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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. /Height 155 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? 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. Its appalling how heavily-to-tightly-managed entities, especially those controlled by a small cluster of well-heeled egos turn into shuddering eunuchs at the thought of riling just an ugly faction of its consumer base. We sit down with New York Times theater critic Jesse Green to discuss Rodgers' autobiography, Shy. All Rights Reserved. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. Hey, Senate DFLers, Dont Forget The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact! GPB intern Eva Rothenberg contributed to this article. But I would keep raising my hand. ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank released a statement on Saturday following President Donald Trump's comments on Friday about the NFL. Blank credits his mother with giving him his first lesson in entrepreneurship. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. 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. I want you to talk to 10 of your friends. I love CNN, I love Cartoon Network. We were living in a single-bedroom apartment in Queens. 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. One where guys like the Vikings' Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. Now, the last game we had in the Georgia Dome before we moved to Mercedes Benz Stadium in August of 2017, wewere honoring all of our ring of honor members and he was one of them. Arthur Blank (Atlanta Falcons owner and co-founder of Home Depot) 2020Joe Biden 2016Hillary Clinton 2012Barack Obama Maxine Clark (founder and former CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop) 2016Hillary Clinton Michael Eisner (former CEO of Disney) 2016Marco Rubio, then later Hillary Clinton 2016Kamala Harris Jack M. Greenberg (former CEO of McDonald's) A protest has purpose. This must happen more than every four years, because theres no offseason for democracy. The firing in 1978 was a political situation primarily between my partner Bernie [Marcus] and a gentleman, that has passed away now, who was his boss. His professional team Atlanta United FC brought professional soccer to Atlanta beginning in 2017. Show up at the polls on June 9. And he recently gave $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden, Forbes reported. Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. All Rights Reserved. And my mother was giving him a lecture saying, You realize this is not what your parents would want you to do. (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.). If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. 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. Left to right: Dennis Ross, Arthur Blank, Bernie Marcus, Pat Farrah, Ron Brill. Expand. Then I would not be bashful about asking questions. Both John Lewis John, just a month before he passed away and Andy Young have said to me that we do have to recognize that things are better than they used to be. 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. Can We Please Kill Off the Tipping Mumbo-Jumbo? 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 . I would suggest, for anybody in business, that you listen to who you're serving. The Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. But Its All Too Familiar. 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. Porn Star Pay Offs, Inciting Insurrection, Sexual Assaults, Bank Fraud, Election Conspiracy and FoxNews v. Dominion. 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. We believe that voting rights are critically important, and our home state of Georgia is at the center of the struggle. But he was. } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br 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. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. 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. Please, please stop this violence!! In total, they anticipate hosting each year 40 to 50 big events and an additional 100 to 200 small events in the neighboring park that will be built where the Georgia Dome currently resides. And being a good listener, it's an art form that we all can possess. 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 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. ATLANTA - Falcons team owner Arthur Blank has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the team's final game of the regular season. /SM 0.02 Through their work, we envision a social movement in which communities of color are fully empowered, active in civic life, and working together to promote equity, fair treatment, and self determination for all. She was a woman of great principle, great personal authority. In 1978, they were both fired from Handy Dans by a corporate raider who took over the chains parent company. The public discourse on these and other issues is too divisive, too political. He notes pervasive cynicism about corporate leaders and perceptions that the drive for profit comes at the expense of public good. It is time to hold mayoral offices accountable, chiefs and deputy chiefs. Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!! 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. He had a gun on his lap, sitting on his right thigh. 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. << They all understand it's, you know, you have an opportunity to be here on Earth and how do you want to leave it? More must be done to address the underlying issues that have led to these incidents across the country. 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. 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. Philanthropist Arthur Blank has thrown his support behind a new voter education initiative aimed at young people. More must be done to bring people together through meaningful change. And it was early on a Sunday morning. Stop feeding fear and anger every day. Arthur is committed to changing the narrative around sports stadiums, said Frank Fernandez, the VP of Community Development at The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, to The Daily Beast. Seventy percent of the players in the NFL are African American a disproportionate number. meathead) culture inside the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins. Is the Jensen-Birk Campaign Minnesotas WOAT? 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. So, you know, we understood that our culture had nothing to do with which party you are affiliated with. . Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. Here, using insidegov.com's database, are the disclosed political donations* for majority NFL owners dating back to the 2008 election. They all have a great set of eyes and they're all different. And, you know, living in poverty, we had friends coming by all the time and what have you. ATLANTA Protests over the death of George Floyd have been gaining national attention. I mean, people were throwing tea off those boats because they were protesting, you know. We Have Every Reason To Expect a Lot More from the NFL, no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out. In order to put this grinding pandemic behind us once and for all? We've broken every season ticket record per game. The league has recently been running in-game PSAs pushing cancer and mental health awareness screenings, etc. 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 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! CEIR works to build voter trust and confidence, increase voter participation and improve the efficiency of election administration. But it's really not a story about dogfighting. Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. "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. 3 0 obj 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. Brian Kemp signed SB 202 into law. Its more like cowardly, and meatheaded. I stayed in touch with him to some degree when he was in prison. Falcons owner Arthur Blank is weighing in on Georgia's sweeping overhaul of election laws. Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with businessman Arthur Blank about gun regulation and philanthropy. 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. Arthur Blanks brother, Michael, and his father, Max, are photographed outside the OES Pharmacy family business, in 1940. 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 mean, I was stuttering when I was senior class president, [and in] student government. