John P. Derham Cato ’73

Bonnie E. Cone Lifetime Achievement Award

John Cato has distinguished himself as a dedicated business leader, philanthropist and ardent supporter of UNC Charlotte. Through his words and action, he has always demonstrated his admiration for his company, his community and his university.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Belk College of Business, John joined Cato Corporation, a leading specialty retailer of value-priced fashion apparel and accessories founded in 1946 by his father and uncle. He has held a variety of positions in the company leading up to his current role as chairman, president and chief executive officer.

John feels as much at home in his stores, in the New York apparel market and in manufacturing facilities around the world as he does in his corporate office. He has conceptualized and implemented a number of strategic and tactical changes within the corporation, including upgrading the quality, fit and fashion content of merchandise, improving inventory management, adopting every-day low pricing policy and streamlining store operations.

John’s passion for education is rooted in his belief that teachers have the ability to inspire their students. In 2016, John and the Cato Corporation made a $5 million-dollar gift to establish the Cato Scholarship for Education and the Cato Award for Faculty Excellence to help prepare a new generation of teachers. The college of education was named the Cato College of Education for him and the Cato Corporation in honor of John’s commitment to North Carolina’s children and their educators.

John has also served UNC Charlotte in various capacities over the years. He is a former member of the UNC Charlotte Foundation Board, the UNC Charlotte Board of Visitors and the Belk College of Business Advisory Board. John was inducted into the UNC Charlotte Alumni Hall of Fame in 2012.