However, many Americans are still being denied access to their vote and their ability to fully participate in our democracy. And then as Dr. King wrote in his last book, which his wife published a year after he passed away. Falcons owner Arthur Blank is weighing in on Georgia's sweeping overhaul of election laws. 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. All Rights Reserved. He would say, I don't need to be cut any slack, you know. But I know where his heart is and his heart is really in a good place. All of us as human beings, I think need to do a much better job of being a good listener. 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. And I know he considers the blessings that we had coming from Home Depot [and what its done] for all of our philanthropy today and all of our businesses today to be something that we're very thankful for. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images). 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. /ca 1.0 Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. Then I would not be bashful about asking questions. 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. He had a gun on his lap, sitting on his right thigh. "I know what he cares about and he cares about a lot of the same things that I care about.". Blank allowed the previous front office to make shortsighted moves that still are costing the. The 79-year-old co-founder of Atlanta-based The Home Depot . 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. It doesn't mean we agree on everything, we don't, but that's healthy," he said. my patience level probably is not the level it would have to be to sustain myself in this political atmosphere today. I look at my six children, Batch 1, Batch 2, and, you know, they go from age 19 to age 52, if I have it right. He fielded multiple quarterback-related questions and spoke glowingly of Ridder, who. The NFL owners club is a remarkable collection of avaricious gargoyles. In 1978, they were both fired from Handy Dans by a corporate raider who took over the chains parent company. And part of that is reducing our environmental impact.. 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. Despite being widowed at a young age, his mother managed the familys mail-order pharmaceutical business and sold it to a large retail conglomerate. 5) So it really never defined me. Marcus handed the CEO reigns to Blank in 1997; Blank held the position until a new president and CEO was hired in 2000. In recent years Atlantas sports teams have attracted controversies that have highlighted the racial disparities that still largely define the city. And so he's used that time since he got out of prison and giving back to community, speaking to young people. But it's really not a story about dogfighting. Arthur Blank is getting more involved in the political process. I said, Paul? It is my hope that we take this terrible moment in our history to elevate that conversation toward productive action and lasting, positive change. We are better than this We are better than this as a country. ,> U#kw1%dHT6qZq]9Ki o Thats great. Arthur Blank co-founded the Home Depot in the late 1970s after being fired from a regional hardware store chain in Southern California. GALEO engages in advocacy, creates opportunities for engagement and networking, and develops leadership skills for Latino community members. 4 0 obj Link Copied! The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. To many Atlantans, myself included, leaving Turner Field was symbolic of the white flight that has defined the city since the 1960s. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . 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 is worried that capitalism is getting a bad rap. 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. For more information about Life Itself, visit the . 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. There's no place for looting and stealing and whatever else. I stayed in touch with him to some degree when he was in prison. I mean, it doesn't make a difference how old you are. How? $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? So that was a low price a lower price than before Michael Vick the star quarterback was born 22 years before that. American professional sports owners have contributed nearly $47 million in federal elections since 2015, according to research by ESPN in partnership with FiveThirtyEight, including $10 million. Enter your email address to be notified about new posts. 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. The Atlanta Falcons new stadium is going to be beautiful. The statement reads: "We are at our very best. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. The Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. Weve never won a Super Bowl, and this years loss in Super Bowl LI was especially hard to take. Organizations also called to move The Masters, which begins April 8. But We Aint Seen Nuthin Yet. Theres a revelation of Blank stumbling dazedly into a parking lot after being abruptly forced out of Home Depot in 2001, and his devastation after the Falcons epic 2017 loss in the Super Bowl. Arthur Blank enjoys one of his favorite hobbies at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, one of three guest ranches owned by Blank Family of Businesses. He released a statement five days after Gov. In his new book, Good Company, Blank follows his own success to show that purpose and profit can and should coexist. >> 6 0 obj And if I stop talking now for two minutes, you realize just how long two minutes is. Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. The documentary will premiere exclusively Nov. 23, 2020 at 8 p.m.on Georgia Public Broadcasting. That Vote for Secretary of State? We hold all the records. I'm not sure how they're going to receive you. 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. And thats despite our recent record, which hasn't been, you know, one I'm particularly proud of, but we'll get better. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. We sit down with New York Times theater critic Jesse Green to discuss Rodgers' autobiography, Shy. JFIF K K C 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. His faith is very strong. 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 trouble is that the NFL is not coming clean on that investigation. 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. There was a six-year period in there, when things went a little south. Paul, are you OK? I was going to call his secretary, thinking Paul got a heart attack or something. A protest has purpose. [Thats] something that I talk about in the book, which most people are not aware of. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. 9, Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. 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. And then he worked in the laundry. That is the change we need in this country.". They have no serious public, political advocates. "Obviously, it's a tragic time in the history of the. 