Posts Tagged ‘Sandy Springs’
Sandy Springs/Perimeter Chamber of Commerce Luncheon with Chick-fil-A’s Dan Cathy
As CEO of one of the nation’s largest family owned businesses, Chick-fil-A’s Dan Cathy represents the next generation of leadership for the Atlanta-based fast-food chicken restaurant chain founded by his father, S. Truett Cathy. Eager to incorporate his own skills and talents into the business, Dan has taken an unconventional, yet personally and professionally rewarding approach to Chick-fil-A leadership.
Dan was named Chairman, President and CEO, by his father in 2013. Since 2001, Dan has served as the president and chief operating officer of the 1,900-plus unit chain, but he also has personally challenged himself with upholding Chick-fil-A’s efforts to provide genuine, heartfelt hospitality, and ensuring that customers chain wide have an exceptional dining experience when visiting a Chick-fil-A restaurant. In his quest to provide customers with “second-mile” service (exceeding even the highest expectations of a typical fast-food restaurant), Dan has defined a special role for himself – humbly saying, “I work in customer service.”
Rather than leading from his corporate office in Atlanta, Dan chooses to spend the majority of his time traveling to the chain’s growing family of restaurants and interacting with Chick-fil-A’s committed team of restaurant Operators and team members. His actions stem from a belief that working in the field provides a clearer understanding of the ever evolving wants and needs of Chick-fil-A customers, and leading from the front line also enables him to personally convey his servant spirit to the chain’s 70,000-plus employees.
In yet another example of how he keeps in tune with customers and employees, Dan attended numerous restaurant openings last year, spending the night in restaurant parking lots along with hundreds of customers who were vying for a chance to win free Chick-fil-A food for a year as part of a special customer-focused promotion the chain conducts in conjunction with new restaurant openings. Reflecting on these experiences, Dan notes, “I’m having the most fun I have ever had at Chick-fil-A.”
Several major marketplace awards have affirmed the commitment and performance of Chick-fil-A Operators and team members. Chick-fil-A was recognized in 2015 with the “Consumer’s Choice Award” for pleasant and friendly service by Technomic’s survey of 85,000 consumers and leader of the fast food industry in Temkin’s 2015 Customer Experience Survey. In the 2014 Glassdoor Employee’s Choice Awards, Chick-fil-A ranked among the top 50 Best Places to Work in the nation. Forbes also ranked Chick-fil-A as the 4th most inspiring company in the country following a survey of more than 2,000 consumers evaluating 25 companies.
Dan’s career at Chick-fil-A began at age 9 as he sang songs for customers and did radio commercials for the chain’s original “Dwarf House” restaurant in Hapeville, Ga.
And in his “spare” time, Dan earned his Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license and has completed numerous marathons in Atlanta, Orlando, Los Angeles, Boston and New York. Additionally, Dan is a passionate trumpet player, gardener and an avid motorcyclist.
A native of Jonesboro, Ga., Dan has been married to the former Rhonda Palmer (whom he met while in the 1st grade at age 6) for more than 40 years. He has two sons, Andrew, Vice President of People at Chick-fil-A and Ross, Owner/Operator of the Midland, Ga., Chick-fil-A restaurant, as well as two grandchildren.
Chick-fil-A lemonade and tea are the perfect way to great guests on a hot Georgia day.
A podium is not his style … Dan Cathy loves mingling as he speaks.
Cathy’s sage advice on success, “Think differently, take risks, have faith, think cool, share ownership and make a total commitment.”
Remember to Vote for Sandy Springs City Council Seat for District 3
Sandy Springs City Council District 3 Candidates: Chris Burnett, Brian Eufinger, Joe Houseman, Suzi Voyles and Larry Young.
Candidates Seeking the Sandy Springs City Council Seat for District 3 include:
- Chris Burnett
- Brian Eufinger
- Joe Houseman
- Suzi Voyles
- Larry Young
Advance voting runs thru May 20. The special election will be held on the 24th day of May, 2016.
