The Blank foundation also emphasizes environmental sustainability and aims to support programs that foster this message in the Westside. And so he speaks to people throughout the United States, young people primarily, about that. "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. And at the top of that is who is being served comes first. In that way, I don't think my personality, probably, or my patience level probably is not the level it would have to be to sustain myself in this political atmosphere today. Bernie has great values and Bernie cares deeply not only about our faith, but about giving back. 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But the two subsequent CEOs the gentleman there today, Craig Minear, the CEO and president Ted Decker both live the culture. 1, Arthur Blank was born to Molly and Max Blank in Queens, New York. 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. 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. "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. Tikkun Olam [a Jewish concept of repairing the world through action]. And it was early on a Sunday morning. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. There's no place for looting and stealing and whatever else. 6 Blank was the 2003 Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Their frustration is real, and it must be acknowledged and addressed. !, And listen to me, be careful where you are getting your information to JOIN protests!! Shrinking from conflict over something as valid, real and life-protecting as a vaccine is not what Id call, manly, brave, courageous or patriotic. The Falcons leadership knows how to play politics. Fernandez says that they intend to use the stadium as an anchoring institution, and that the number one thing people in the community said they wanted are jobs. 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. 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. . "His approach obviously is different. Dueling Visions for Minnesota: Scandinavia or South Dakota? [Thats] something that I talk about in the book, which most people are not aware of. All of which is, yknow, really classy stuff. His professional team Atlanta United FC brought professional soccer to Atlanta beginning in 2017. In 1989, the company opened its 100th store. 260 14th St. NW Blank's statement did not specify any initiatives or call any elected officials or political parties by name. Hey, Senate DFLers, Dont Forget The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact! So it was good. Another Home. 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. I felt and others felt that we could be successful here. 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. To assist with the effective inclusion of community voices, the city of Atlanta participated in the Living Cities City Accelerator program, which streamlined and articulated (PDF) best practices for service providers and community leaders to build stable communities in Atlanta. The NFL owners club is a remarkable collection of avaricious gargoyles. 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/. Brian Kemp signed the controversial bill, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. 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. Now, there's no place for violent protest. Paul, are you there? The guest. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. And, you know, living in poverty, we had friends coming by all the time and what have you. And they love that. a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. Arthur Blank is getting more involved in the political process. 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. And he had to mop the floors for weeks and months on end. We were living in a single-bedroom apartment in Queens. People are scared and in pain. Sign up for notifications from Insider! (Confidentiality, you know.) Michael Vicks published letter, Atlanta, nearly made a whole city cry on the eve of the Super Bowl. If you sit in your homes instead of burning your home to the ground, you will have time to properly plot, plan, strategize and organize and mobilize in effective ways., Two of the most effective ways is first taking your butt to the computer and making sure you fill out your census so that people know who you are and where you are. Arthur Blank is an American entrepreneur and a co-owner of the home improvement retail giant The Home Depot. "This grant will help The Center add to its existing . 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. But it's really not a story about dogfighting. Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. They survived. 13 Diana is a left-of-center philanthropist based in Atlanta and anonymously contributed several high-profile donations in the area including a $4 million gift to the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra as well as a nearly $20 million gift to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. In 2014 it emerged that Bruce Levenson, who owned the NBAs Atlanta Hawks, had written an email that amongst other things theorized that the black crowd [at Philips Arena] scared away the whites, adding for good measure: I have even bitched that the kiss cam is too black. Levenson later that year sold his stake in the franchise, and the Hawks have worked hard to win back their black audience. Seventy-threethousand stood up and clapped, gave him a great hand. Her father was one half of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It doesn't mean we agree on everything, we don't, but that's healthy," he said. 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. More must be done to bring people together through meaningful change. The 79-year-old philanthropist has supported educational projects to promote civil rights and racial justice. 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. When you burn down this city, youre burning down our community., If you want change in America, go and register to vote. And so think about the implications of the choices you're making for yourself and for your loved ones, etc. Soon after, Blank met his third wife Angela Macuga whom he married in 2016 and later announced their plans to divorce in 2019. Despite being widowed at a young age, his mother managed the familys mail-order pharmaceutical business and sold it to a large retail conglomerate. It's a beautiful thing. C q" 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. 