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! My dad didn't look at who it was. endobj Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. Bernardo Little . "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. We want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burned to the ground. In 1978, both he and future Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank were fired during a corporate power struggle at Handy Dan. Michael Vicks published letter, Atlanta, nearly made a whole city cry on the eve of the Super Bowl. And how do I put my shoulder to the wheel and lead by example and take the blessings of all the resources that our family. 8 . Organizations also called to move The Masters, which begins April 8. 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. 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. ", CNN -- Ted [Turner] did a great thing. And so he speaks to people throughout the United States, young people primarily, about that. Generally speaking they dont do a lot to lift up the communities and neighborhoods around them. 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. Their siblings, their families, you know, may have gone to battle and wore a variety of uniforms for our country over many, many years. 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 Falcons leadership knows how to play politics. Arthur Blank talks sensible gun reform. The ones in Atlanta on Friday started off peaceful but later turned into violent demonstrations and looting of local businesses. 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. 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. ', 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. 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. He fielded multiple quarterback-related questions and spoke glowingly of Ridder, who. And Ambassador Young, another good friend would say the same thing. Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. 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. 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. He and his brother, Michael, were raised in a one-bedroom apartment. Our history of voting rights is a constant struggle, a repetitive cycle of expansion followed by restriction. 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. So, that represents that melting-pot philosophy: Were all in this together. I still remember this as if it was yesterday. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will also be home to Atlantas MLS team, Atlanta United FC. /CA 1.0 3, By 1981, Home Depots stock went public and raised over $4 million. Falcons owner Arthur Blank spoke with reporters during a 10-minute teleconference from the Super Bowl. The NFL could and should be a leader among other giant corporations in taking stark stands against belligerent stupidity like racism (which it is sort of good at in a lipservice/signage kind of way, considering 70% of its players are black) and sexism (where it has a long ways to go, despite promoting Breast Cancer Awareness Month with pink shoes), but also right now for wait for it COVID vaccinations. 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:. 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. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is located adjacent to the Falcons current home, the Georgia Dome, in Atlantas Westside. And he should know. It's a beautiful thing. 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. 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. So, I would say it was very successful. How? Resistance to Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Futile. The guest. This is not a protest. And there are two [robbers] and they want to know, "Where's the money, where's the cash?" Arthur Blank is getting more involved in the political process. 1 2 . ~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? 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. However, many Americans are still being denied access to their vote and their ability to fully participate in our democracy. Paul, are you there? That should never be tolerated. And we've had a very successful team for the first threeand-a-half years this year. And that's it. He details the inception and rapid success of Atlanta United, and responding to the NFL protests that began in 2016. GPBs Virginia Prescott asked Blank about some of those stories in a conversationpresented in collaboration with Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlantas Book Festival in Your Living Room, the National JCC Literary Consortium and the Atlanta History Center. 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. And so think about the implications of the choices you're making for yourself and for your loved ones, etc. What Does Hamline Not Understand About Academic Freedom? But I know where his heart is and his heart is really in a good place. Blank's statement did not specify any initiatives or call any elected officials or political parties by name. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Please stop the violence!, Im not in Atlanta, but if I were I would have been standing with our Mayor! 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. 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. But you want your core values to be the same, ideally. 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. 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. Kemp and the law's backers said it provides some common-sense reformsto ensure elections are secure. /SMask /None>> I have many friends who are no longer fervent Braves supporters. But the two subsequent CEOs the gentleman there today, Craig Minear, the CEO and president Ted Decker both live the culture. Stay up to date with what you want to know. It's the customers. This is chaos. I suspect he had help. February 4, 2021 4:12 pm ET. 2, In the late 1970s, Arthur Blank was an officer at Handy Dan, a regional hardware store chain in Southern California. And next thing I know, he was sitting on his knees and with a gun to his head. But We Aint Seen Nuthin Yet. We need to recognize those truths. And that's one of our core values as well: Include everybody. They want to have a home-field advantage. With Enemies Like Scott Jensen, Who Needs Friends? 7) The 74-year-old Blank, who Forbes estimates has an estimated net worth of $3.1 billion, is the director of Cox. When you find common solutions that work for everybody and [are] respectful of everybody to represent the best of you. 16 Blanks son, Kenny Blank, also sits on the foundations board and is the executive director of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. We sold out the entire stadium in two-and-a-half hours. /Subtype /Image The views expressed here are the authors' alone, not necessarily the views of their clients, employers or families. However, the Atlanta Falcons new home, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, may foster a new era of stadium construction and community engagement. Owner, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. /Producer ( Q t 4 . (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images). 2010-2023 Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. 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. The 79-year-old philanthropist has supported educational projects to promote civil rights and racial justice. I mean, everybody's standing for an hour-and-a-half and they just don't sit down. /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. 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. We Present You Trumps Deposition, More or Less Verbatim. But there was nothing I could say better than what Mayor @KeishaBottoms said last night! I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. 1, Arthur Blank was born to Molly and Max Blank in Queens, New York. It's an inverted pyramid that speaks to our whole orientation and all of our businesses today. 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. 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. This is not the legacy of civil rights in America. His percentage of giving back from his estate will be equal to mine and some of his philosophies don't exactly match mine. I have what's called a veil state, or I am a stutterer. 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. Steve Bullock, and the Democratic National Committee, to name a few, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission. Today, Blank is the Chairman of AMB Group LLC, parent company of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United.