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. United States, Copyright 2023, Georgia Public Broadcasting. You can do whatever you choose to do. >> The Falcons leadership knows how to play politics. /BitsPerComponent 8 GALEO has also handed out flyers at city events, supermarkets, and churches that target Latinos. Playoffs, playoff championships, etc. 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. Bernardo Little . He would say, I don't need to be cut any slack, you know. So it was a great story and is a great story. Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons - Sports Illustrated 260 14th St. NW Arthur Blank on Trump policies: 'Troubled by anything that GPB intern Eva Rothenberg contributed to this article. We have to be better than burning down our own homes because if we lose Atlanta what else do we have?, I want you to go home. 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. 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. The family foundation has already invested over $20 million into the surrounding community. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. I do know it is hard. endobj But in any event, that was part of just being a good listener. I would suggest, for anybody in business, that you listen to who you're serving. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. I have many friends who are no longer fervent Braves supporters. In 1989, the company opened its 100th store. Arthur M. Blank is responsible for the sorry state of the Falcons. And he recently gave $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden, Forbes reported. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I have what's called a veil state, or I am a stutterer. These are the kinds of people we need in leadership today, not thinking about red, blue, purple. One of the beauties is that when you come to the stadium, it feels like it's the United Nations. . She was a woman of great principle, great personal authority. I love CNN, I love Cartoon Network. That is the change we need in this country.". 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. So, I would say it was very successful. 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. 8 . I listen to what he says and sometimes I'll cringe. Here, using insidegov.com's database, are the disclosed political donations* for majority NFL owners dating back to the 2008 election. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Arthur Blank - InfluenceWatch - InfluenceWatch 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. 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. And I remember him looking at me saying, If I told your mother what you just said, she would wash your mouth out with soap. But that was the last thing I said. 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. 9. You know, he uses the phrase community of chaos, that we move away from chaos and towards community and community in a very broad sense, community with each other. 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. How could Trump possibly have lost re-election? This is chaos and were buying into it. And that's it. By all accounts, those associated with the new stadium and the Westside view their presence as at least a 10-20 year commitment toward revitalizing a downtrodden community and bringing the city together. Bernie has great values and Bernie cares deeply not only about our faith, but about giving back. Arthur Blank is worried that capitalism is getting a bad rap. 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. And, you know, living in poverty, we had friends coming by all the time and what have you. 5 Other Blank family businesses include the nationwide PGA TOUR Superstore as well as a handful of ranches across the country. Young you are. He had a gun on his lap, sitting on his right thigh. It Now Actually Matters, a Lot. 16 Blanks son, Kenny Blank, also sits on the foundations board and is the executive director of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. /Length 7 0 R So it was good. But Its All Too Familiar. Seventy percent of the players in the NFL are African American a disproportionate number. Those come first. 2, In the late 1970s, Arthur Blank was an officer at Handy Dan, a regional hardware store chain in Southern California. They're a PR's dream because they rarely say the wrong thing. I still remember this as if it was yesterday. Blank credits his mother with giving him his first lesson in entrepreneurship. It's hard to believe. 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. Yet the team continues to unite Atlantans during the ups and downs. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is married to Angela Macuga, his third wife. "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. The statement reads: "We are at our very best. Proceeds from sales of Good Companygo to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. Democracy - The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation The guest. So, long story short, I think, is that we should recognize the past, understand the progress we have made. 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. The Athletic's Felipe Crdenas joined Georgia Public Broadcasting's Orlando Montoya tohelp breakdown what fans can expect this year on and off the field. That coming the day before the New York Times dropped the bomb(s) about Gruden calling the NFL commissioner a faggot, ripping the leagues concussion protocols, (in other words, Grudens pro-concussion) and trading nudie pictures of cheerleaders. Despite being widowed at a young age, his mother managed the familys mail-order pharmaceutical business and sold it to a large retail conglomerate. And so he carries a weight of authority that somebody who's just called a suit and comes in and talks to them and doesn't quite feel the same, same way. They want to have a home-field advantage. . /Type /XObject If you go to a Home Depot shareholders meeting, they start out every single meeting for 42 years now with this value wheel that we developed. Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with businessman Arthur Blank about gun regulation and philanthropy. It is making no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out about the Redskins and others who had contact with the team. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. "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. 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. Low Expectations and Dark Hopes for the New Year, Minnesotas Wealthiest Social Security Beneficiaries Shouldnt Be First in Line for Help, Time to Limit HOAs Solar Panel Policing Powers, Pop Quiz: How Many People Actually Know Whats Going On?. 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. More must be done to address systemic racism. Blank also owns Atlantas Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a sports and entertainment facility valued at $1.5 billion that hosted the 2019 Super Bowl. And I love him. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. 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. 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. 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. 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. When you burn down this city, youre burning down our community., If you want change in America, go and register to vote. He released a statement five days after Gov. Martin Luther King Jr. once lived in this part of town, but decades of disinvestment and neglect have resulted in over 40 percent of the community living in poverty with an unemployment rate twice that of the rest of Atlanta. These are not political issues, they are human issues that need serious, earnest attention from leaders and . And so he's used that time since he got out of prison and giving back to community, speaking to young people. Virginia Prescott is theGracie Award-winning host of On Second Thought for Georgia Public Broadcasting. They all have a great set of values. 