The pair always strove to create a work environment that put people before politics, said Blank. 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. But, you know, I needed to change my view on what I could give back and how it could be connected to other people.. Please, please stop this violence!! A Member of the Blank Family of Businesses. The Falcons leadership knows how to play politics. One of the beauties is that when you come to the stadium, it feels like it's the United Nations. Arthur M. Blank is responsible for the sorry state of the Falcons. How do I do my part in it? More must be done to address the underlying issues that have led to these incidents across the country. 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]. 3 0 obj 7) The Blank foundation also emphasizes environmental sustainability and aims to support programs that foster this message in the Westside. 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. I said, Look, I'm going to be a new owner, tell me what I can do to help. 2023 Cox Media Group. But it's really not a story about dogfighting. 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. Max died when Arthur was 15, leaving his mother to grow what became a multi-million-dollar business. Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. All Rights Reserved. But go ahead and do it, if that's what you want. So we did it. I, like almost everyone else, had already started celebrating at halftime. These are the kinds of people we need in leadership today, not thinking about red, blue, purple. We were living in a single-bedroom apartment in Queens. GALEO has also handed out flyers at city events, supermarkets, and churches that target Latinos. He had three children with his first wife Diana Blank, whom he divorced in 1993. And so from there, since the 2001- 2002 season, we've only had three games that were not sold out during the season. Is the Jensen-Birk Campaign Minnesotas WOAT? By Bob Bahr October 12, 2021, 5:48 pm. Home Depot cofounders Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus have long been on separate sides of the fence when it comes to politics. 260 14th St. NW Arthur Blank is worried that capitalism is getting a bad rap. This isnt just a short-cut, this is a long-term play with significant input and investment into the community and its future, said Scott Jenkins, the general manager of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, to The Daily Beast. Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. Playoffs, playoff championships, etc. So when we started, MLS was ranked like 22nd among all the leagues in the world. And part of that is reducing our environmental impact.. So it was a great story and is a great story. Falcons owner Arthur Blank spoke with reporters during a 10-minute teleconference from the Super Bowl. Our Family Foundation and the rest of our businesses here in Atlanta and elsewhere remain committed to being part of the solution., Together for Atlanta. 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. /Length 7 0 R You know, better than in the 40s and 50s, but not where we should be. Were trying to do the exact opposite of that.. 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. $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? 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 think back when I lived in a neighborhood, you know, a small neighborhood, when my mother and dad were alive, we all took care of each other. I'll flip words around, you know, subconsciously and, and make sentences complete. There's no place for looting and stealing and whatever else. But the two subsequent CEOs the gentleman there today, Craig Minear, the CEO and president Ted Decker both live the culture. endobj 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! 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 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. I seriously doubt the leagues TV ratings or ad revenue would suffer an iota. And my mother was giving him a lecture saying, You realize this is not what your parents would want you to do. It Now Actually Matters, a Lot. 8 . ~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? 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 Bernie's heart. In a statement released on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium Twitter account, attributed to Blank, he said Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation leadership conveyed his sentiment directly to state officials in recent weeks. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The league has recently been running in-game PSAs pushing cancer and mental health awareness screenings, etc. /CreationDate (D:20210314125741+02'00') 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. Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. And now their story is a page-turning novel. He details the inception and rapid success of Atlanta United, and responding to the NFL protests that began in 2016. /BitsPerComponent 8 It's our job is to serve the American people and I think we need to have more focus on that.". How best to put it? But Still Not Even an Indictment. Shrinking from conflict over something as valid, real and life-protecting as a vaccine is not what Id call, manly, brave, courageous or patriotic. meathead) culture inside the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins. 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? Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. 