arthur blank politics

(Confidentiality, you know.) 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. A protest has purpose. Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. 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. Because It Delivers Comfort, Status and Cash. So, then we opened up The Home Depot. . So, you know, we understood that our culture had nothing to do with which party you are affiliated with. But Id like to say to CNN right now: Karmas a mother. So I'm happy to see that, you know, he came back to Atlanta and spent time here. 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. 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. Owner, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. 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. How could Trump possibly have lost re-election? 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. The NFL owners club is a remarkable collection of avaricious gargoyles. 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! This can create a steady stream of jobs and revenue for the community. 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. Hes a combination of father and brother to me. And, you know, you see the blending of every type of person and personality you can imagine. [/Pattern /DeviceRGB] Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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. 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. Arthur Blank, owner of Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, co-founder of Home Depot . Now it's ranked like seventh. 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. Playoffs, playoff championships, etc. 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. The couple filed for divorce in 2013. It's a beautiful thing. 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. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is married to Angela Macuga, his third wife. A message sent to Arthur Blank from President Obama in 2018, thanking him for his commitment to affordability at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Blank cut concession prices by 50%. 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. 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. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images). Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. Friday on Political Rewind: Mary Rodgers grew up among some of Broadway's biggest names, from Sondheim to Bernstein. That should never be tolerated. endobj Which country do you come from? He just opened the door. Currently, over 200 Westside residents are working on the stadiums construction and the foundation has funded, among other things, Westside Works to help residents find employment and learn job training skills. 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. 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. With Enemies Like Scott Jensen, Who Needs Friends? 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. 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. So everything is designed to accommodate the soccer fans so they feel like this is their place as a result of that. I said, Paul? Bernie has great values and Bernie cares deeply not only about our faith, but about giving back. So I would just cut him some slack. And they love that. And, you know, living in poverty, we had friends coming by all the time and what have you. They survived. %PDF-1.4 a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. A Member of the Blank Family of Businesses. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. So that was a low price a lower price than before Michael Vick the star quarterback was born 22 years before that. But staying in the city and trying to work with the community definitely beats the usual stadium construction scam and unwanted racial division that has become far too common in sports today. And he should know. In their sixth season of Major League Soccer, the Five Stripes bring some new faces onto the field this year. When you burn down this city, youre burning down our community., If you want change in America, go and register to vote. He details the inception and rapid success of Atlanta United, and responding to the NFL protests that began in 2016. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. Despite being widowed at a young age, his mother managed the familys mail-order pharmaceutical business and sold it to a large retail conglomerate. A little shaky now. But Still Not Even an Indictment. Given its footprint, we have good rights to expect a lot more from this monolith. There's no place for looting and stealing and whatever else. Yet the team continues to unite Atlantans during the ups and downs. In 1978, both he and future Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank were fired during a corporate power struggle at Handy Dan. /Width 625 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. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. Its more like cowardly, and meatheaded. About Arthur Blank Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus cofounded Home Depot in 1978 after being fired from their jobs at a regional hardware store. I mean, it doesn't make a difference how old you are. I mean, people were throwing tea off those boats because they were protesting, you know. "His approach obviously is different. Link Copied! Scott Jensens Dramatic Fall Shows Ads Still Matter. /SM 0.02 2010-2023 Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. I mean, those fans, they feel like that's the only sport that we're hosting in that stadium. Over the past week, figures around the NFL have ATLANTA Protests over the death of George Floyd have been gaining national attention. And they found ways to get things done with people who had a little bit a different view but found that commonality that was really important. 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/. There are nearly one million Latinos in Georgia, with one of the fastest growth rates of the Latino population in the nation. Is the Jensen-Birk Campaign Minnesotas WOAT? 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. 6 Blank was the 2003 Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Arthur Blank enjoys one of his favorite hobbies at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, one of three guest ranches owned by Blank Family of Businesses. The documentary will premiere exclusively Nov. 23, 2020 at 8 p.m.on Georgia Public Broadcasting. People are scared and in pain. 