2, In the late 1970s, Arthur Blank was an officer at Handy Dan, a regional hardware store chain in Southern California. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. << Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The league has recently been running in-game PSAs pushing cancer and mental health awareness screenings, etc. And somebody knocked on the door. But I know that his essence, at his heart and his soul, is a really good person that cares deeply about humanity. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. That Vote for Secretary of State? 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. [/Pattern /DeviceRGB] (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.) But Its All Too Familiar. Pictured is the famous napkin deal that sealed Arthur Blanks agreement with Taylor Smith to purchase the Atlanta Falcons for $545 million in 2001. 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. So, you know, we understood that our culture had nothing to do with which party you are affiliated with. So I think that part of that comes out of really being a good listener and responding to what you're hearing and trying to find a way to make things work for the benefit of everybody collaboratively. Virginia Prescott is theGracie Award-winning host of On Second Thought for Georgia Public Broadcasting. 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. 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. $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. 4 0 obj Our democracy is made stronger when we hear from all Americans on the issues of our day whether they be national or local. 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. 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. I said, Look, I'm going to be a new owner, tell me what I can do to help. 7) Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. However, peaceful protests really go back and look at the history of our country back to the Boston Tea Party. 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. 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. /ca 1.0 Blank writes about being teased for having a stutter. But, we really could not have done it without great service, great pricing, and great product knowledge. /CA 1.0 It starts with respect. And to be sure, Atlanta is better than what we saw in the actions of a few last night. 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. 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. Arthur blank politics The largest donation made to a political party by an Atlanta Falcons employee was by Arthur Blank. Yet the team continues to unite Atlantans during the ups and downs. 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. 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. It's hard to believe. Blank also owns Atlantas Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a sports and entertainment facility valued at $1.5 billion that hosted the 2019 Super Bowl. When you find common solutions that work for everybody and [are] respectful of everybody to represent the best of you. GALEO has also handed out flyers at city events, supermarkets, and churches that target Latinos. endobj meathead) culture inside the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins. Our frontline associates and all those businesses come next. Falcons owner Arthur Blank spoke with reporters during a 10-minute teleconference from the Super Bowl. We've broken every season ticket record per game. This is not a protest. "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. 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. We are better than this We are better than this as a country. follow. And part of that is reducing our environmental impact.. 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. 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. /Type /XObject 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. But go ahead and do it, if that's what you want. So we did it. So that's really what it was about. February 4, 2021 4:12 pm ET. The public discourse on these and other issues is too divisive, too political. 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. And I love him. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. I think when the president [Donald Trump] in the fall of 2017 commented during his speech in Alabama about I don't want to use the words, you know what they were but he termed the players that were kneeling, in my view, in a very derogatory way. 16 Blanks son, Kenny Blank, also sits on the foundations board and is the executive director of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. /Height 155 Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. But what, I ask, would be the effect of a dozen or so top current and former stars, coaches and league executives stepping up to a camera and telling pro footballs millions (and millions) of fans to get vaccinated for the sake of other people like the season ticket holders sitting next to them if not themselves? ", CNN -- Ted [Turner] did a great thing. Where did your parents come from with your grandparents? We all came from someplace else, other than the other Native Americans. I'm not sure how they're going to receive you. The organization works directly with election officials to maintain accurate and complete voter lists and to secure their election technology infrastructure. His is another example of how well powerful systems, in this case, the almighty NFL, can throw a PR cocoon around people and project to the public only the parts of its culture that serve its business interests until they dont. These are the kinds of people we need in leadership today, not thinking about red, blue, purple. Soccer fans don't want to feel like they go into a stadium and they're a second-class citizen citizen. So it was a great story and is a great story. 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. With Enemies Like Scott Jensen, Who Needs Friends? 