How? /SM 0.02 What Does Hamline Not Understand About Academic Freedom? I've had conversations with a number of senators who made it very clear that some of their best friends, both politically and otherwise, are on the other side of the aisle. And somebody knocked on the door. I am, in a certain sense. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. Blank also owns Atlantas Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a sports and entertainment facility valued at $1.5 billion that hosted the 2019 Super Bowl. If you go to a Home Depot shareholders meeting, they start out every single meeting for 42 years now with this value wheel that we developed. He notes pervasive cynicism about corporate leaders and perceptions that the drive for profit comes at the expense of public good. There's no place for looting and stealing and whatever else. This must happen more than every four years, because theres no offseason for democracy. ATLANTA Protests over the death of George Floyd have been gaining national attention. meathead) culture inside the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins. And the Falcons new stadiumscheduled to open this summerwith an estimated cost of $1.5 billion, $200 million coming from Atlanta hotel-motel taxesis definitely big and shinny with tons of gadgets to enhance the fan experience. But this is where the similarities with most other stadiums end. Arthur Blank, owner of Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, co-founder of Home Depot . And now their story is a page-turning novel. But we both said, you know, if we ever had to compete with Handy Dan that was the most successful conventional chain of home improvement center stores in the country at that time it would be with a large, no frills, downmarket store. Were usually very happy to talk, very happy to share our opinions and what have you I have enough humility to understand that the people were serving know better. Blank writes about being teased for having a stutter. But, you know, I needed to change my view on what I could give back and how it could be connected to other people.. She was a woman of great principle, great personal authority. A protest has purpose. Home Depot co-founders pictured in 1979, a year after the first store opened. . But I know where his heart is and his heart is really in a good place. I'll flip words around, you know, subconsciously and, and make sentences complete. Is the Jensen-Birk Campaign Minnesotas WOAT? "His approach obviously is different. Think about How do I listen to the people that are actually trying to serve and how do we put results in place that would give them the very best chance for equality and for success and for fair treatment? And I think we have to strive more for that. They all live life with purpose. And how do I put my shoulder to the wheel and lead by example and take the blessings of all the resources that our family. Team owner Arthur Blank, who has high expectations for the franchise, sat down with FOX 5 Atlanta one-on-one to talk football, philanthropy, and Kanye West. "I know what he cares about and he cares about a lot of the same things that I care about.". I think when the president [Donald Trump] in the fall of 2017 commented during his speech in Alabama about I don't want to use the words, you know what they were but he termed the players that were kneeling, in my view, in a very derogatory way. Big Game by New York Times Magazine writer Mark Leibovich, BLM Has Achieved Much More Than Its Critics. Where did your parents come from with your grandparents? We all came from someplace else, other than the other Native Americans. You know, he uses the phrase community of chaos, that we move away from chaos and towards community and community in a very broad sense, community with each other. Soccer fans don't want to feel like they go into a stadium and they're a second-class citizen citizen. Theres at least one more level to the Jon Gruden disaster that NFL fans should consider about the leagues remarkable influence. But, you know, I think the word civility is terribly important today in the political world in which we just don't see it the way we need to see it. I stayed in touch with him to some degree when he was in prison. [Thats] something that I talk about in the book, which most people are not aware of. One of the beauties is that when you come to the stadium, it feels like it's the United Nations. !, Do not fall for this foolishness!!! The organization works directly with election officials to maintain accurate and complete voter lists and to secure their election technology infrastructure. The perceived linebetween politics and sports further blurred when Major League Baseball's union chief said players are ready to discuss moving the 2021 MLB All-Star Game out of Truist Park. In a statement released on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium Twitter account, attributed to Blank, he said Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation leadership conveyed his sentiment directly to state officials in recent weeks. The views expressed here are the authors' alone, not necessarily the views of their clients, employers or families. /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB But its the NFL itself that should be held to greater account and responsibility than it ever is. But it's really not a story about dogfighting. The guest. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. That should never be tolerated. Arthur Blank is an American entrepreneur and a co-owner of the home improvement retail giant The Home Depot. Philanthropist Arthur Blank has thrown his support behind a new voter education initiative aimed at young people. So everything is designed to accommodate the soccer fans so they feel like this is their place as a result of that. 6 Blank was the 2003 Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. It's an inverted pyramid that speaks to our whole orientation and all of our businesses today. Liz Cheney Aint Going Nowhere in This Republican Party, Jensens Abortion Ban Promises Come Back to Haunt Him, Thanks to Oppo. Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. Now it's ranked like seventh. "This notion of divisiveness has become, in my humble opinion, maybe, post-Civil War, probably one of the most stressful times I've ever seen in our country," he said. The family foundation has already invested over $20 million into the surrounding community. A number of events over the last couple of weeks have reminded us again that the long, worthy quest for equal justice, civility and unity in America is far from over. This can create a steady stream of jobs and revenue for the community. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. All those 25,000 tickets were gone. After stepping down as CEO of Home Depot in the early 2000s, Blank's interests centered on a variety of Atlanta-based sports franchises and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, a private foundation that has awarded over $560 million. Tikkun Olam [a Jewish concept of repairing the world through action]. I would suggest, for anybody in business, that you listen to who you're serving. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Arthur%2BBlank&contributor_employer=The%2BArthur&two_year_transaction_period=2016&contributor_state=GA, https://www.ajc.com/news/local/molly-blank-strong-widow-grew-successful-business-sons/JMYrzmcGsGc4nXD58rqltJ/, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197614, https://corporate.homedepot.com/sites/default/themes/thd/images/timeline/History-Of-The-Home-Depot.pdf, https://www.forbes.com/profile/arthur-blank/?sh=ae7b330749c3, https://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/front-office-roster/arthur-blank, https://blankfoundation.org/trustee/arthur-m-blank/, https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/statement-from-arthur-blank-on-georgia-voting-rights, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/04/11/companies-voting-bills-states/, https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/arthur-blank-wife-angela-are-getting-a-divorce/897352464/, https://saportareport.com/a-longtime-anonymous-donor-reveals-her-identity/sections/abcarticles/maria_saporta/, https://blankfoundation.org/trustee/dena-kimball/, https://blankfoundation.org/trustee/kenny-blank/. The league has recently been running in-game PSAs pushing cancer and mental health awareness screenings, etc. follow. The firing in 1978 was a political situation primarily between my partner Bernie [Marcus] and a gentleman, that has passed away now, who was his boss. My suspicion is that while Dungy and Tirico and dozens if not hundreds of other NFL leaders may have been surprised by Grudens racist imagery, they arent as unfamiliar with his other boys club stupidity. But you want your core values to be the same, ideally. The Falcons leadership knows how to play politics. >> During the 2020 elections, Blank contributed $300,000 to Biden Victory Fund, $35,000 to the Democratic National Convention, and tens of thousands of dollars to state Democratic Party committees. And they love the camaraderie. Bernie has great values and Bernie cares deeply not only about our faith, but about giving back. It's a beautiful thing. Then I would not be bashful about asking questions. << After cofounding Home Depot in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1978, Blank and Marcus helped put the do-it-yourself phenomenon on the map by offering the tools for personal home renovations. We don't have any fans in our building, and this is what we plan on doing: We're going to, you know, promote season tickets for 100 bucks or $10 a ticket. And I remember waiting for, you know, probably two minutes. But I would keep raising my hand. When I left [Home Depot] in 2001, [it] was the second largest retailer in the world, second only to Wal-Mart. He shares how he and Bernie Marcus were brusquely fired from executive positions at Handy Dan Home Improvement Stores the humiliating inflection point that led the pair to create The Home Depot. How best to put it? The Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. And my mother was giving him a lecture saying, You realize this is not what your parents would want you to do. GPBs Virginia Prescott asked Blank about some of those stories in a conversationpresented in collaboration with Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlantas Book Festival in Your Living Room, the National JCC Literary Consortium and the Atlanta History Center. In 1989, the company opened its 100th store. Kimball previously served as the vice president of network support at Teach for All. Well, I shouldn't say I'm not. Blank is a dedicated Democratic supporter, having donated thousands to Hillary Clinton's campaign, the Bullock Victory Fund, which backs the party's 2020 candidate for Montana senator, Gov. The Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR) mission is to ensure elections are secure, voters have confidence in election outcomes and democracy thrives as civic engagement grows. Minnesota Legislature, What Are You Chewing? $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? 