(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.) (Airlines resisting vaccination mandates for passengers are another prime example of failure of true leadership.) A protest has purpose. $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? And so from there, since the 2001- 2002 season, we've only had three games that were not sold out during the season. So it was good. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. Over the past week, figures around the NFL have With Labels, Listen to Affected Populations, Not Activists, As With Alcohol, Mitigation, Not Prohibition, Is the Answer, It Seems Democrats Are Blundering Badly (Again) with Their All-Abortion, All-the-Time Campaign. "I know Bernie's heart. /AIS false stream So we had 35, 40 players kneeling before that, after that speech, we had close to 300 players kneeling because they took it personally and their families took it personally and their parents and their siblings and their grandparents and their heritage was being challenged. Left to right: Dennis Ross, Arthur Blank, Bernie Marcus, Pat Farrah, Ron Brill. !, Do not fall for this foolishness!!! But go ahead and do it, if that's what you want. So we did it. I suspect he had help. Brian Kemp signed the controversial bill, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. Our Family Foundation and the rest of our businesses here in Atlanta and elsewhere remain committed to being part of the solution., Together for Atlanta. Arthur Blank is worried that capitalism is getting a bad rap. His daughter Dena is the executive director of the Kendeda Fund, a left-of-center private foundation founded by her mother, Diana Blank. I seriously doubt the leagues TV ratings or ad revenue would suffer an iota. 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. The latest of Blank's many charitable endeavors is aimed at helping the museum expand its reach. It is in effect protecting the teams owner, a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is married to Angela Macuga, his third wife. All those 25,000 tickets were gone. Playoffs, playoff championships, etc. 5 Other Blank family businesses include the nationwide PGA TOUR Superstore as well as a handful of ranches across the country. 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. It is time to hold mayoral offices accountable, chiefs and deputy chiefs. A Member of the Blank Family of Businesses. One reporter asked Fontenot whether he thought the Falcons were getting Watson. That was in 1979. 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. A study by ESPN and FiveThirtyEight in October 2020 showed Blank is a bipartisan contributor to political campaignsbut contributed more to Democratic candidates from 2012 to 2020. Blank donated another $35,500 to the Democratic National Committee, according to Federal Election Commission filings. He said, All of that really gave me time not only for redemption, but more importantly, for reflection. And he said, I really realized that I had done a lot of good things in my life putting aside and playing ball. Arthur Blank enjoys one of his favorite hobbies at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, one of three guest ranches owned by Blank Family of Businesses. that those rights were not being fully reflected in our society today. The 79-year-old co-founder of Atlanta-based The Home Depot . The Atlanta media thrashed Arthur Smith, Terry Fontenot, and Arthur Blank about their interest level sometime after the news broke. Yet the team continues to unite Atlantans during the ups and downs. I mean, those fans, they feel like that's the only sport that we're hosting in that stadium. 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. Steve Bullock, and the Democratic National Committee, to name a few, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission. It had to do with our set of values.". And if I stop talking now for two minutes, you realize just how long two minutes is. It's a beautiful thing. A little shaky now. His is another example of how well powerful systems, in this case, the almighty NFL, can throw a PR cocoon around people and project to the public only the parts of its culture that serve its business interests until they dont. But he was there and he finally said, Listen, you own the franchise, you have the option. Arthur Blank is firmly in Joe Biden's corner. And they love that. Though the 78-year-old who's now the owner of the Atlanta Falcons NFL team was aware of their political differences, he said it never had any bearing on their shared values. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. GPB intern Eva Rothenberg contributed to this article. Its more like cowardly, and meatheaded. "It's healthy to disagree on things, but it's not acceptable to not be kind.". A Handful of Things I Could Not Care Less About, Matt Birk: Rape Victims Are Playing the Rape Card?, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. "I know what he cares about and he cares about a lot of the same things that I care about.". And we've had a very successful team for the first threeand-a-half years this year. /Title ( A r t h u r b l a n k p o l i t i c s) But, we really could not have done it without great service, great pricing, and great product knowledge. 9, Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. And I told him before, You get in a convertible and drive around the field and Michael, there are 73,000 people in the building. Seventy percent of the players in the NFL are African American a disproportionate number. endobj Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!! ~B?/"J()NF =|Z|&t?jCJw)C 0H>~9 ( 81c2fO=a>}@#y}~9]jqCZ'}*x:qj@PTj+2>dm?aU2 8'z?mWm)yt7,?:99=, +oG6 <4!I lg, ]6vDT2zu9~1bA'px#?)X&,:irv.q'/U:~]{tf&[eR|ozKD-sCEAMnO e=#MguofhNFT1vMfH# Q,e_oZdb_47OatAYs2=LJr~R1# gwg],Xs7q72 f) _n:R-r9-:Q`Mg?_t*"v8? Lawlessness, vandalism and intentionally upending the peace with any form of violence has never been productive and is not the answer. Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. We had the option of going to a variety of companies, doing a variety of things in a traditional sense of management leadership. However, the Atlanta Falcons new home, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, may foster a new era of stadium construction and community engagement. But what, I ask, would be the effect of a dozen or so top current and former stars, coaches and league executives stepping up to a camera and telling pro footballs millions (and millions) of fans to get vaccinated for the sake of other people like the season ticket holders sitting next to them if not themselves? 