Fragile: Beautiful Gifts at Great Prices
If you appreciate exceptional personal service and beautiful gifts of quality and taste, Fragile is the place for you. From Michael Aram to Zodax, and everything in between, the vast selection of china, crystal and unique gifts make shopping fun, easy and hassle-free. Fragile is located in Sandy Springs and is known for discounted prices on high-end items.
Thank you, Helen, for going above and beyond to help me yesterday!
Fragile has convenient hours including Sunday shopping by appointment.
The cheery and spacious interior makes shopping a pleasure.
Fragile is located at 6235-B Roswell Rd., Atlanta, GA 30328, or visit them on the web at www.fragilegifts.com.
Goodbye to the beloved founding mother of Sandy Springs
Photo courtesy of Hyosub Shin/AJC
Galambos lived in Sandy Springs for almost five decades and was the driving force behind the city’s incorporation. Galambos, the “founding mother” of Sandy Springs who led the 2005 push for cityhood and served as the new city’s first mayor, died April 19, 2015. Galambos, 87, had cancer.
Sandy Springs’ current mayor, Rusty Paul, said in a prepared statement, “This is a great loss for the city and a great loss personally. Eva was truly our city mother. Her efforts led to the city’s creation. She cared and nurtured the city, and the strength of our community is due greatly to her unwavering love and devotion to creating something better for us all.”
In her 2011 memoir, A Dream Come True: My Very Good Life, Eva Galambos chronicles what she called a very rich life. Her family escaped the Nazis in the 1930’s, moving with her family first to Italy, and later to Athens, Georgia where she attended high school and college. Galambos earned a Masters’ degree in Labor and Industrial Relations in the early 1950s. Early on, Galambos showed that she was a trailblazer. She was admitted into the first class at Georgia State University to grant Ph.D. degrees to women, earning her Ph.D. in Economics in 1969.
Galambos was an early champion for the public-private partnership model of local government. Rather than employ hundreds of city employees, the city utilizes a public-private partnership, which has resulted in the one of the lowest per capita ratio of municipal employees in the State.
During her tenure, the city operated with no long-term debt, and was able to vastly improve the city’s infrastructure and quality of life of its residents. Among the improvements during the city’s first eight years: more than 147 miles of road paved, 32 miles of fiber installed and activated, 129 traffic signal brought under a unified control system, 30 miles of sidewalk installed, more than 750 stormwater repairs implemented, more than $180 million in funded Capital Projects, and more than $18 million invested in recreation facilities, including the creation of several new parks for Sandy Springs.
Galambos was also responsible for moving the exhibit honoring the brief life of Anne Frank to Sandy Springs. The move was the third in six years for the program, owned by the Anne Frank House in the Netherlands and run by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust. This exhibit is the first tourist attraction in Sandy Springs. “I personally am very committed to the idea of keeping alive the history of the Holocaust so it can never happen again and keeping this tremendous attraction in our community,” said Mayor Eva Galambos, whose husband, John, is a Holocaust survivor.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks consideration of a donation to the Anne Frank in the World Exhibit or to a charity of one’s choice.
To read more about Eva Galambos, visit the following links:
Atlanta Journal Constitution: www.myajc.com/gallery/news/local/through-years-eva-galambos/gCBWb/
CBS Atlanta: atlanta.cbslocal.com/2015/04/21/flags-fly-at-half-staff-final-respectspaid-to-eva-galambos/
Reporter Newspapers: www.reporternewspapers.net/2015/04/19/sandy-springs-mourns-loss-of-founding-mayor-eva-galambos/
Atlanta Business Chronical: www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2015/04/first-mayor-of-sandy-springs-eva-galambos-dead-at.html?page=all
Atlanta Jewish Times: atlantajewishtimes.com/2015/04/eva-galambos-jewish-mother-to-an-entire-city/
Neighbor Newspapers: www.neighbornewspapers.com/view/full_story/26588867/article-UPDATED–Eva-Galambos–Sandy-Springs–1st-mayor–dies-at-87