12, Blank has been married three times. About Arthur Blank Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus cofounded Home Depot in 1978 after being fired from their jobs at a regional hardware store. The Blank foundation also emphasizes environmental sustainability and aims to support programs that foster this message in the Westside. After stepping down as CEO of Home Depot in the early 2000s, Blanks interests centered on a variety of Atlanta-based sports franchises and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, a private foundation that has awarded over $560 million. And the core values that our forefathers drafted for us they weren't perfect, either, but in their own ways, they strove for those things. Yet the team continues to unite Atlantans during the ups and downs. So thats Gruden. That coming the day before the New York Times dropped the bomb(s) about Gruden calling the NFL commissioner a faggot, ripping the leagues concussion protocols, (in other words, Grudens pro-concussion) and trading nudie pictures of cheerleaders. Expand. The book lays out a set of values that guided him to turn around the struggling Atlanta Falcons NFL team, launch the Atlanta United FC soccer club and build the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Home Depot cofounders Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus have long been on separate sides of the fence when it comes to politics. Young you are. But go ahead and do it, if that's what you want. So we did it. The couple filed for divorce in 2013. The stadium boasts roughly 4,000 solar panels and will use 70 percent less energy. The Braves leaving town also represented an end to the multicultural hub in the heart of the city that was forged by those Olympics. Organizations also called to move The Masters, which begins April 8. Two Gruden compadres, ex-Gophers star and former NFL coach Tony Dungy and his ESPN partner Mike Tirico, both black, are in a bad spot for defending Gruden about his michellin [sic] tires description of another black guys lips. Players and coaches appear giving quick testimonials. Arthur Blank is getting more involved in the political process. The next thing is making sure you exercise your political bully power and going to local elections and beating up the politicians you dont like., It is time to beat up prosecutors you dont like at the voting booth. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. 1 2 . Scott Jensens Dramatic Fall Shows Ads Still Matter. Scott Jensens Unanswered $15,000,000,000 Question. In 1978, they co-founded the home-improvement retailer The Home Depot, with the help of merchandising expert Pat Farrah and New York investment banker Ken Langone who assembled a group of investors. And we've had a very successful team for the first threeand-a-half years this year. Seventy percent of the players in the NFL are African American a disproportionate number. Full statement from Arthur Blank: https://t.co/1lU870TGWa pic.twitter.com/0qejiahKKY, Please, please stop this violence!! So it was good. But Blank regularly speaks on business school campuses, where future leaders and executives tell him they are anxious about the environment, the wealth gap, racial and gender inequities, and a litany of examples of corporate malfeasance. It's our job is to serve the American people and I think we need to have more focus on that.". And whether, you know, be it Dr. King or, a great friend to America and a great leader, Congressman Lewis, [who] was a great personal friend of mine and served our country beautifully, would say peaceful nonviolent protest is how we that's how we make progress. And I think this should be addressed out of respect and out of listening.". You need to figure out something else to do for the rest of your life. And after a while, he said, Would you please shut up? And she never did. So I would fight for that and surround myself with people who believe the same thing, because you have to have that brain power in every institution or corporation or nonprofit. One was in pricing. During the 2020 elections, Blank contributed $300,000 to the Biden Victory Fund, $35,000 to the Democratic National Convention, and tens of thousands of dollars to state Democratic Party committees. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . 9. The trouble is that the NFL is not coming clean on that investigation. I mean, people were throwing tea off those boats because they were protesting, you know. His percentage of giving back from his estate will be equal to mine and some of his philosophies don't exactly match mine. But tell me what I can do to help? And they said, Well, you know, the reality is about 40% of our stadium is empty. We Have Every Reason To Expect a Lot More from the NFL, no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out. Open, honest dialogue is needed on a much greater scale. We believe that voting rights are critically important, and our home state of Georgia is at the center of the struggle. We expect to learn a great deal from these groups and have that learning inform our strategy on voting access and civic participation in Georgia and beyond. Because It Delivers Comfort, Status and Cash. "It's healthy to disagree on things, but it's not acceptable to not be kind.". Blank who grew up in New York City said he believes the US is going through one of the most tumultuous times in its history. And so think about the implications of the choices you're making for yourself and for your loved ones, etc. I mean, you write a book like this, it's really getting into kind of the political arena. << The public discourse on these and other issues is too divisive, too political. "So, you know, I love him. And if you go to the Museum of Equal Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, [Equal Justice Initiative Director] Bryan Stevenson says the same thing: We need to recognize [that] these 5000 lynchings took place in the United States[a 2019 Report from the EJI documents more than 4440 racial terror lynchings in the U.S. between 1877 and 1950]. I love CNN, I love Cartoon Network. Steve Bullock, and the Democratic National Committee, to name a few, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission. So, I would say it was very successful. We dont have the answers, but we are committed to listening and responding to the people who have made this their lifes work and to the citizens they serve. A company where we already know from law suits the teams executives treated its cheerleaders like Vegas escorts and, yup, traded nudie pictures of them changing outfits. Blank, speaking with Falcons reporters via phone from the Super Bowl, expressed confidence in the direction of the team following a 7-10 finish under second-year coach Arthur Smith. They want to have a home-field advantage. