Arthur Blank

Last updated

Arthur Blank
Arthur Blank 2016.jpg
Blank in 2016
Born
Arthur Morris Blank

(1942-09-27) September 27, 1942 (age 81)
Queens, New York City, U.S.
Education Babson College (BSBA)
Occupations
Spouses
  • Diana Latow (divorced 1993)
Stephanie Wray
​
​
(m. 1995;div. 2014)​
Angela Macuga
​
​
(m. 2016;div. 2019)​
[1]
Children6
Website www.blankfamilyofbusinesses.com

Arthur Morris Blank (born September 27, 1942) is an American businessman. He is best known for being a co-founder of the home improvement retailer The Home Depot. [2]

Contents

He also currently owns two professional sports teams based in Atlanta, Georgia  –the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer (MLS), the latter of which won the 2018 MLS Cup. [3]

Life

Arthur Blank was born to a Jewish family in Flushing, New York. [4] He was born to Max Blank, a pharmacist, and Molly Blank. He has an older brother named Michael. Blank graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York City. [5]

Blank in 2009 Arthurblank.jpg
Blank in 2009

After graduating from Babson Institute in 1963, [6] Blank was hired by Arthur Young and Company, where he was a senior accountant. He later joined the Daylin corporation, where he rose to become president of Elliott's Drug Stores/Stripe Discount Stores, a division of Daylin. When Daylin decided to sell off that division, Blank moved to another division, Handy Dan Home Improvement Centers. Bernard Marcus was CEO of Handy Dan and Blank was vice president of finance when both were fired in 1978 as part of an internal power struggle.

In 1978, Blank co-founded Home Depot with Marcus. New York investment banker Ken Langone assembled the initial group of investors and merchandising expert Patrick Farrah helped founders realize their vision of one-stop shopping for the do-it-yourselfer. The store revolutionized the home improvement business with its warehouse concept and Blank and Marcus became billionaires as a result. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. Blank retired from the company in 2001 as co-chairman. He received his MBA from Harvard.

Today, Blank is the Chairman of AMB Group LLC, parent company of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC.

Sports ownership

In February 2002, Blank purchased the Atlanta Falcons franchise in the National Football League from owner Taylor Smith, the son of team founder Rankin M. Smith Sr. In September 2004, he bought the Arena Football League franchise, the Georgia Force; he moved the team to the city of Atlanta after it had spent several years in suburban Gwinnett County.

Blank has expressed serious interest in purchasing other franchises. In early 2006, he temporarily withdrew from contention as a potential buyer of the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. Some months later, Blank re-entered serious talks with Time Warner and a report indicated that a sale was imminent. However, in February 2007, the Braves completed the sale of the team to Liberty Media. Blank has also founded an expansion Major League Soccer franchise named Atlanta United FC that began play in 2017. [7] The club shares Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the Falcons. Blank also helped the United States Soccer Federation set up their new headquarters in Atlanta, and the new training center was named in his honor.

Philanthropy

Blank is chairman of The Arthur Blank Family Foundation, [8] and serves on the Board of Trustees of Emory University.

In March 2020, Blank's foundation announced it would donate nearly $5.4 million to aid the coronavirus pandemic response in Georgia and Montana. [9] [10]

In October 2020 it was announced that the new Children's Healthcare of Atlanta hospital would be named after Arthur Blank after his foundation donated $200 million to the project. The Arthur M. Blank Hospital is expected to open in 2024. [11] [12]

He is a signatory of The Giving Pledge committing himself to give away at least 50% of his wealth to charitable causes.

Personal life

Blank has been married and divorced three times. He has three children with his first wife, Diana Blank (born 1942): Kenny Blank, Dena Blank Kimball, and Danielle Blank Thomsen; [13] [14] they divorced in 1993. [15] In 1995, he married Stephanie V. Blank (born 1968), a Blowing Rock, North Carolina native and Appalachian State University graduate. [16] They met when she worked as a designer at a Home Depot store in Atlanta. [16] They had three children - Joshua Blank, Max Blank, and Kylie Blank - before being divorced. [17] In June 2016, Blank married Angela Macuga (born 1968), [1] [18] who had three children from a previous marriage. [18] [19] They announced their pending divorce on January 1, 2019. [20]

Blank owns Mountain Sky Guest Ranch and West Creek Ranch outside Yellowstone National Park in Paradise Valley, Montana. He also owns several PGA TOUR Superstores.

