Chick-fil-A Chairman Dan Cathy encourages ministry in the marketplace at Future CEO Luncheon

Welcomed with boxes of Chick-fil-A sandwiches, nuggets, gift cards, and more, guests heard a special recorded video message from Chick-fil-A Chairman Dan Cathy welcoming them to the Liberty University Future CEO Luncheon on Wednesday.

This event, held in the Montview Student Union, Alumni Ballroom, provided Liberty students the chance to meet with highly respected business executives to build connections and hear encouragement from various industry leaders.

“Thank you (CEOs) for being a part of this event and realizing the greatest contribution we can make is to pay it forward and spend time sharing life experiences so the next generation can benefit from them,” he said.  

Referencing Matthew 5:16, Cathy highlighted the important role Christians have in spreading the Gospel and the opportunity the business sector provides to advance that mission. 

“Jesus is encouraging us that the marketplace is a tremendous place of ministry,” he said. “The excellence of what we do, the passion we have, the calling we’ve built, and the purpose we articulate gives meaning and significance to our essential message. That begins to engender a passionate following of the next generation.” 

Cathy also referenced a quote he had heard from FamilyLife cofounder Dennis Rainey, who defined children as the “messengers we send to a time we will not see.” 

“I know the most fulfilling times in my life right now are when I take time to be a mentor, when I take time to listen, encourage, and affirm,” Cathy said. “This next generation is going to have to be courageous too.” 

Following Cathy’s message, guests heard from a panel of speakers including T’Neil Walea, Director of Innovative Technology for the Federal Government at Microsoft; Greg A. Petroff (’91), Esq., Liberty alumnus and managing partner of the Princeton, New Jersey office of Reitler Kalas & Rosenblatt LLP; Mamadou Baldé (’09, ’12), Liberty alumnus and market leader and managing director for CBRE’s Pittsburgh, PA and West Virginia operations; and Evan Shock (’24), recent Liberty graduate now working as an associate account executive at Amazon Web Services. The panel was moderated by Dave Rivers, Head of Enthusiast Brand Management at the Ford Motor Company.

Petroff expressed his appreciation for Liberty University students, noting they find their confidence in Christ instead of worldly success. He encouraged those in attendance to tap into that confidence as they pursue their careers in the corporate world and beyond. 

Walea shared about her experience working in a sector heavily saturated with secular thought. Using her life as an example, she encouraged students to live out the Gospel daily on the worksite in any way possible. 

“When you are willing to trust God and let your faith shine through, there is something special about who you are and what you do,” she said. “Liberty students, the way to get seen is to let Jesus Christ shine through you. They are drawn to you but don’t know why and can’t quite put a finger on what it is that’s different about you, but we know the answer.” 

Baldé likewise spoke about living out his faith in the workplace and the importance of giving control of one’s life over to God. He also urged students to establish strong connections with employers and leverage those connections for success. 

Shock shared about his time as a Liberty student and credited the School of Business with preparing him to enter his career. He encouraged other students to also utilize the resources at Liberty to best prepare themselves to enter the business world.  

After the panel discussion, students were given time to meet with the CEOs at their respective tables to ask questions and build connections for potential jobs and internships. Cybersecurity senior Doc Harley, who serves on Liberty’s Cyber Defense team, said he appreciated the opportunity to meet with business leaders in his field of study, noting the possibility of later working for that CEO’s company. 

“(The CEO Summit) is really crucial in establishing meaningful connections beyond what you would see on LinkedIn,” he said. “It really unites the vision and purpose of Liberty as a whole. We get to hear recommendations from other people who have hired Liberty employees as to the distinct quality of Liberty graduates.” 

The event concluded with appearances by Liberty President Dondi E. Costin and the Chick-fil-A Cow. Costin organized the recording of a brief video with all those in attendance to thank Cathy for his video message.  

The Future CEO Luncheon was held in conjunction with Liberty’s fifth annual CEO Summit, held Wednesday through Friday, during which the university welcomes an extensive network of CEOs, government leaders, innovators, and influencers as well as students, faculty, and staff for a time of collaboration ad fellowship through various panel discussions and keynote events. 

Topics of discussion include cryptocurrency, U.S. hemispheric defense in the context of continuous war, advancing the Gospel through CEO work, the various problems and possibilities related to Artificial Intelligence, building the service economy, expanding international commerce, women’s leadership, and more.