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. Like all stories meant to inspire, he takes some knocks. I worked with him for over 40 years and we shared the same bathroom for over 30 years, which is more than any of our marriages lasted," said Blank, who's currently valued by Forbes at about $6.2 billion. %PDF-1.4 But its the NFL itself that should be held to greater account and responsibility than it ever is. The views expressed here are the authors' alone, not necessarily the views of their clients, employers or families. ", It is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy We have to be better than this moment. And, you know, you see the blending of every type of person and personality you can imagine. Full statement from Arthur Blank: https://t.co/1lU870TGWa pic.twitter.com/0qejiahKKY, Please, please stop this violence!! Brian Kemp signed the controversial bill, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. By Bob Bahr October 12, 2021, 5:48 pm. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. 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. But, you know, I needed to change my view on what I could give back and how it could be connected to other people.. 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. We had the option of going to a variety of companies, doing a variety of things in a traditional sense of management leadership. Blank, who is Jewish, also addressed the administration's failure to recognize the losses suffered by the Jewish people during the Holocaust. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. But Still Not Even an Indictment. Today, Blank is the Chairman of AMB Group LLC, parent company of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. So it was a great story and is a great story. /Length 7 0 R /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB 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. Can We Please Kill Off the Tipping Mumbo-Jumbo? Playoffs, playoff championships, etc. Stop making people feel so fearful. "He cares deeply about giving back and making a difference in people's lives. But, we really could not have done it without great service, great pricing, and great product knowledge. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will also be home to Atlantas MLS team, Atlanta United FC. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. 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. (Airlines resisting vaccination mandates for passengers are another prime example of failure of true leadership.) 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. 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. It's our job is to serve the American people and I think we need to have more focus on that.". We had a different leader [Robert Nardelli ] in place that was eventually replaced. 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. Blank also contributed $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008. I mean, you write a book like this, it's really getting into kind of the political arena. We Present You Trumps Deposition, More or Less Verbatim. I, like almost everyone else, had already started celebrating at halftime. The Blank foundation also emphasizes environmental sustainability and aims to support programs that foster this message in the Westside. He owns the team, after all. All those 25,000 tickets were gone. Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. /SA true This is chaos. 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. The league has recently been running in-game PSAs pushing cancer and mental health awareness screenings, etc. All Rights Reserved. "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. Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. So, that represents that melting-pot philosophy: Were all in this together. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. follow. They all understand it's, you know, you have an opportunity to be here on Earth and how do you want to leave it? And he had to mop the floors for weeks and months on end. Please stop the violence!, Im not in Atlanta, but if I were I would have been standing with our Mayor! /SM 0.02 He notes pervasive cynicism about corporate leaders and perceptions that the drive for profit comes at the expense of public good. Copyright 2023 InfluenceWatch. 1 2 . "His approach obviously is different. In their sixth season of Major League Soccer, the Five Stripes bring some new faces onto the field this year. 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. But the two subsequent CEOs the gentleman there today, Craig Minear, the CEO and president Ted Decker both live the culture. RELATED:Georgia Secretary of State calls many election changes 'solid'. He just opened the door. I remember I called the commissioner then, who was Paul Tagliabue, and I say, Well, Paul, I have this idea. 17. 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. In 2022, they plan to connect with over 1 million voters/ potential voters through phone banking, text banking, in-person canvassing events, and going door to door. "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. He had three children with his first wife Diana Blank, whom he divorced in 1993. 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 want you to talk to 10 of your friends. When I left [Home Depot] in 2001, [it] was the second largest retailer in the world, second only to Wal-Mart. 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. Citizens and municipalities have for far too long believed these baseless claims, paid for the stadium, and watched them lie dormant during the offseason as the new businesses never came. 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 so think about the implications of the choices you're making for yourself and for your loved ones, etc. } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br 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. I am, in a certain sense. This is not the legacy of civil rights in America. 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. 7) that those rights were not being fully reflected in our society today. So I would just cut him some slack. So the answer would be yes. A Member of the Blank Family of Businesses. She was a woman of great principle, great personal authority. OMG, Democrats Are Criminally Bad At Marketing What They Accomplish. And that's all part of his story of redemption and his story of being a changed person. 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. 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. /Producer ( Q t 4 . But Its All Too Familiar. Blank credits his mother with giving him his first lesson in entrepreneurship. And he recently gave $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden, Forbes reported. It is time to hold mayoral offices accountable, chiefs and deputy chiefs. And it was early on a Sunday morning. Because It Delivers Comfort, Status and Cash. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. In 1978, both he and future Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank were fired during a corporate power struggle at Handy Dan.