Meet Restaurant Operator
Jerry Cotney
The Operator, Jerry Cotney, grew up in a small town with a sense of community like Cahaba Heights. After graduating in business from Birmingham-Southern, he served at a local bank's corporate headquarters until what he calls his quarter life crisis. "I found myself staring out of the window some afternoons wondering what was missing. I had everything my American Dream said I needed to be happy, but I felt empty inside."
That sense of emptiness started to change with an unexpected invitation to partner with United Way's loaned executive program at which time he met a program director at the ARC of Jefferson Co. that was truly making a difference. To the surprise of friends and family, he ended the corporate career in search for more purposeful work. During that time, he struggled with clarity of purpose and meaning. This led to a season of seeking and questions ultimately answered by the Truth, Jesus.
Soon after, meaningful work became a reality when he was invited to help launch a non-profit start-up. The company was named Soles4Souls and continues to impact the world. The purposeful work of Chick-fil-A eventually caught his attention and served in various capacities in the restaurant for several years before being selected as the Operator at Brookwood Village Mall in 2016 and Cahaba Heights in 2021. This journey is a dream come true and we hope you enjoy your time with us!