twitter @StateAffairsGA
Instagram @stateaffairsGA
Facebook @stateaffairsUS
LinkedIn @stateaffairs
Header image: Dan Cathy, chairman of the Chick-fil-A board, is pictured with former President Jimmy Carter. (Photo courtesy of Dan Cathy)
Read this story for free.
Create AccountRead this story for free
By submitting your information, you agree to the Terms of Service and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
Already a member? Login here
Georgia Sine Die 2023: A recap
If you missed all the action Wednesday – or Sine Die, the 40th and final day of Georgia’s 2023 legislative session – check out our blog below. Sine Die (“sigh-knee dye”) went by in a blur under the Gold Dome of the Statehouse as the General Assembly worked to get their lingering bills passed and …
Last day, last chance this legislative session for a host of bills: A preview
A bit of horse-trading and hostage-taking typical of the waning days of the legislative session has been happening on the homestretch to Sine Die (pronounced “sigh-knee dye”), the 40th and final day of the state’s legislative session. Here are some bills we’ll be following on Wednesday during the fast and furious work that will take …
OPINION: It’s time for Georgia to create real second chances
As submitted to State Affairs. The opinions expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of State Affairs. The copy has been edited for clarity and accuracy. I was born and raised in south Georgia, the youngest of seven kids. My mom — …
Food insecurity in Georgia is huge, and a Senate bill hopes to bring parties together to figure out how to fix it
A two-year effort to tackle food insecurity in Georgia may be coming to fruition. The General Assembly is now moving on SB 177, a bill to create a Food Security Advisory Council that would find ways to get more healthy food to economically disadvantaged people in underserved areas. It began in early 2021, when Sen. Harold …