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. They were trying to indicate that what the military had fought for these rights, the civil rights, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, etc. 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. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. 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. Seventy percent of the players in the NFL are African American a disproportionate number. So it was good. We sit down with New York Times theater critic Jesse Green to discuss Rodgers' autobiography, Shy. It Now Actually Matters, a Lot. He received his MBA from Harvard. Then I would not be bashful about asking questions. 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. This must happen more than every four years, because theres no offseason for democracy. We were living in a single-bedroom apartment in Queens. I mean, I was stuttering when I was senior class president, [and in] student government. But go ahead and do it, if that's what you want. So we did it. 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. 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Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. 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 Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. I still remember this as if it was yesterday. And now their story is a page-turning novel. You know, better than in the 40s and 50s, but not where we should be. 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. And that's all part of his story of redemption and his story of being a changed person. Brian Kemp signed the controversial bill, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. In a time when more than half of Americans are dissatisfied with the state of our democracy, the most powerful way to demonstrate and have our voices heard is through the vote. This is not a protest. 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. /AIS false And he had to mop the floors for weeks and months on end. Blank also owns Atlantas Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a sports and entertainment facility valued at $1.5 billion that hosted the 2019 Super Bowl. The public discourse on these and other issues is too divisive, too political. It starts with respect. The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. Falcons owner Arthur Blank is weighing in on Georgia's sweeping overhaul of election laws. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. /CreationDate (D:20210314125741+02'00') They said it would take an act of courage on your part to go out on the field and and to be recognized. And, you know, people stood up! Support more understanding and be better listeners trying to see how the other people, you know, try to stand in the footsteps of others. More must be done to address the underlying issues that have led to these incidents across the country. By Bob Bahr October 12, 2021, 5:48 pm. 4, Blank purchased the NFLs Atlanta Falcons for more than $540 million shortly after stepping down as CEO of Home Depot. Tikkun Olam [a Jewish concept of repairing the world through action]. /SMask /None>> I, like almost everyone else, had already started celebrating at halftime. Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur M. Blank released a statement Monday on the importance of fair elections and democracy: "Free and fair elections are vital to the health of our. /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB Atlanta, GA 30318 Resistance to Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Futile. /Type /XObject 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. Kimball previously served as the vice president of network support at Teach for All. 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. It's our job is to serve the American people and I think we need to have more focus on that.". I concede, as others who know him personally have, that Im stunned that a guy like Gruden who has been a high-profile media/cultural presence for over 20 years, regularly giving live interviews, chewing up air time as a TV analyst and obliging all the other requests for personal contact that go with being a football celebritry could conceal his essential meat-headedness so long and so well. We had the option of going to a variety of companies, doing a variety of things in a traditional sense of management leadership. Our family foundation seeks to preserve and strengthen our democracy, and weve chosen this as one of our new collective areas of giving. One was in pricing. But Its All Too Familiar. All Rights Reserved. Arthur Blank is firmly in Joe Biden's corner. Weve never won a Super Bowl, and this years loss in Super Bowl LI was especially hard to take. And it's all connected not only to associates, but to the communities in which we live and operate. Minnesota Legislature, What Are You Chewing? So the answer would be yes. 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. Arthur blank politics The largest donation made to a political party by an Atlanta Falcons employee was by Arthur Blank. All the issues that Colin [Kaepernick] raised at that time [2016-2107] about the social injustice and lack of equality and equity in the criminal system and all those issues, I think they were real then and they're certainly real now. I seriously doubt the leagues TV ratings or ad revenue would suffer an iota. 4 0 obj 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. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. (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.) So we designed our stadium to accommodate not just for the Atlanta Falcons and National Football League football American football but soccer as well. We Have Every Reason To Expect a Lot More from the NFL, no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out. For years, Americans have fallen prey to the con of wealthy businessmen who want to build shiny new sports arenas yet dont want to pay for them. Arthur Blank is getting more involved in the political process. Home Depot cofounders Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus have long been on separate sides of the fence when it comes to politics. 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. Among Blanks diverse interests are the nationwide PGA Tour Superstore chain, three guest ranches in Montana, and a family foundation that counts millions in economic development investments on Atlantas beleaguered Westside among its $660-million outlay to date. 