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. It's the customers. My dad didn't look at who it was. What I Learned Over One Cup of Coffee Yesterday Morning, You Want to Laugh at Liz Truss and The Brits. 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. Home Depot Co-Founder Donates to Mentorship Program for Teens - The New Falcons' Blank excited about building around Ridder at QB Blank Launches New Voter Education Project - Atlanta Jewish Times Please, please stop this violence!! 15, Two of Blanks children, Dena Kimball and Kenny Blank, sit on the board of directors of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. More must be done to address the underlying issues that have led to these incidents across the country. Arthur Blank talks sensible gun reform. This must happen more than every four years, because theres no offseason for democracy. I had another NFL player, while [Vick] was in prison, come visit me and say I came from exactly the same neighborhood, but it was in a part of Pittsburgh. So sadly, Michael was raised in an environment where that was kind of normal behavior, if you will. that those rights were not being fully reflected in our society today. I mean, I was stuttering when I was senior class president, [and in] student government. The pair always strove to create a work environment that put people before politics, said Blank. Arthur Blank indicates that 2023 season is a must win for Arthur Smith So the answer would be yes. 2023 Cox Media Group. I am, in a certain sense. 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. 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. Statement from Arthur Blank on the 2020 election - Atlanta Falcons 9, Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . At the end of the day, you can have differences of opinion, which is a great thing to have, and different approaches, which is a great thing to have. 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. His faith is very strong. It's our job is to serve the American people and I think we need to have more focus on that.". 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. He and his brother, Michael, were raised in a one-bedroom apartment. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. follow. Its a story about making bad choices and the impact of young people. This is not a good way to make a living. Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!! 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? 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. The documentary will premiere exclusively Nov. 23, 2020 at 8 p.m.on Georgia Public Broadcasting. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. In Fall 2021, we launched our new Democracy program area with $10 million in grants designed to strengthen key democracy organizations to be resilient for the long haul of this work. Blank writes about being teased for having a stutter. 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 foundation is . 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. All Rights Reserved. All of which is, yknow, really classy stuff. With Enemies Like Scott Jensen, Who Needs Friends? I stayed in touch with him to some degree when he was in prison. . So, that represents that melting-pot philosophy: Were all in this together. We are better than this We are better than this as a country. Kemp and the law's backers said it provides some common-sense reformsto ensure elections are secure. 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. 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. One reporter asked Fontenot whether he thought the Falcons were getting Watson. 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. 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. Blank retired as Home Depot's co-chairman in. Left to right: Dennis Ross, Arthur Blank, Bernie Marcus, Pat Farrah, Ron Brill. There are nearly one million Latinos in Georgia, with one of the fastest growth rates of the Latino population in the nation. All Rights Reserved. GALEO strives for a better Georgia where the Latino community is engagedcivically, and its contributions and concerns are recognized. We sold out the entire stadium in two-and-a-half hours. He notes pervasive cynicism about corporate leaders and perceptions that the drive for profit comes at the expense of public good. /Width 625 Falcons owner Arthur Blank spoke with reporters during a 10-minute teleconference from the Super Bowl. 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. Inside The Political Donation History Of Wealthy Sports Owners (Confidentiality, you know.) Why Is Doc Jensen Still So Obsessed With His Long-Disproven COVID Claims? That Vote for Secretary of State? 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. 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. CEIR works to build voter trust and confidence, increase voter participation and improve the efficiency of election administration. 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 aims to be the first stadium to receive LEED Platinum certification. In the 1940sGeorgia mountains, eight children were taken into the woods and left to die. Blank also contributed $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008. Not about dogfighting. 17. 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. And if you go to the Museum of Equal Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, [Equal Justice Initiative Director] Bryan Stevenson says the same thing: We need to recognize [that] these 5000 lynchings took place in the United States[a 2019 Report from the EJI documents more than 4440 racial terror lynchings in the U.S. between 1877 and 1950]. They were trying to indicate that what the military had fought for these rights, the civil rights, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, etc. Their siblings, their families, you know, may have gone to battle and wore a variety of uniforms for our country over many, many years. 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%. Atlanta Falcons employees are most likely to be members of the Republican Party. Stay up to date with what you want to know. As I've said, 95% of my estate is going to be recycled back through our foundations and they will provide their insights and their leadership and their views and values that their father and their mothers would be very proud of. Arthur Blank says Falcons are 'excited' about Desmond Ridder's play Arthur blank politics The largest donation made to a political party by an Atlanta Falcons employee was by Arthur Blank. Brian Kemp signed SB 202 into law. The public discourse on these and other issues is too divisive, too political. It's a beautiful thing. So when we started, MLS was ranked like 22nd among all the leagues in the world. But, we really could not have done it without great service, great pricing, and great product knowledge. Seventy-threethousand stood up and clapped, gave him a great hand. Copyright 2023 InfluenceWatch. 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. Is the Jensen-Birk Campaign Minnesotas WOAT? "Obviously, it's a tragic time in the history of the. And we need to figure out, you know, how do we move past that and how do we learn from that and how do we get connected with our current reality? We want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burned to the ground. So, you know, soccer is on the ascent in the United States dramatically, which is a great thing. Lawlessness, vandalism and intentionally upending the peace with any form of violence has never been productive and is not the answer. Where did your parents come from with your grandparents? We all came from someplace else, other than the other Native Americans. Open, honest dialogue is needed on a much greater scale. 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.