HPU Talent Acquisition Expert Dee Ann Turner Shares Leadership Tips with Students

HIGH POINT, N.C., Oct. 7, 2026 – High Point University students learned about customer service and leadership excellence in the workplace from Dee Ann Turner, the former Chick-fil-A vice president for talent and sustainability.

Turner, who serves as HPU’s Talent Acquisition Expert in Residence as part of the Access to Innovators program, returned to campus on Sept. 29 to share secrets she learned during her 33 years as Chick-fil-A’s first female executive officer. Her presentation in Congdon Hall’s Callicutt Life Skills Theater delved into how hiring and developing the right people leads to outstanding organizational outcomes.

Turner discussed the power of culture in creating loyal teams in the workplace and exceptional customer experiences. She also drew lessons from her time at Chick-fil-A on servant leadership — in which the goal of the leader is to serve — and leading with care and purpose.

“I believe you can always lead where you are, even if you don’t have a so-called leadership position,” Turner said. “Leaders always rise to the top, wherever they are. When you’re demonstrating those skills like strong self-awareness and emotional intelligence, it always rises to the top. You have to start developing your leadership skills and being prepared so when the role becomes available, you’re ready.”

Turner said three ingredients to creating remarkable company cultures are a meaningful purpose, a challenging mission and demonstrated core values. Character, competency and chemistry were three key factors she considered when selecting talent for Chick-fil-A.

“The difference between an amazing guest experience and a poor experience is simply one team member who cares about the guest,” Turner said.

She encouraged students to consider how closely an organization matches their character and whether they fit the company’s chemistry before they decide to accept a position with that company.

During her time on campus, Turner also shared lunch with LIFT Fellows, visited with venture funding students and provided executive coaching for event and hospitality majors.

What Students Learned

Aden Speight, a freshman business administration major, was among a group of students who stayed after Turner’s presentation in Callicutt to speak with her one-on-one.

“She said it’s important how you pick your team and also how you develop your team,” said Speight, who is from Jacksonville, Florida. “The company did a lot to train their workers, who first had to care about the company and care about the customer. It’s not something that magically happens. I love, too, how she talked about character first.”

“Relationships matter no matter what industry you’re working in,” said Alexi Michaels, a freshman business administration management major from Fort Mill, South Carolina. “Chick-fil-A is a multibillion-dollar corporation, and they lose millions of dollars (by closing) every single Sunday. They make that sacrifice because they care about their employees, their values and what they built over the years. It’s something that I, as a consumer, appreciate. Another thing that I’ll take away from her is that it’s OK to be human. I spoke with her about how she dealt with burnout. She told me that at the end of the day, we are human beings who need real breaks from work and daily stress. Sleep, mental well-being and time for yourself matter.”

Turner’s message about self-awareness also resonated with AJ Parkinson, a sophomore strategic communications major.

“I think my biggest takeaway was don’t sweat the small stuff so much,” said Parkinson, who is from Greenville, South Carolina. “If you made a mistake the other day, take note of it but just keep going. Later when I’m home at night, I can think about what I did great on, what I didn’t do so great on and consider how can I invest in my success the next day and focus on doing better.”