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. In 2022, they plan to connect with over 1 million voters/ potential voters through phone banking, text banking, in-person canvassing events, and going door to door. /SM 0.02 ", CNN -- Ted [Turner] did a great thing. And that's all part of his story of redemption and his story of being a changed person. Like many other enormous corporations the NFL, selling a slick, bristling mix of testosterone and patriotism, ducks away from anything with a whiff of political conflict. The 79-year-old philanthropist has supported educational projects to promote civil rights and racial justice. Continued: https://t.co/yePGJUaGVV, Ive got a lot of love and respect for police officers., We dont want to see Targets burning. !, Do not fall for this foolishness!!! (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.). 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 it was good. Blank retired from the company in 2001 as co-chairman. So, that represents that melting-pot philosophy: Were all in this together. 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. I have what's called a veil state, or I am a stutterer. I've had conversations with a number of senators who made it very clear that some of their best friends, both politically and otherwise, are on the other side of the aisle. For more information about Life Itself, visit the . And then he worked in the laundry. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz He and his brother, Michael, were raised in a one-bedroom apartment. So, then we opened up The Home Depot. In their sixth season of Major League Soccer, the Five Stripes bring some new faces onto the field this year. Here, using insidegov.com's database, are the disclosed political donations* for majority NFL owners dating back to the 2008 election. 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. The Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. February 4, 2021 4:12 pm ET. Organizations also called to move The Masters, which begins April 8. /Width 625 I have many friends who are no longer fervent Braves supporters. The statement came about five days after Gov. So it really never defined me. /AIS false The wealthy propose tax increases on the poor and middle class to pay for their new stadiums, and they claim that new businesses flocking to the area will magically cover the costs. OMG, Democrats Are Criminally Bad At Marketing What They Accomplish. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Georgia Secretary of State calls many election changes 'solid', study by ESPN and FiveThirtyEight in October 2020, too restrictive and targets minority voters, Cobb leader says moving MLB All-Star game in protest would hurt business, Democrats dispute police report in Georgia lawmakers arrest, Civil rights groups file new lawsuit over Georgia voting law, Photos show rescue of Woodstock man 'buried up to his neck' in collapsed trench, Frederick, MD tanker explosion leaves 1 dead; Shuts down part of US-15, Sheriff's office continues five-year-long search for missing Carrollton man, Georgia baby girl reported missing with man diagnosed with mental illness, police say, Jesse Wilson: Adoptive mother arrested in boy's death in Arizona, Clayton County twin sisters make history rising the ranks in Georgia UPS facility, Alex Murdaugh killed wife, son to buy time, prosecutor says, UGA football star Jalen Carter facing charges in fatal crash: What we know, Young Thug trial: Judge orders probe of leaked evidence, Families intensify search for two men missing for more than a week. 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. ", It is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy We have to be better than this moment. It is in effect protecting the teams owner, a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. 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. Which country do you come from? Yet the team continues to unite Atlantans during the ups and downs. Open, honest dialogue is needed on a much greater scale. But in any event, that was part of just being a good listener. Not about dogfighting. We sit down with New York Times theater critic Jesse Green to discuss Rodgers' autobiography, Shy. I mean, everybody's standing for an hour-and-a-half and they just don't sit down. But its the NFL itself that should be held to greater account and responsibility than it ever is. Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. Another Home. 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. Brian Kemp signed the controversial bill, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. But he was there and he finally said, Listen, you own the franchise, you have the option. It had to do with our set of values.". I want you to talk to 10 of your friends. (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.) (Airlines resisting vaccination mandates for passengers are another prime example of failure of true leadership.) Like all stories meant to inspire, he takes some knocks. 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. And we've had a very successful team for the first threeand-a-half years this year. We believe the right to vote is sacred and should be protected, so that we can have an active and engaged citizenry that participates in our democracy year-round, not just during presidential election cycles. Blank credits his mother with giving him his first lesson in entrepreneurship. But he was. Blank's statement did not specify any initiatives or call any elected officials or political parties by name. His faith is very strong. Where did your parents come from with your grandparents? We all came from someplace else, other than the other Native Americans. 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. 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. 17. Blank writes about being teased for having a stutter. 03/03/2023. >> He received his MBA from Harvard. All of which is, yknow, really classy stuff.