Who is Erick McReynolds? Chick-fil-A VP of diversity and inclusion controversy explained

American fast-food chain Chick-fil-A was slammed online after reports of Erick McReynolds being the company's vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion went viral online. The brand has previously opposed same-sex marriages and made public statements about it, becoming a favorite for several conservatives.

A statement from McReynolds on the brand's official website read:

“Chick-fil-A restaurants have long been recognized as a place where people know they will be treated well. Modeling care for others starts in the restaurant, and we are committed to ensuring mutual respect, understanding and dignity everywhere we do business. These tenets are good business practice and crucial to fulfilling our Corporate Purpose."

Screenshot of Erick McReynolds' message on Chick-fil-A's website. (Image via Chick-fil-A)

The news came to light on May 30 after conservative strategist Joey Mannarino took to his Twitter handle, asking people if they should boycott Chick-fil-A for being woke and hiring a VP for DEI.

Mannarino then shared an unofficial poll asking his followers if they thought a boycott was a good idea.

Chick-fil-A has joined a list of brands that have come under fire for their efforts to include people across gender spectrums and backgrounds. Earlier, the wrath of the conservatives came to light when alcohol brand Bud Light partnered with trans actress Dylan Mulvaney.

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Erick McReynolds has been a longtime employee at Chick-fil-A

Per his LinkedIn profile, Erick McReynolds completed his education at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) and graduated with an MBA in 1998.

As for his work experience, he worked as a Sales Representative at International Paper for three years till June 2001. McReynolds then worked as a Senior Business Analyst at Sprint for five years till January 2007.

Erick McReynolds joined Chick-fil-A in February 2007 as a Business Consultant. Since then, he has been promoted to various positions like Team Captain, Director - Service Team, Executive Director (Midwest Region), and Executive Director (DEI).

In November 2021, he was finally promoted to the position of Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

His profile bio reads:

"Experienced Executive Director with a demonstrated history of working in the restaurant industry. Skilled in Consulting, Operations, Customer Satisfaction, Team Building, Public Speaking, and Management."

Erick McReynolds also spoke at the fall 2022 commencement ceremony of Clayton State University. The university located outside of Atlanta, where McReynolds serves on the Board of Trustees, also described him as the "Vice president with Chick-fil-A, Inc., leading Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DE&I)."

A message from Chick-fil-A's DEI section read:

“When we are better at together, we are better together. One of our core values at Chick-fil-A, Inc. is that we are better together. When we combine our unique backgrounds and experiences with a culture of belonging, we can discover new ways to strengthen the quality of care we deliver: to customers, to the communities we serve and to the world."

The statement continued:

"We understand that getting Better at Together means we learn better, care better, grow better and serve better. Chick-fil-A, Inc.’s commitment to being Better at Together means embedding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in everything we do."

Screenshot of Chick-fil-A's message on the DEI section on its website. (Image via Chick-fil-A)

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Twitter reactions on Chick-fil-A having a VP for DEI

After the news of Erick McReynolds being the VP of DEI for Chick-fil-A went viral, Twitterati was divided. Several users slammed the brand for being woke and asked others to boycott it just like they did Bud Light, Target, and Kohl's. Others sided with the eatery for caring about inclusivity and hailed its move.

As of this writing, Chick-fil-A has not responded to the controversy online.