Since 2001, Dan T. Cathy has served as president and chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A, Inc., the second largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the United States.

Cathy grew up alongside Chick-fil-A, founded by his father, Truett Cathy, who is credited with inventing the boneless chicken breast sandwich. When Dan was just nine years old, he was already working as a company salesman, singing songs for customers and commercials for his dad’s Dwarf House ® Restaurant in Hapeville, Ga. When, Chick-fil-A officially opened in the 1960s, it was among the pioneering restaurants to open in shopping malls.

Today, Chick-fil-A operates more than 1,340 locations in 37 states and Washington, D.C., and boasts annual sales of more than $2 billion. It is still family owned and operated.

Rather than lead from his corporate office in Atlanta, Dan Cathy chooses to spend the majority of his time traveling to the chain’s growing family of restaurants. Last year, he attended numerous grand openings, spending the night in parking lots communing with hundreds of customers vying for a chance to win free Chick-fil-A food for a year. He believes his travels provide a clear understanding of Chick-fil-A customers and help to convey his own servant spirit to restaurant operators.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgia Southern University, Dan returned to Chick-fil-A to become director of operations and opened more than 50 new restaurants. He served as senior director of operations, vice president of operations and executive vice president prior to being named president and chief operating officer.

Dan and his brother, Donald M. “Bubba” Cathy, who serves as senior vice president of Chick-fil-A, were both high school state champions for the Woodward Academy in Georgia. Dan won the state title at 119 pounds in 1971 and had a 40-4 record his last two years. He later wrestled for Furman University.

Among numerous other civic causes that he supports, Dan continues to help the sport of wrestling. For 20 years, Chick-fil-A and the Cathy family sponsored the Georgia state wrestling awards banquet. He was honored by the Georgia State Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003.