We were living in a single-bedroom apartment in Queens. His percentage of giving back from his estate will be equal to mine and some of his philosophies don't exactly match mine. So thats Gruden. GPB is committedto bringing you comprehensive news coverage from Georgia, across the country and around the world. And he should know. Dueling Visions for Minnesota: Scandinavia or South Dakota? 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. Falcons owner Arthur Blank is weighing in on Georgia's sweeping overhaul of election laws. 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. The stadium boasts roughly 4,000 solar panels and will use 70 percent less energy. And at the top of that is who is being served comes first. Which country do you come from? The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. MATTIE'S CALL: A 9-month-old baby girl was reported missing from the Ellenwood area with a man police say was diagnosed with a mental illness. Arthur Blank is getting more involved in the political process. For the last two decades, sports have united this largely racially divided city, and partially due to the actions of the Hawks and the Braves, the Falcons could ill-afford to have a stadium plan that was not only racially inclusive, but also worked to incorporate the surrounding community. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. It's an inverted pyramid that speaks to our whole orientation and all of our businesses today. 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. 6 Blank was the 2003 Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Stop making people feel so fearful. Shrinking from conflict over something as valid, real and life-protecting as a vaccine is not what Id call, manly, brave, courageous or patriotic. 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. He also goes public about the pain of learning of Michael Vicks role in an illegal dogfighting ring, along with other ups and downs in a life of unimaginable financial success. Owner, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. 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. 5 Other Blank family businesses include the nationwide PGA TOUR Superstore as well as a handful of ranches across the country. Liz Cheney Aint Going Nowhere in This Republican Party, Jensens Abortion Ban Promises Come Back to Haunt Him, Thanks to Oppo. And today that's 2,200 stores in Canada, United States and Mexico probably have a market capitalization today of about $300 billion. 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. 17. 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. Come up with real solutions: Atlanta rapper Killer Mike condemns vandalism, >> 'If you care about this city then go home': Atlanta mayor, police chief call protests a disgrace, NCSHP arrest driver accused of nearly hitting 2 students at bus stop in Statesville, Rock band Kiss reveals Charlotte connection to hit song, After Murdaugh trial circus, Walterboro welcomes normality, Bank accidentally left unlocked in Fresno, police say, Charlotte woman celebrates $1 million scratch-off prize, WSOC - TV Public File Contact / Program Director, WAXN - TV Public File Contact / Program Director. 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. And to be sure, Atlanta is better than what we saw in the actions of a few last night. 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. We had a different leader [Robert Nardelli ] in place that was eventually replaced. The Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. 9, Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. Arthur Blank co-founded the Home Depot in the late 1970s after being fired from a regional hardware store chain in Southern California. 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. And in fact, one of her famous expressions was: You do the right things for the right reasons and live with the consequences of them. And I'm trying to build that into my life as well. 2, In the late 1970s, Arthur Blank was an officer at Handy Dan, a regional hardware store chain in Southern California. These are not political issues, they are human issues that need serious, earnest attention from leaders and citizens alike who understand that diversity is our strength and fair treatment is everyones right. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . Link Copied! I seriously doubt the leagues TV ratings or ad revenue would suffer an iota. Now it's ranked like seventh. 2010-2023 Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Why Is Doc Jensen Still So Obsessed With His Long-Disproven COVID Claims? Young you are. They all have a great set of eyes and they're all different. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Players and coaches appear giving quick testimonials. 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. However, many Americans are still being denied access to their vote and their ability to fully participate in our democracy. At the time, Atlanta liked to call itself The City Too Busy to Hate, but as more African Americans moved to the city the moniker shifted to The City Too Busy Moving to Hate, as more white Atlantans escaped the city to the northern suburbs. Political Donations: Blank has largely donated to Democratic causes, most notably: $32,400 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 2013; $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in '08; and. 