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. And there are two [robbers] and they want to know, "Where's the money, where's the cash?" Full statement from Arthur Blank: https://t.co/1lU870TGWa pic.twitter.com/0qejiahKKY, Please, please stop this violence!! meathead) culture inside the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins. 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. 12, Blank has been married three times. But the level where this Gruden idiocy touches the countrys perilous moment is where the NFL arguably one of the most popular and therefore influential organizations/corporations in the country could and should use Grudens buffoonish racism and sexism to make unambiguous statements to its fans, which is to say just about everyone in the country. 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. 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. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. Show up at the polls on June 9. And I think we got disconnected. But he was. And being a good listener, it's an art form that we all can possess. /Subtype /Image Please, please stop this violence!! 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. 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. 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? Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. I am, in a certain sense. Its a story about making bad choices and the impact of young people. What Does Hamline Not Understand About Academic Freedom? 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 have what's called a veil state, or I am a stutterer. The views expressed here are the authors' alone, not necessarily the views of their clients, employers or families. JFIF K K C Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Porn Star Pay Offs, Inciting Insurrection, Sexual Assaults, Bank Fraud, Election Conspiracy and FoxNews v. Dominion. And next thing I know, he was sitting on his knees and with a gun to his head. Thats great. The guest. That Vote for Secretary of State? Yeah, It Could Have Been Worse. Philanthropist Arthur Blank has thrown his support behind a new voter education initiative aimed at young people. The trouble is that the NFL is not coming clean on that investigation. << 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. 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. 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. We believe that voting rights are critically important, and our home state of Georgia is at the center of the struggle. 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. GALEO has also handed out flyers at city events, supermarkets, and churches that target Latinos. j"[p!d~oB?1].drwe GM]/v2q3^u[\ /. 8 . My dad didn't look at who it was. I mean, everybody's standing for an hour-and-a-half and they just don't sit down. Who knows how successful theyll be, and many residents worry that economic growth could facilitate gentrification. When I left [Home Depot] in 2001, [it] was the second largest retailer in the world, second only to Wal-Mart. "It's healthy to disagree on things, but it's not acceptable to not be kind.". Arthur Blank is an American entrepreneur and a co-owner of the home improvement retail giant The Home Depot. ~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? (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. I do know it is hard. I felt and others felt that we could be successful here. endobj Liz Cheney Aint Going Nowhere in This Republican Party, Jensens Abortion Ban Promises Come Back to Haunt Him, Thanks to Oppo. And that's one of our core values as well: Include everybody. One reporter asked Fontenot whether he thought the Falcons were getting Watson. Can We Please Kill Off the Tipping Mumbo-Jumbo? 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. 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. Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. This is not the legacy of civil rights in America. It is time to hold mayoral offices accountable, chiefs and deputy chiefs. Blank writes about being teased for having a stutter. They have no serious public, political advocates. 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. 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. When GALEO was established, Georgias Latino community was not well represented, nor was it a viable electoral force; today, there are over 385,000 registered Latino voters in the state. 10, Following proposed changes to Georgia voting laws in early 2021, Blank released a statement saying, We should be working to make voting easier, not harder for every eligible citizen, and that his businesses and family foundation will support efforts that advance voting access for the citizens of Georgia and across the nation. 11 Blank also participated in an online call with over 100 corporate executives to discuss taking action following changes to state voting laws including the possibility of delaying investments in states that pass allegedly restrictive voting laws. Today, Blank is the Chairman of AMB Group LLC, parent company of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. 15, Two of Blanks children, Dena Kimball and Kenny Blank, sit on the board of directors of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. 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. 6 0 obj Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!! However, many Americans are still being denied access to their vote and their ability to fully participate in our democracy. A reckless high-profile meathead, now out the $60 million remaining on his contract. It's not trying influence, but trying to share philosophies of life and stories and thoughts about a certain set of values, which really transcend business, nonprofit, as well as the political arena. Arthur Blank greets a crowd of cheering Atlanta United fans in 2017. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz Hey, Senate DFLers, Dont Forget The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact! 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. "I think one of the things that is wrong with America today that we can work on and become better at is that we need to become better listeners to each other and we need to be better about understanding where people are coming from," Blank said. They want to have a home-field advantage. It's an inverted pyramid that speaks to our whole orientation and all of our businesses today. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. They put my mother, my brother and I in the living room with one of them and the other was searching the house, looking for cash that wasn't there.