On February 9, 2016, Blank disclosed that he had treatable prostate cancer. [21] On March 17, 2016, Blank announced that he is cancer-free following treatment. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta Falcons</span> National Football League franchise in Atlanta, Georgia

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons were founded on June 30, 1965, and joined the NFL in 1966 as an expansion team, after the NFL offered then-owner Rankin Smith a franchise to keep him from joining the rival American Football League (AFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Major League Soccer</span> Professional soccer league in the United States and Canada

Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the United States and 3 in Canada—since the 2023 season. MLS is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Force</span> Arena football team

The Georgia Force is the name of three separate versions of Arena Football League (AFL) teams based in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area of Georgia, United States, that played in the South Division of the American Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Dome</span> Former stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

The Georgia Dome was a domed stadium in the Southeastern United States. Located in Atlanta between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west, it was owned and operated by the State of Georgia as part of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. Its successor, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, was built adjacent to the south and opened on August 26, 2017. The Georgia Dome was demolished on November 20, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Marcus</span> American billionaire businessman

Bernard Marcus is an American billionaire businessman. He co-founded The Home Depot. He was the company's first CEO and first chairman until retiring in 2002.

Handy Dan Home Improvement was an American home improvement store based out of New Jersey. It went out of business in May, 1989.

Rankin M. Smith Sr. was an American businessman and philanthropist. A longtime resident of Atlanta, Georgia, Smith was very active in the Atlanta community. Smith served as president of the Life Insurance Company of Georgia from 1970 to 1976. Smith was also the founding owner of the National Football League (NFL)'s Atlanta Falcons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Home Depot</span> American multinational home improvement supplies retailing company

The Home Depot, Inc., often simply referred to as Home Depot, is an American multinational home improvement retail corporation that sells tools, construction products, appliances, and services, including fuel and transportation rentals. Home Depot is the largest home improvement retailer in the United States. In 2021, the company had 490,600 employees and more than $151 billion in revenue. The company is headquartered in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, with an Atlanta mailing address.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Expansion of Major League Soccer</span>

Major League Soccer has expanded several times since the league began play in 1996. Major League Soccer was established as the top level of professional soccer in the United States in 1993 with 10 teams and began play in 1996. It has expanded several times since 1998 into new markets across the United States and, since 2006, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Quinn (American football)</span> American football coach (born 1970)

Daniel Patrick Quinn is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Born in New Jersey, he attended Salisbury University and competed in the hammer throw and as a defensive lineman for their football team in the early 1990s. Quinn later coached defensive lines in college prior to joining the NFL in 2001. He was the defensive coordinator of the Legion of Boom-era Seattle Seahawks that appeared in two consecutive Super Bowls, winning XLVIII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Atlanta</span>

Sports in Atlanta has a rich history, including the oldest on-campus NCAA Division I football stadium, Bobby Dodd Stadium, built in 1913 by the students of Georgia Tech. Atlanta also played host to the second intercollegiate football game in the South, played between the A&M College of Alabama and the University of Georgia in Piedmont Park in 1892; this game is now called the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry. The city hosts college football's annual Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the Peachtree Road Race, the world's largest 10 km race. Atlanta was the host city for the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics, and Downtown Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park was built for and commemorates the games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz Stadium</span> Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Opened in August 2017 as a replacement for the Georgia Dome, it serves as the home stadium of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer (MLS). The stadium is owned by the state government of Georgia through the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, and operated by AMB Group, the parent organization of the Falcons and Atlanta United FC. In June 2016, the total cost of its construction was estimated at US$1.6 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orlando City SC</span> Soccer club in Major League Soccer

Orlando City Soccer Club, known as Orlando City SC or simply Orlando City, is an American professional soccer club based in Orlando, Florida. The club competes as a member of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top division in the United States soccer league system. Orlando City SC began play in 2015 as the 21st franchise in MLS, succeeding the USL Pro team of the same name. In doing so they became the first MLS team in Florida since Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny both folded following the 2001 season. The team plays in Downtown Orlando at Inter&Co Stadium, which it owns and operates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta United FC</span> American professional soccer team

Atlanta United FC is an American professional soccer club based in Atlanta. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference.

