"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. So it was a great story and is a great story. Arthur Blank - Wikipedia He received his MBA from Harvard. This is not a good way to make a living. Of the other 60% who do come, half are rooting for the other team. So I understood what they were saying: They just wanted support noise. He came out of the prison system as a changed person for the positive, not for the negative. And so he speaks to people throughout the United States, young people primarily, about that. The portfolio includes nearly $10 million in grants to 12 nonprofits that represent a diverse set of organizations with a strong presence in Georgia and the Southeast. Support more understanding and be better listeners trying to see how the other people, you know, try to stand in the footsteps of others. 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. Players and coaches appear giving quick testimonials. 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. ', 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. How do you help repair the world if we can use that expression? 5 Other Blank family businesses include the nationwide PGA TOUR Superstore as well as a handful of ranches across the country. Young you are. Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. So it really never defined me. When you burn down this city, youre burning down our community., If you want change in America, go and register to vote. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. One of the beauties is that when you come to the stadium, it feels like it's the United Nations. And it's all connected not only to associates, but to the communities in which we live and operate. 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. 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. I still remember this as if it was yesterday. Your support makes this possible. 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 organization works directly with election officials to maintain accurate and complete voter lists and to secure their election technology infrastructure. 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. Blank Launches New Voter Education Project - Atlanta Jewish Times So, I would say it was very successful. So there was no disrespect to the military. We Present You Trumps Deposition, More or Less Verbatim. We Have Every Reason To Expect a Lot More from the NFL, no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out. Despite being widowed at a young age, his mother managed the familys mail-order pharmaceutical business and sold it to a large retail conglomerate. 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. Arthur Blank talks sensible gun reform | CNN 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. "This grant will help The Center add to its existing . Mercedes-Benz Stadium aims to be the first stadium to receive LEED Platinum certification. j"[p!d~oB?1].drwe GM]/v2q3^u[\ /. That is the change we need in this country.". Stop making people feel so fearful. Dueling Visions for Minnesota: Scandinavia or South Dakota? 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. And that's one of our core values as well: Include everybody. I said, Look, I'm going to be a new owner, tell me what I can do to help. Blank writes about being teased for having a stutter. "Obviously, it's a tragic time in the history of the. "So, you know, I love him. 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. And at the top of that is who is being served comes first. 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) 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. What Would Trump Steal That is So Ultra Top Secret and Why? These are the kinds of people we need in leadership today, not thinking about red, blue, purple. I have what's called a veil state, or I am a stutterer. It's an inverted pyramid that speaks to our whole orientation and all of our businesses today. 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. I'm not sure how they're going to receive you. /SM 0.02 But in any event, that was part of just being a good listener. 8 . Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. 17. It's our job is to serve the American people and I think we need to have more focus on that.". 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. And they love that. I felt and others felt that we could be successful here. 6 0 obj So everything is designed to accommodate the soccer fans so they feel like this is their place as a result of that. And that's it. You know, better than in the 40s and 50s, but not where we should be. The 79-year-old philanthropist has supported educational projects to promote civil rights and racial justice. 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. Michael Vicks published letter, Atlanta, nearly made a whole city cry on the eve of the Super Bowl. And my mother was giving him a lecture saying, You realize this is not what your parents would want you to do. /SA true 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. But I know where his heart is and his heart is really in a good place. . 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. We want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burned to the ground. ", CNN -- Ted [Turner] did a great thing. Arthur blank politics The largest donation made to a political party by an Atlanta Falcons employee was by Arthur Blank. Our history of voting rights is a constant struggle, a repetitive cycle of expansion followed by restriction. Yeah, It Could Have Been Worse. Arthur Blank gives $17M to National Center for Civil and Human Rights Expand. 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. that those rights were not being fully reflected in our society today. We sit down with New York Times theater critic Jesse Green to discuss Rodgers' autobiography, Shy. 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! Brian Kemp signed SB 202 into law. 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? I want you guys to come up with real solutions. 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. In order to put this grinding pandemic behind us once and for all? And Ambassador Young, another good friend would say the same thing. 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 . So in this case, we were coming back from a game after the team had played in St. Louis against the old St. Louis Rams theyre now in L.A. and instead of riding in the front of the plane with the coaches and managers, I sat in the back with the players. I mean, people were throwing tea off those boats because they were protesting, you know. Home Depot Co-Founder Donates to Mentorship Program for Teens - The New 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. /Height 155 When you find common solutions that work for everybody and [are] respectful of everybody to represent the best of you. The ones in Atlanta on Friday started off peaceful but later turned into violent demonstrations and looting of local businesses. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. You're going to get a lot of your fellow owners really pissed. The family foundation has already invested over $20 million into the surrounding community. Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. Arthur Blank: I was fired from Home Depot - YouTube In the 1940sGeorgia mountains, eight children were taken into the woods and left to die. Which country do you come from? They were trying to indicate that what the military had fought for these rights, the civil rights, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, etc. 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. So the answer would be yes. 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. In 1989, the company opened its 100th store. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images). Proceeds from sales of Good Companygo to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. 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. He just opened the door. Now it's ranked like seventh. He's done a lot of work in terms of animal rights, which has been great and been appreciated by all of those agencies and all those institutions. 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. Today, Blank is the Chairman of AMB Group LLC, parent company of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. 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. And he recently gave $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden, Forbes reported. February 4, 2021 4:12 pm ET. 9, Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. Give them hope. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is located adjacent to the Falcons current home, the Georgia Dome, in Atlantas Westside. 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. OMG, Democrats Are Criminally Bad At Marketing What They Accomplish. 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. 2, In the late 1970s, Arthur Blank was an officer at Handy Dan, a regional hardware store chain in Southern California. Our democracy is made stronger when we hear from all Americans on the issues of our day whether they be national or local. 6 Blank was the 2003 Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. The documentary will premiere exclusively Nov. 23, 2020 at 8 p.m.on Georgia Public Broadcasting. /Title ( A r t h u r b l a n k p o l i t i c s) 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. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. /Length 7 0 R When he came out, he was on house arrest and I took a meal to him and his family from his favorite restaurant here in Atlanta. That Vote for Secretary of State? 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. But I know that his essence, at his heart and his soul, is a really good person that cares deeply about humanity. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. The Atlanta Falcons new stadium is going to be beautiful.