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. But my mother would say to me, You know, what you have to say is important. Kemp and the law's backers said it provides some common-sense reformsto ensure elections are secure. The 79-year-old co-founder of Atlanta-based The Home Depot . Continued: https://t.co/yePGJUaGVV, Ive got a lot of love and respect for police officers., We dont want to see Targets burning. Arthur Blank, owner of Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, co-founder of Home Depot . Atlanta Falcons vNew Orleans Saints Owner Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Flacons reacts before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 10, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 5) He had a gun on his lap, sitting on his right thigh. Stay up to date with what you want to know. He would say, I don't need to be cut any slack, you know. Like all stories meant to inspire, he takes some knocks. Arthur blank politics The largest donation made to a political party by an Atlanta Falcons employee was by Arthur Blank. One of the robbers tied me up in the bathroom, the bathtub, and I said a few things to him, which, at 10 years old, I don't think my mother even knew I knew those words. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is located adjacent to the Falcons current home, the Georgia Dome, in Atlantas Westside. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. His professional team Atlanta United FC brought professional soccer to Atlanta beginning in 2017. 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. ATLANTA - Falcons team owner Arthur Blank has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the team's final game of the regular season. 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. Mercedes-Benz Stadium aims to be the first stadium to receive LEED Platinum certification. What Does Hamline Not Understand About Academic Freedom? The league has recently been running in-game PSAs pushing cancer and mental health awareness screenings, etc. Copyright 2023 InfluenceWatch. Hes a combination of father and brother to me. Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. I mean, everybody's standing for an hour-and-a-half and they just don't sit down. Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. GPB intern Eva Rothenberg contributed to this article. You're going to get a lot of your fellow owners really pissed. (Airlines resisting vaccination mandates for passengers are another prime example of failure of true leadership.) Arthur Blank is an American entrepreneur and a co-owner of the home improvement retail giant The Home Depot. ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank released a statement on Saturday following President Donald Trump's comments on Friday about the NFL. Brian Kemp signed the controversial bill, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. 8 In 2012, Blank signed the Giving Pledge and committed to giving more than half of his wealth away to philanthropic efforts in his lifetime. 9. The trouble is that the NFL is not coming clean on that investigation. 1, Arthur Blank was born to Molly and Max Blank in Queens, New York. "It's not a red issue or a blue issue, it's about how you treat people, whether it be guests, fans, customers, associates, or shareholders in the case with HD," said Blank, whose Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has granted over $800 million to help underserved people across the nation. 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. But its the NFL itself that should be held to greater account and responsibility than it ever is. He's committed to his wife now, his children. Playoffs, playoff championships, etc. 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. 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. Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!! 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. 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. And my mother was giving him a lecture saying, You realize this is not what your parents would want you to do. So that's really what it was about. More must be done to address systemic racism. 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. /Filter /DCTDecode He fielded multiple quarterback-related questions and spoke glowingly of Ridder, who. 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. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Then I would not be bashful about asking questions. I mean, it doesn't make a difference how old you are. Brian and Arthur welcomed their daughter Blake into the world via Arthur's sister Aoife, who acted as a surrogate for the couple, back in September -- with Brian previously teasing the documentary before Blake's arrival. Animals and Pets Anime Art Cars and Motor Vehicles Crafts and DIY Culture, Race, and Ethnicity Ethics and Philosophy Fashion Food and Drink History Hobbies Law Learning and Education Military Movies Music Place Podcasts and Streamers Politics Programming Reading, Writing, and Literature Religion and Spirituality Science Tabletop Games . 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. 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. 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. Its a story about making bad choices and the impact of young people. 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. 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. Minnesota Legislature, What Are You Chewing? The largest donor was Falcons owner Arthur Blank. "And I'm not 100 years old I'm getting there, but I'm not but the things I see and deal with are just inherently not what's made this country great. And so he's used that time since he got out of prison and giving back to community, speaking to young people. But the two subsequent CEOs the gentleman there today, Craig Minear, the CEO and president Ted Decker both live the culture. I, like almost everyone else, had already started celebrating at halftime. /Producer ( Q t 4 . 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. It is in effect protecting the teams owner, a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. Now, there's no place for violent protest. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. 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. One where guys like the Vikings Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. 