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) Left to right: Dennis Ross, Arthur Blank, Bernie Marcus, Pat Farrah, Ron Brill. This is not the legacy of civil rights in America. 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. ATLANTA Protests over the death of George Floyd have been gaining national attention. 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. 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. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. 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, Forbes reported. He just opened the door. And there are two [robbers] and they want to know, "Where's the money, where's the cash?" This is chaos and were buying into it. /Title ( A r t h u r b l a n k p o l i t i c s) But I would keep raising my hand. 4, Blank purchased the NFLs Atlanta Falcons for more than $540 million shortly after stepping down as CEO of Home Depot. 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. 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. If you don't make good choices, you can end up being in really bad places. 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. 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. 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. He came out of the prison system as a changed person for the positive, not for the negative. And I love him. More must be done to address the underlying issues that have led to these incidents across the country. 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. They're a PR's dream because they rarely say the wrong thing. 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. 12, Blank has been married three times. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. America has long struggled to deliver a fair and equitable democracy to all of its citizens. 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. One was in pricing. It Now Actually Matters, a Lot. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. We had the option of going to a variety of companies, doing a variety of things in a traditional sense of management leadership. 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. But he did. 15, Two of Blanks children, Dena Kimball and Kenny Blank, sit on the board of directors of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Your support makes this possible. This is not a good way to make a living. Over the past week, figures around the NFL have 14, He also had three children with his second wife of 16 years, Stephanie Blank. GALEO engages in advocacy, creates opportunities for engagement and networking, and develops leadership skills for Latino community members. I mean, it doesn't make a difference how old you are. 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. 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. They all have a great set of eyes and they're all different. For more information about Life Itself, visit the . Stop making people feel so fearful. In his new book, Good Company, Blank follows his own success to show that purpose and profit can and should coexist. They all understand it's, you know, you have an opportunity to be here on Earth and how do you want to leave it? The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. By Bob Bahr October 12, 2021, 5:48 pm. Young you are. 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. Mercedes-Benz Stadium aims to be the first stadium to receive LEED Platinum certification. We believe that voting rights are critically important, and our home state of Georgia is at the center of the struggle. 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. My dad didn't look at who it was. /Length 7 0 R And thats despite our recent record, which hasn't been, you know, one I'm particularly proud of, but we'll get better. /BitsPerComponent 8 I'll flip words around, you know, subconsciously and, and make sentences complete. So, we had great confidence in our own abilities. "It's healthy to disagree on things, but it's not acceptable to not be kind.". Good Company is billed as a visionary road-map for creating successful businesses. There are nearly one million Latinos in Georgia, with one of the fastest growth rates of the Latino population in the nation. 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. Arthur Blank talks sensible gun reform. 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. /SMask /None>> The stadium boasts roughly 4,000 solar panels and will use 70 percent less energy. It's the fans. 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. The Atlanta media thrashed Arthur Smith, Terry Fontenot, and Arthur Blank about their interest level sometime after the news broke. I understand that, but I respect it," said Blank. They all have a great set of values. Do it in November. They want to have a home-field advantage. He had three children with his first wife Diana Blank, whom he divorced in 1993. I said, Paul? w !1AQaq"2B #3Rbr 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. Paul, are you OK? I was going to call his secretary, thinking Paul got a heart attack or something. It is time to hold mayoral offices accountable, chiefs and deputy chiefs. He's committed to his wife now, his children. j"[p!d~oB?1].drwe GM]/v2q3^u[\ /. He had a gun on his lap, sitting on his right thigh. 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. /Producer ( Q t 4 . Blank allowed the previous front office to make shortsighted moves that still are costing the. Bernardo Little . Blank, who is Jewish, also addressed the administration's failure to recognize the losses suffered by the Jewish people during the Holocaust. Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. So, I think the great political leaders and the great spiritual leaders, in my view, have always, always opened up their arms and included everybody. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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. Owner, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. 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. The Number of White Teachers About to Get Fired is Exactly Zero.
arthur blank politics
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