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. /CreationDate (D:20210314125741+02'00') Blank also owns Atlantas Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a sports and entertainment facility valued at $1.5 billion that hosted the 2019 Super Bowl. These are the kinds of people we need in leadership today, not thinking about red, blue, purple. I'll flip words around, you know, subconsciously and, and make sentences complete. The 74-year-old Blank, who Forbes estimates has an estimated net worth of $3.1 billion, is the director of Cox. 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. Paul, are you there? Soccer fans don't want to feel like they go into a stadium and they're a second-class citizen citizen. So I'm happy to see that, you know, he came back to Atlanta and spent time here. They survived. By Bob Bahr October 12, 2021, 5:48 pm. How do you help repair the world if we can use that expression? C q" ", CNN -- Ted [Turner] did a great thing. 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. Together we will rise above this on the strength of what has always made Atlanta great its people, its leaders of past and present and its unique culture that is welcoming to all. 12, Blank has been married three times. You know, dig in [your] heels and it becomes, "My territory, your territory," etc. 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. And the great political leaders in the past, they were civil and they were good listeners. So, we had great confidence in our own abilities. Max died when Arthur was 15, leaving his mother to grow what became a multi-million-dollar business. I, like almost everyone else, had already started celebrating at halftime. This is not a good way to make a living. 17. Enter your email address to be notified about new posts. The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. Which country do you come from? ATLANTA - Falcons team owner Arthur Blank has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the team's final game of the regular season. But there was nothing I could say better than what Mayor @KeishaBottoms said last night! 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. This is chaos and were buying into it. America has long struggled to deliver a fair and equitable democracy to all of its citizens. 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. Mercedes-Benz Stadium aims to be the first stadium to receive LEED Platinum certification. Their frustration is real, and it must be acknowledged and addressed. 14, He also had three children with his second wife of 16 years, Stephanie Blank. 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. I understand that, but I respect it," said Blank. I would suggest, for anybody in business, that you listen to who you're serving. << And I think we got disconnected. "He cares deeply about giving back and making a difference in people's lives. The portfolio includes nearly $10 million in grants to 12 nonprofits that represent a diverse set of organizations with a strong presence in Georgia and the Southeast. 3, By 1981, Home Depots stock went public and raised over $4 million. They want to have a home-field advantage. I said, Paul? GPB is committedto bringing you comprehensive news coverage from Georgia, across the country and around the world. Continued: https://t.co/yePGJUaGVV, Ive got a lot of love and respect for police officers., We dont want to see Targets burning. And it's all connected not only to associates, but to the communities in which we live and operate. In 2014 it emerged that Bruce Levenson, who owned the NBAs Atlanta Hawks, had written an email that amongst other things theorized that the black crowd [at Philips Arena] scared away the whites, adding for good measure: I have even bitched that the kiss cam is too black. Levenson later that year sold his stake in the franchise, and the Hawks have worked hard to win back their black audience. Shrinking from conflict over something as valid, real and life-protecting as a vaccine is not what Id call, manly, brave, courageous or patriotic. But I would keep raising my hand. So thats Gruden. Those come first. 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. Porn Star Pay Offs, Inciting Insurrection, Sexual Assaults, Bank Fraud, Election Conspiracy and FoxNews v. Dominion. a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. . 03/03/2023. The family foundation has already invested over $20 million into the surrounding community. 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 he recently gave $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden, Forbes reported. He owns the team, after all. Copyright 2023 InfluenceWatch. /Width 625 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. /Type /XObject The Blank foundation also emphasizes environmental sustainability and aims to support programs that foster this message in the Westside. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. /SM 0.02 The public discourse on these and other issues is too divisive, too political. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . With Enemies Like Scott Jensen, Who Needs Friends? And today that's 2,200 stores in Canada, United States and Mexico probably have a market capitalization today of about $300 billion. But I know where his heart is and his heart is really in a good place. The trouble is that the NFL is not coming clean on that investigation. She was a woman of great principle, great personal authority. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. 9. And it was early on a Sunday morning. That Vote for Secretary of State? People are scared and in pain. Opponents of the bill argue it's too restrictive and targets minority voters. Nationality: United States Executive summary: Co-Founder of Home Depot. We were living in a single-bedroom apartment in Queens. Our frontline associates and all those businesses come next. Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!!! It's good to be different, said Blank, but he said it's the intolerance of some that worries him about the future. endobj When he came out, he was on house arrest and I took a meal to him and his family from his favorite restaurant here in Atlanta. His percentage of giving back from his estate will be equal to mine and some of his philosophies don't exactly match mine. Home Depot cofounder, Arthur Blank, is a longtime Democratic supporter and donated $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden between July and September in 2020, Another Home Depot cofounder, Bernie Marcus, is an. 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. I have many friends who are no longer fervent Braves supporters. I want you guys to come up with real solutions. But I know that his essence, at his heart and his soul, is a really good person that cares deeply about humanity. Your support makes this possible. The pair always strove to create a work environment that put people before politics, said Blank. But really, in my view, it's mostly that talking to young people about, you know, here's somebody who's been there, done it, gotten on T-shirts, lived it, and somebody whose name they respect or the least they know of, I should say, in most cases. 260 14th St. NW Arthur Blank greets a crowd of cheering Atlanta United fans in 2017. The Number of White Teachers About to Get Fired is Exactly Zero. Also watchRISING UP: A Westside Story,a documentary film by David Lewis Productions that gives viewers a detailed look into the ideation, construction, and impact of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the city of Atlanta. 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. Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. Arthur Blank, owner of Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, co-founder of Home Depot . The Westside also suffers from severe flooding problems, and the stadium has a 1.1 million gallon storm vault underground to trap and reuse their rain water, and help prevent flooding. Where did your parents come from with your grandparents? We all came from someplace else, other than the other Native Americans. And next thing I know, he was sitting on his knees and with a gun to his head. 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. 6 Blank was the 2003 Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /SA true 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. Like all stories meant to inspire, he takes some knocks. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Link Copied! 7) Walz Cooperation With Law Enforcement Deserves Praise, Not Punishment, If You Think Republicans Cant Ban Abortion in Minnesota, Look No Further than Iowa, Russia, Ukraine and My Seven Months with YouTube. He had a gun on his lap, sitting on his right thigh. They all have a great set of values. Marcus handed the CEO reigns to Blank in 1997; Blank held the position until a new president and CEO was hired in 2000. Blank and Marcus put their discounting experiment to the test in their own brand of warehouse stores called Home Depot and opened the first two Atlanta-area stores in 1979. During the past year, GALEO staff and volunteers have participated in events at food banks, churches, and schools, where they provide information while assisting with free COVID-19 testing and food distribution. What I Learned Over One Cup of Coffee Yesterday Morning, You Want to Laugh at Liz Truss and The Brits. [/Pattern /DeviceRGB] And they've worked collectively for the United States, for everybody in this country, 330 million people. . So you take your time, you get the words out and people will listen to you. So I think that from those days in college where I raised my hand and I know my buddies around the class would think, Oh, boy, here goes another 5-minute answer, you know? And that's an example of the happiness that we're talking about. 1, I think at that time I didn't probably fully appreciate the environment, the communities and neighborhood that Michael was raised in, an area called New Newport News. We must not accept or condone violence in any way. ', We have to be better than this moment. Atlanta rapper, advocate Killer Mike has message for protestors https://t.co/zb3oMHK7sx, "You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country. Despite being widowed at a young age, his mother managed the familys mail-order pharmaceutical business and sold it to a large retail conglomerate. It's the fans. One where guys like the Vikings Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. And so he's used that time since he got out of prison and giving back to community, speaking to young people. Weve never won a Super Bowl, and this years loss in Super Bowl LI was especially hard to take. But thus far Blank and those connected to the stadium appear committed to using this opportunity as one to enhance and not exploit this community. ,> U#kw1%dHT6qZq]9Ki o 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. Blank also contributed $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008. "So, you know, I love him. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. 13 Diana is a left-of-center philanthropist based in Atlanta and anonymously contributed several high-profile donations in the area including a $4 million gift to the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra as well as a nearly $20 million gift to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. The problem for the big, powerful, macho NFL, as it is for every other giant public entity, is that racism and cancer are kind of the easy stuff. We had a different leader [Robert Nardelli ] in place that was eventually replaced. All Rights Reserved. GALEO has also handed out flyers at city events, supermarkets, and churches that target Latinos. They all understand it's, you know, you have an opportunity to be here on Earth and how do you want to leave it? He had three children with his first wife Diana Blank, whom he divorced in 1993. Blank, who is worth about $6.2 billion, per Forbes, is one of the higher donors among Biden's billionaire backers, who outnumber Trump's at 134 to 101, although more of Biden's backers have given the $2,800 personal maximum. Virginia Prescott is theGracie Award-winning host of On Second Thought for Georgia Public Broadcasting. It doesn't mean we agree on everything, we don't, but that's healthy," he said. He received his MBA from Harvard. Its also part memoir of how his ethics evolved from watching his father run a neighborhood pharmacy in Queens, New York, to launching multi-billion dollar ventures. I remember I called the commissioner then, who was Paul Tagliabue, and I say, Well, Paul, I have this idea. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. my patience level probably is not the level it would have to be to sustain myself in this political atmosphere today. Arthur Blanks brother, Michael, and his father, Max, are photographed outside the OES Pharmacy family business, in 1940. If you don't make good choices, you can end up being in really bad places. Is the Jensen-Birk Campaign Minnesotas WOAT? Soon after, Blank met his third wife Angela Macuga whom he married in 2016 and later announced their plans to divorce in 2019. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. You can do whatever you choose to do. And my mother was giving him a lecture saying, You realize this is not what your parents would want you to do. 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. "This grant will help The Center add to its existing . So we designed our stadium to accommodate not just for the Atlanta Falcons and National Football League football American football but soccer as well. Kemp and the law's backers said it provides some common-sense reformsto ensure elections are secure. JFIF K K C The ones in Atlanta on Friday started off peaceful but later turned into violent demonstrations and looting of local businesses. Seventy-threethousand stood up and clapped, gave him a great hand. He details the inception and rapid success of Atlanta United, and responding to the NFL protests that began in 2016. The stadium boasts roughly 4,000 solar panels and will use 70 percent less energy. Prior to the construction of the Georgia Dome they played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium with the Atlanta Braves, and you could see the spot where Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth in home runs. Home Depot cofounder, Arthur Blank, is a longtime Democratic supporter and donated $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden between July and September in 2020, Forbes reported. So in this case, we were coming back from a game after the team had played in St. Louis against the old St. Louis Rams theyre now in L.A. and instead of riding in the front of the plane with the coaches and managers, I sat in the back with the players. Additionally in 2014, the Atlanta Braves announced that they were building a new stadium outside the city in the northern suburbs, and leaving Turner Field, which was originally the site of Centennial Olympic Stadium for the 1996 summer games. A reckless high-profile meathead, now out the $60 million remaining on his contract. /Length 7 0 R 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. So I think that part of that comes out of really being a good listener and responding to what you're hearing and trying to find a way to make things work for the benefit of everybody collaboratively. "People are coming from different places, which is okay, but it's not okay when they're disrespectful; it's not okay when they're not kind. 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. "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. 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. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. Arthur Blank is an American entrepreneur and a co-owner of the home improvement retail giant The Home Depot. So when we started, MLS was ranked like 22nd among all the leagues in the world. 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. But he was. In their sixth season of Major League Soccer, the Five Stripes bring some new faces onto the field this year. So, you know, soccer is on the ascent in the United States dramatically, which is a great thing. Since then, they have re-organized their focus areas more specifically into four groups: policy advocacy, organizing and civic engagement, impact litigation, and legal services. Since then, they have re-organized their focus areas more specifically into four groups: policy advocacy, organizing and civic engagement, impact litigation, and legal services. << Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. 4 0 obj /Height 155 RELATED:Georgia Secretary of State calls many election changes 'solid'. That should never be tolerated. NOW WATCH: We combined Trump and Biden's separate town halls so you can watch an actual debate between the presidential candidates, Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission. 2010-2023 Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. However, peaceful protests really go back and look at the history of our country back to the Boston Tea Party. Who knows how successful theyll be, and many residents worry that economic growth could facilitate gentrification. Young you are. . February 4, 2021 4:12 pm ET. Given its footprint, we have good rights to expect a lot more from this monolith. /BitsPerComponent 8 The Home Depot co-founder, Arthur Blank, candidly shares details of an impromptu meeting in an airport hangar when he was asked to step down, the company's short-term mistake of replacing him. So we spent six months maybe talking to fans, or people that were not fans, but were, you know, living in the Atlanta area at that time, and we found out that there were four or five things we had to fix. The largest donor was Falcons owner Arthur Blank. 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. Our family foundation seeks to preserve and strengthen our democracy, and weve chosen this as one of our new collective areas of giving. I mean, people were throwing tea off those boats because they were protesting, you know. 2023 Cox Media Group. I mean, it wasn't like, You're Republican or Democrat. Blank told Business Insider that despite their differences, running a company is "not a red issue or a blue issue" and is instead about sharing the same values. The views expressed here are the authors' alone, not necessarily the views of their clients, employers or families. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. 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.

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