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. Blank told Business Insider that despite their political differences, their different leanings never got in the way of their ability to work together as partners or as friends. And there are two [robbers] and they want to know, "Where's the money, where's the cash?" And then he came up to my suite afterward and it was like 10, 15 minutes later, his face was just full of tears and he said that he was so moved by it. Home Depot cofounders Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus have long been on separate sides of the fence when it comes to politics. And somebody knocked on the door. Hey, Senate DFLers, Dont Forget The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact! When you burn down this city, youre burning down our community., If you want change in America, go and register to vote. . The ones in Atlanta on Friday started off peaceful but later turned into violent demonstrations and looting of local businesses. Blank donated another $35,500 to the Democratic National Committee, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Sadly, sometimes these young men and women get involved in that cycle and they never get out of it. A documentary surrounding Brian Dowling and Arthur Gourounlian's surrogacy journey is set to air on RT on March 13. I'm not sure how they're going to receive you. 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. It's our job is to serve the American people and I think we need to have more focus on that.". Its more like cowardly, and meatheaded. So we designed our stadium to accommodate not just for the Atlanta Falcons and National Football League football American football but soccer as well. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz Can We Please Kill Off the Tipping Mumbo-Jumbo? And they love that. Georgia businessman Arthur Blank joins with voting groups on Democracy Class Atlanta The Jolt: Arthur Blank teams with voting groups to forge 'Democracy Class Atlanta' Caption Credit:. 03/03/2023. 7, Blank founded the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in 1995 and has awarded over $560 million to causes such as education and early childhood development. 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. And if I stop talking now for two minutes, you realize just how long two minutes is. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. But COVID vaccination, as a consequence of being made "political" by belligerent partisans, many of whom love football more than life itself, is terrifying territory for the NFL. But Still Not Even an Indictment. It's hard to believe. Atlanta, GA 30318 He came out of the prison system as a changed person for the positive, not for the negative. Organizations also called to move The Masters, which begins April 8. Arthur Blank is worried that capitalism is getting a bad rap. One was in pricing. All Rights Reserved. The statement came about five days after Gov. 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. Kimball previously served as the vice president of network support at Teach for All. So, you know, soccer is on the ascent in the United States dramatically, which is a great thing. 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. I'll flip words around, you know, subconsciously and, and make sentences complete. All Rights Reserved. When you find common solutions that work for everybody and [are] respectful of everybody to represent the best of you. 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. 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? "So, you know, I love him. a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. Owner Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Flacons reacts before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 10, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The wealthy propose tax increases on the poor and middle class to pay for their new stadiums, and they claim that new businesses flocking to the area will magically cover the costs. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. And then as Dr. King wrote in his last book, which his wife published a year after he passed away. Lawlessness, vandalism and intentionally upending the peace with any form of violence has never been productive and is not the answer. It is my hope that we take this terrible moment in our history to elevate that conversation toward productive action and lasting, positive change. OMG, Democrats Are Criminally Bad At Marketing What They Accomplish. (And Im not forgetting Colin Kaepernicks protests against police violence, and how the league effectively blackballed him before paying him off to avoid a certain-to-be-nightmarish public trial.). 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. 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. And thats despite our recent record, which hasn't been, you know, one I'm particularly proud of, but we'll get better. Open, honest dialogue is needed on a much greater scale. Ticket pricing was higher than it could have been or should have been at that time, and so I brought Dick Sullivan over from Home Depot, the gentleman who now runs our PGA Superstores and we came up with a strategy that we've got to sell season's tickets for $100. $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? To anyone interested in a deeper dive into NFL culture I strongly recommend, Big Game by New York Times Magazine writer Mark Leibovich for an inside-the-suites sense of who says what to who when its more or less just them peer billionaires talking. I was gagged. /SM 0.02 Peaceful protests of the past have led to new ways forward. /Height 155 They survived. There are people and other countries who are posting things pretending to be US, pretending to stand for peaceful protest, but they are trying to incite us into violence and chaos to try and do more harm! >> And they've worked collectively for the United States, for everybody in this country, 330 million people.