Influencers
So many people have influenced me in my life and career. Following are just a few:
Dianne and our kids. Dianne has been an amazing life partner, counselor, and mother. She was fully engaged in my career, and still is. Our children always supported my work and must have enjoyed what they saw—they both have marketing careers. Joy and Josh have become passionate followers of Christ and are terrific parents with their mates Dan Roark and Susan Breeding Robinson, respectively. We are having a ball watching our four grandchildren bloom and mature: Kyla, Meira, Amos, and Price.
John B. Robinson, my father, was a man who coached me about everything. He took nothing for granted. As a small-business man, he lived out the challenges and rewards of running a business while serving others with integrity. And my mom, Martha Robinson, was always an encourager and champion for me.
Truett Cathy was second only to my dad and maybe the most influential man in my life. The story in this book speaks for itself—God used Truett to impact me immensely.
Jerry Batts, Auburn fraternity brother who introduced me to Dianne, and still a great friend today. Without Jerry, I may never have met the most important person and friend in my life.
George Horton, dean at Auburn University’s College of Business in 1972. George’s encouragement and counsel to me was life changing.
Vernon Fryberger, dean at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism and Advertising. Dr. Fryberger’s willingness to bend the rules to accept my late entry into the graduate program at Medill was an act of grace that transformed my marketing perspectives and career opportunities.
Frank Walters, my supervisor at Texas Instruments, was patient with me and gave me enough rope to experiment and learn, particularly in the world of direct-response marketing.
Dan Howells at Six Flags Over Texas gave me a shot at the Seven Seas assignment and patiently tutored me. His brother, Bob Howells, was a Northwestern classmate and friend. I became a part of the Six Flags organization for seven years because of Dan.
George Delanoy, vice president of marketing for Six Flags, Inc., was a strong mentor on strategic planning and brand.
Jim Pemberton, sales and promotions manager at Six Flags Over Texas, was a great tutor and a wonderful friend and marketing partner.
Spurgeon Richardson, director of marketing and later general manager at Six Flags Over Georgia, was a great mentor and friend. Spurge gave me a shot when I was just twenty-seven to be part of his marketing leadership team, and later, to serve as marketing director for the park.
Jimmy Collins, my direct supervisor at Chick-fil-A until his retirement in 2001. Jimmy and Truett were two of the finest men and leaders I have ever met and worked with. They shaped and led the cultural underpinnings (which I have unpacked) that equipped and empowered me to have the thirty-four-year run I had with Chick-fil-A.
Dr. Ken Bernhardt, Regents Professor of Marketing Emeritus, Georgia State University, one of my best friends in the Atlanta business community and an amazing mentor on research and customer listening.
David Salyers, my first marketing professional hire at Chick-fil-A, was always part of my department leadership team in multiple roles. David is a tremendous developer of talent and teamwork and a trustworthy friend.
Sandy Causey, my executive assistant for virtually my entire Chick-fil-A career, served others constantly, usually without request. Nobody understood and lived the Chick-fil-A culture of love, respect, trust, and grace better than Sandy. She anticipated needs and sought to fulfill them. An encourager, she brought a spirit of gentleness, affirmation, and hospitality with her every day. She loved others, beginning with her husband, Bo, and their family, and expressed that love with simple acts of kindness. And using her gift of hospitality, she organized major Chick-fil-A events around the bowl and kickoff games. She found ways to make large events feel more personal, so that even as Chick-fil-A grew larger, it continued to feel like a small, family company. She got the details right so I didn’t have to worry about them.
Don Perry was the first public relations officer I hired at Chick-fil-A and was a great friend to both Truett Cathy and me. Don led the search and selection of Chick-fil-A’s first public relations firm, Cohn & Wolfe. He graduated to glory in the summer of 2012.
Bob Cohn, principal in Cohn & Wolfe, the first public relations firm Don Perry and I hired for Chick-fil-A. Bob brought proactive energy to media outreach and grand openings. He helped us in early grand openings on the ground activation and events. Bob is still a great friend today. In 2018 C&W merged with Burson-Marsteller to create one of the world’s largest communications companies.
Glen Jackson and his team and Jackson Spalding also played a major role on our media relations and nonpaid communications. They contributed greatly to supporting Truett as the primary spokesman for the brand, product rollouts, grand openings, crisis management, and CFA-sponsored partnerships.
Dr. Bill Baran (“Biscuit Bill”) was the first food research and development officer for Chick-fil-A.