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Brian Kemp signed the controversial bill, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. I felt and others felt that we could be successful here. Arthur Blank greets a crowd of cheering Atlanta United fans in 2017. In our case, the fans, customers, guests or grantees, whatever the case may be, you're going to find out the ultimate truth of what you need to do to build a business response to issues, spot opportunities, deal with problems, whatever it may be. Despite being widowed at a young age, his mother managed the familys mail-order pharmaceutical business and sold it to a large retail conglomerate. 6 0 obj stream Georgia Public Radio GPTV, a 2019 Report from the EJI documents more than 4440 racial terror lynchings in the U.S. between 1877 and 1950], National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Political Rewind: Theater critic Jesse Green remembers Mary Rodgers in 'Shy', Longtime nature writer Janisse Ray delivers gripping debut novel, At new season kickoff, Atlanta United looks for fresh start on the field. Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with businessman Arthur Blank about gun regulation and philanthropy. We sit down with New York Times theater critic Jesse Green to discuss Rodgers' autobiography, Shy. All of which is, yknow, really classy stuff. GPB is committedto bringing you comprehensive news coverage from Georgia, across the country and around the world. Politicians, business owners and celebrities are speaking out to share their thoughts on Floyds death, the issues his killing have brought to the forefront and the protests that turned to chaos, specifically in Atlanta. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz 8 . Marcus has been an outspoken Donald Trump devotee throughout both the 2016 and 2020 elections, donating $7 million to Trump's campaign four years ago. And that's it. (To his enormous credit, Leibovich burned up all the access his name and the Times brand afforded him to tell a story the average sports writer only dares hint at.) It is making no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out about the Redskins and others who had contact with the team. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. 15, Two of Blanks children, Dena Kimball and Kenny Blank, sit on the board of directors of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. And then as Dr. King wrote in his last book, which his wife published a year after he passed away. He fielded multiple quarterback-related questions and spoke glowingly of Ridder, who. Kirk Cousins Failed His Character Test, But the NFL Gives Him Its Highest Award for Character Anyway, Bidens Junk Fee Fight Should Include Broders Deli as Well as Las Vegas. I went to a small business school outside of Boston called Babson College I would always sit in the front because I always wanted to pay attention and learn. So it really never defined me. I've always believed that the circumstances around me might change, but these core values, which we discuss in the book, they're not mine, they really belong to all of us. Virginia Prescott is theGracie Award-winning host of On Second Thought for Georgia Public Broadcasting. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Blank credits his mother with giving him his first lesson in entrepreneurship. Arthur Blank talks sensible gun reform. The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. "He cares deeply about giving back and making a difference in people's lives. The Georgia Dome was also built for the Olympics, and construction for Philips Arenathe Hawks home, which sits next door to the Dome and where the previous basketball arena, the Omni Colosseum, once satbegan in 1997. And it's all connected not only to associates, but to the communities in which we live and operate. One where guys like the Vikings' Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Wednesday he is encouraged by the progress of quarterback Desmond Ridder and the potential of building around the rookie. His professional team Atlanta United FC brought professional soccer to Atlanta beginning in 2017. In the 1940sGeorgia mountains, eight children were taken into the woods and left to die. Paul, are you OK? I was going to call his secretary, thinking Paul got a heart attack or something. I mean, I was stuttering when I was senior class president, [and in] student government. How do I do my part in it? The Falcons' owner, Arthur Blank, the co-founder of Home Depot with a net worth of $3 billion, at first glance certainly fits the bill of your standard billionaire athletic team owner. And we need to figure out, you know, how do we move past that and how do we learn from that and how do we get connected with our current reality? Falcons owner Arthur Blank is weighing in on Georgia's sweeping overhaul of election laws. 2023 Cox Media Group. Georgia Politics FOX 5 Atlanta ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United Owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday afternoon he believes voting should be made "easier, not harder for every eligible. Sadly, sometimes these young men and women get involved in that cycle and they never get out of it. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. All of us as human beings, I think need to do a much better job of being a good listener. The latest of Blank's many charitable endeavors is aimed at helping the museum expand its reach. And I love him. Who knows how successful theyll be, and many residents worry that economic growth could facilitate gentrification. That origin story is well known in business and retail circles as an example of how bold, disruptive thinking can change the game, but Good Company provides a more personal view. I mean, everybody's standing for an hour-and-a-half and they just don't sit down. /BitsPerComponent 8 Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is the first nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities in Georgia and the Southeast. my patience level probably is not the level it would have to be to sustain myself in this political atmosphere today. Arthur Blank is worried that capitalism is getting a bad rap. So that was a low price a lower price than before Michael Vick the star quarterback was born 22 years before that. You know, better than in the 40s and 50s, but not where we should be. But he did. 03/03/2023. I remember I called the commissioner then, who was Paul Tagliabue, and I say, Well, Paul, I have this idea. He had three children with his first wife Diana Blank, whom he divorced in 1993. To many Atlantans, myself included, leaving Turner Field was symbolic of the white flight that has defined the city since the 1960s. He's done a lot of work in terms of animal rights, which has been great and been appreciated by all of those agencies and all those institutions. And, you know, you see the blending of every type of person and personality you can imagine. ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United Owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday afternoon he believes voting should be made "easier, not harder for every eligible citizen" and his business and non-profit partners plan to support efforts to advance voting access. And there are two [robbers] and they want to know, "Where's the money, where's the cash?" Link Copied! I listen to what he says and sometimes I'll cringe. We are better than this We are better than this as a country. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Blank also contributed $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008. And myself, if you will, I'm at the very bottom of the pyramid as a servant leader and somebody who is there to provide leadership, but also provide whatever that needs to be done for us to be successful. Brian Kemp signed SB 202 into law. Support more understanding and be better listeners trying to see how the other people, you know, try to stand in the footsteps of others. 5) We've broken every season ticket record per game. So when we started, MLS was ranked like 22nd among all the leagues in the world. GALEO has also handed out flyers at city events, supermarkets, and churches that target Latinos. It had to do with our set of values.". 260 14th St. NW Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. Falcons owner Arthur Blank made a $15 million donation on Tuesday to The Cooper Institute, run by its founder Dr. Kenneth Cooper, a friend of Blank's and a strong proponent of preventive medicine. So there was no disrespect to the military. Blank retired as Home Depot's co-chairman in. 7) We sold out the entire stadium in two-and-a-half hours. And to be sure, Atlanta is better than what we saw in the actions of a few last night. The Number of White Teachers About to Get Fired is Exactly Zero. And so he speaks to people throughout the United States, young people primarily, about that. Arthur is committed to changing the narrative around sports stadiums, said Frank Fernandez, the VP of Community Development at The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, to The Daily Beast. Blank allowed the previous front office to make shortsighted moves that still are costing the. Our democracy is made stronger when we hear from all Americans on the issues of our day whether they be national or local. And thats despite our recent record, which hasn't been, you know, one I'm particularly proud of, but we'll get better. Like many other enormous corporations the NFL, selling a slick, bristling mix of testosterone and patriotism, ducks away from anything with a whiff of political conflict. There was a six-year period in there, when things went a little south. They have no serious public, political advocates. Over the next two years (2021-2023), we will create an inclusive relationship with and among these grantees to share ideas, best practices, lessons and challenges. Good Company is billed as a visionary road-map for creating successful businesses. When you find common solutions that work for everybody and [are] respectful of everybody to represent the best of you. And that's an example of the happiness that we're talking about. Left to right: Dennis Ross, Arthur Blank, Bernie Marcus, Pat Farrah, Ron Brill. Low Expectations and Dark Hopes for the New Year, Minnesotas Wealthiest Social Security Beneficiaries Shouldnt Be First in Line for Help, Time to Limit HOAs Solar Panel Policing Powers, Pop Quiz: How Many People Actually Know Whats Going On?. This is not a good way to make a living. He would say, I don't need to be cut any slack, you know. Its more like cowardly, and meatheaded. And I remember he told me, he said, You know, when [I went into] the prison system, they gave me three pair of underwear, three shirts, three pair slacks, three socks and one pair of shoes, and that was it. He said, That was all I was going to have, as opposed to the lifestyle he was leading before.
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