Diana Latow Blank is an American philanthropist who founded the Kendeda Fund. She is the former wife of The Home Depot co-founder, Arthur Blank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nashville SC</span> American soccer club

Nashville Soccer Club is an American men’s professional soccer club based in Nashville, Tennessee. The team began play in Major League Soccer in 2020 as a continuation of the USL club of the same name and plays its home matches at Geodis Park. It is principally owned by John Ingram, owner of Ingram Industries, along with investors and partial owners the Turner family of Dollar General Stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Smith (American football, born 1982)</span> American football player and coach (born 1982)

Arthur William Smith is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2021 to 2023 and as an assistant coach for the Tennessee Titans during the 2010s.

John F. Kennedy Park is a public park in the Vine City neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia. The park, named after former United States president John F. Kennedy, was reopened in 2019 following an extensive renovation.

Daylin, Inc. was a major retail conglomerate based in Los Angeles and later Beverly Hills, California. Its best-known unit was Handy Dan Improvement Centers, which prefigured The Home Depot; the company also briefly owned London Drugs as well as Great Eastern, which gave rise to Linens 'n Things.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Children's) Arthur M. Blank Hospital is a 446-bed children's hospital, slated to open Sept. 29, 2024. Located at the northeastern corner of North Druid Hills and I-85 in Brookhaven, Georgia, the 19-story Arthur M. Blank Hospital will be a Level I Trauma Center and provide many clinical services. There also will be space for clinical research, clinical trials and overall patient care.

References

  1. 1 2 Cleary, Tom (February 5, 2017). "Angela Macuga, Arthur Blank's Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know".
  2. ↑ "Our History". homedepot.com. The Home Depot. Archived from the original on January 21, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  3. ↑ "ARTHUR BLANK - OWNER AND CEO". atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  4. ↑ Images, Getty (February 2, 2017). "Super Bowl-Bound Arthur Blank on Why Jews Score as NFL Owners". The Forward. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Arthur Blank - Owner and CEO - Biography". Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  6. ↑ "The Incredible List of Successful Babson College Alumni (Part 1: Undergraduates)". VentureFizz. June 15, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  7. ↑ Straus, Brian (June 24, 2015). "In 2017, get ready to watch Atlanta United FC in MLS". Sports Illustrated.
  8. ↑ "AMB Group names key executives". Atlanta Business Chronicle. June 20, 2001. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation announces nearly $5.4 million in funding for COVID-19 relief efforts". www.atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  10. ↑ Staff, WSBTV com News (March 20, 2020). "Arthur Blank donates $5+ million in funding for coronavirus relief efforts". WSBTV. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  11. ↑ Walsh, Erin (October 12, 2020). "Falcons owner Arthur Blank donates $200 million to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta hospital". Yardbarker. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  12. ↑ Staff, WSBTV com News (October 12, 2020). "Children's Healthcare of Atlanta hospital names new facility in honor of Arthur Blank". WSBTV. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  13. ↑ Reference for Business: "Arthur Blank" retrieved October 18, 2014
  14. ↑ National Parks Conservation Association: "The Visionaries - Diana J. Blank" retrieved October 18, 2014
  15. ↑ Atlanta Business Journals: "A longtime anonymous donor reveals her identity" by Maria Saporta September 18, 2015
  16. 1 2 Point's North magazine: "Stephanie Blank" Archived October 18, 2014, at the Wayback Machine May 2010
  17. ↑ Levine, Daniel S. (February 6, 2017). "Arthur Blank's Wives & Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know" . Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  18. 1 2 Saporta Report: "Arthur Blank says purchasing soccer team for Atlanta is ‘close to his heart’" Archived November 12, 2014, at the Wayback Machine April 17, 2014
  19. ↑ Kenly News: "DWIGHT PARRISH" Archived October 23, 2014, at the Wayback Machine July 2014 Obituaries
  20. ↑ Ledbetter, D. Orlando (January 1, 2019). "Arthur Blank, wife Angela are getting a divorce". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  21. ↑ Jewish Voice New York: "Jewish Billionaires Join Group Pledging Majority of Their Wealth to Charity" by Sholom Schreiber April 25, 2005
  22. ↑ The Atlanta Journal Constitution: "Blank announces he is ‘cancer free’" by D. Orlando Ledbetter March 17, 2016
Business positions
Preceded by CEO of Home Depot
1997–2000		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.