Woody Faulk played a crucial role in our department, serving on our marketing leadership team while holding multiple roles of leadership around menu development, store design, hospitality innovation, and the evolution of our innovation process. Woody also blessed our family in a unique way: he was one of the founders and board president for the creation and operation of Heritage Prep School, which has been foundational in the education of Josh’s three children.
David Farmer was a key member of our marketing leadership team and driver of perfecting the innovation process, first around food and then the entire business. David led the effort to design, build, and staff Hatch and the Kitchen innovation centers. I knew David for several years before I joined Chick-fil-A; I’ve watched him mature into a tremendous leader.
Jack Sentell and Barry White were pioneers of field marketing and Chick-fil-A’s licensing concept. They were important members of my leadership team, men whose counsel I trusted and always valued.
Carrie Kurlander was Don Perry’s successor and has been part of the marketing leadership team since late 2012. Carrie is a true professional with a great background in politics and at Southern Company.
Stan Richards, founder and CEO of the Richards Group. Great friend and immeasurable contributor to the CFA brand and my life for twenty years.
Brad Todd at the Richards Group. Principal who helped land CFA at TRG. Great brand management perspective from Frito-Lay. A trusted counselor and friend.
Jon Bridges was part of the marketing leadership team for my last six years at Chick-fil-A, and before that he was chief information officer for the company. He brought a customer-facing digital focus to our leadership team. Jon succeeded me as chief marketing officer. Formerly with Accenture, Jon is both strategic and analytical.
Pastors Bill Sutton, Clark Hutchinson, Mark Henry, Crawford Loritts, and Gary Hewins. Amazing men of the Word and counsel. Every one of them have spoken biblical truth that shaped and changed my life, marriage, and family. I’m blessed to count them all as friends.
Dennis Rainey, founder and just-retired CEO of FamilyLife, subsidiary of Cru. One of the finest leaders I have ever known. He could have been a leader anywhere, but the Lord called him and Barbara to a life of equipping marriages and families. Honored to serve on his board for more than twenty years.
The Coombes family in Christchurch, New Zealand, who took me in as an exchange student and helped me see the world from a new perspective.
Gary Stokan, president of Peach Bowl, Inc., joined us on an amazing nineteen-year journey of growth and innovation that led to multiple Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl affiliations: the bowl, the kickoff game, the Challenge golf tournament, the Hall of Fame initiative, and Chick-fil-A’s role as a College Playoff sponsor. Along the way, we developed dozens of meaningful friendships with his staff, conference commissioners, athletic directors, and coaches, including Peach Bowl staff members David Epps, Derek Martin, Matt Garvey, Anton Dawson, Chris Hughes, Dan West, Benji Hollis, and their administrator Patty Young (who really ran things).
Zac Grant and Charlie and Chris Busbee were tremendous ambassadors for us to build the relationships and support for Chick-fil-A sponsored events, principally the LPGA golf tournament and CFA Peach Bowl Golf Challenge. Their twenty-plus year dedication to this crucial role helped to generate millions in charity donations.
Rob Temple, Burke Magnus, and John Skipper at ESPN . . . without their help and internal support for Chick-fil-A, we would never have become a College Football Playoff partner and sponsor. They are great friends.
Roman Korab, my friend and partner who helped craft our relationship with CBS.
Steve Hatchell, Archie Manning, and Murry Bowden with the National Football Foundation. Without their help and support, the College Football Hall of Fame would never have been moved and opened in Atlanta, not to mention Chick-fil-A’s role in it.
Chette Williams, FCA chaplain for Auburn football, was our first personal and financial engagement with FCA. That relationship led to Atlanta and national engagement with FCA, and my son-in-law being part of the Atlanta field team.
Shane Williamson, area director for the Atlanta FCA region when we became engaged with FCA. He is now international CEO for FCA. He remains a great friend and counselor.
Executive committee team members. For thirty-five years, these folks were sharpening iron in not only the business, but in my life. Truett, Dan and Bubba Cathy, Buck McCabe, Jimmy Collins, Perry Ragsdale, Bureon Ledbetter, and Tim Tassapoulos.
My entire marketing team at Chick-fil-A. I have never met a more dedicated, quality group of people in my life. I always trusted them to rise to any challenge and do it with integrity and class.
Chick-fil-A Operators are amazing entrepreneurs who are sold out to continuous improvement, personal quality performance, and influence consistent with Chick-fil-A’s purpose. I was motivated to serve them well because I knew they would always do what was best for customers and the reputation of Chick-fil-A.
