Our frontline associates and all those businesses come next. And he should know. /SMask /None>> 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. Two Gruden compadres, ex-Gophers star and former NFL coach Tony Dungy and his ESPN partner Mike Tirico, both black, are in a bad spot for defending Gruden about his michellin [sic] tires description of another black guys lips. But the level where this Gruden idiocy touches the countrys perilous moment is where the NFL arguably one of the most popular and therefore influential organizations/corporations in the country could and should use Grudens buffoonish racism and sexism to make unambiguous statements to its fans, which is to say just about everyone in the country. 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. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. 5 Other Blank family businesses include the nationwide PGA TOUR Superstore as well as a handful of ranches across the country. How do you help repair the world if we can use that expression? The trouble is that the NFL is not coming clean on that investigation. Soon after, Blank met his third wife Angela Macuga whom he married in 2016 and later announced their plans to divorce in 2019. He released a statement five days after Gov. 8 . JFIF K K C The Arthur M. Blank Foundation announced on Wednesday a new series of grants focusing on mental health and well-being in response to America's growing mental health crisis. 2010-2023 Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Blank also contributed $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008. The Atlanta media thrashed Arthur Smith, Terry Fontenot, and Arthur Blank about their interest level sometime after the news broke. Blank Launches New Voter Education Project - Atlanta Jewish Times So everything is designed to accommodate the soccer fans so they feel like this is their place as a result of that. My suspicion is that while Dungy and Tirico and dozens if not hundreds of other NFL leaders may have been surprised by Grudens racist imagery, they arent as unfamiliar with his other boys club stupidity. Arthur Blank, owner of Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, co-founder of Home Depot . No, I'm not. Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. /SM 0.02 One where guys like the Vikings' Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. Hes a combination of father and brother to me. I worked with him for over 40 years and we shared the same bathroom for over 30 years, which is more than any of our marriages lasted," said Blank, who's currently valued by Forbes at about $6.2 billion. In the 1940sGeorgia mountains, eight children were taken into the woods and left to die. C q" The league has recently been running in-game PSAs pushing cancer and mental health awareness screenings, etc. 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. I have many friends who are no longer fervent Braves supporters. 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? Come up with real solutions: Atlanta rapper Killer Mike condemns vandalism, >> 'If you care about this city then go home': Atlanta mayor, police chief call protests a disgrace, NCSHP arrest driver accused of nearly hitting 2 students at bus stop in Statesville, Rock band Kiss reveals Charlotte connection to hit song, After Murdaugh trial circus, Walterboro welcomes normality, Bank accidentally left unlocked in Fresno, police say, Charlotte woman celebrates $1 million scratch-off prize, WSOC - TV Public File Contact / Program Director, WAXN - TV Public File Contact / Program Director. Opponents of the bill argue it's too restrictive and targets minority voters. In 1978, they were both fired from Handy Dans by a corporate raider who took over the chains parent company. We must not accept or condone violence in any way. Resistance to Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Futile. Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. 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. Our family foundation seeks to preserve and strengthen our democracy, and weve chosen this as one of our new collective areas of giving. 9. But its the NFL itself that should be held to greater account and responsibility than it ever is. To anyone interested in a deeper dive into NFL culture I strongly recommend, Big Game by New York Times Magazine writer Mark Leibovich for an inside-the-suites sense of who says what to who when its more or less just them peer billionaires talking. (Confidentiality, you know.) In our case, the fans, customers, guests or grantees, whatever the case may be, you're going to find out the ultimate truth of what you need to do to build a business response to issues, spot opportunities, deal with problems, whatever it may be. Proceeds from sales of Good Companygo to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. He and his brother, Michael, were raised in a one-bedroom apartment. 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. 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. I still remember this as if it was yesterday. GALEO engages in advocacy, creates opportunities for engagement and networking, and develops leadership skills for Latino community members. that those rights were not being fully reflected in our society today. How do I do my part in it? I remember I called the commissioner then, who was Paul Tagliabue, and I say, Well, Paul, I have this idea. 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? Scott Jensens Dramatic Fall Shows Ads Still Matter. Brian Dowling And Arthur Gourounlian Surrogacy Documentary Announced In recent years Atlantas sports teams have attracted controversies that have highlighted the racial disparities that still largely define the city. . Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. And I love him. << The largest donor was Falcons owner Arthur Blank. Do it in November. And next thing I know, he was sitting on his knees and with a gun to his head. Falcons Owner Arthur Blank Gave Nearly $40,000 to Joe Biden and Arthur M. Blank is responsible for the sorry state of the Falcons. For the last two decades, sports have united this largely racially divided city, and partially due to the actions of the Hawks and the Braves, the Falcons could ill-afford to have a stadium plan that was not only racially inclusive, but also worked to incorporate the surrounding community. Here, using insidegov.com's database, are the disclosed political donations* for majority NFL owners dating back to the 2008 election. But Id like to say to CNN right now: Karmas a mother. But go ahead and do it, if that's what you want. So we did it. 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! He had a gun on his lap, sitting on his right thigh. The Number of White Teachers About to Get Fired is Exactly Zero. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. 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. "People are coming from different places, which is okay, but it's not okay when they're disrespectful; it's not okay when they're not kind. He and an associate, Bernie Marcus, began experimenting with product discounts in one Handy Dan outlet and observed positive effects of decreasing costs as a percentage of sales and an increase in customer volume. 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. They were trying to indicate that what the military had fought for these rights, the civil rights, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, etc. Left to right: Dennis Ross, Arthur Blank, Bernie Marcus, Pat Farrah, Ron Brill. %PDF-1.4 I felt and others felt that we could be successful here. And my mother was giving him a lecture saying, You realize this is not what your parents would want you to do. 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. 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? The organization works directly with election officials to maintain accurate and complete voter lists and to secure their election technology infrastructure. 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. The 74-year-old Blank, who Forbes estimates has an estimated net worth of $3.1 billion, is the director of Cox. And being a good listener, it's an art form that we all can possess. I listen to what he says and sometimes I'll cringe. And he had to mop the floors for weeks and months on end. Arthur Blank gives $17M to National Center for Civil and Human Rights The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. This must happen more than every four years, because theres no offseason for democracy. Bernard Marcus - Wikipedia It's a beautiful thing. 4, Blank purchased the NFLs Atlanta Falcons for more than $540 million shortly after stepping down as CEO of Home Depot. On Thursday, Falcons owner Arthur Blank's foundation donated a five-year, $17 million grant to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. But Still Not Even an Indictment. Atlanta Falcons employees are most likely to be members of the Republican Party. They all have a great set of values. If executed improperly, this stadium could continue a long line of broken promises for this blighted community. I mean, it wasn't like, You're Republican or Democrat. But, we really could not have done it without great service, great pricing, and great product knowledge. GPBs Virginia Prescott asked Blank about some of those stories in a conversationpresented in collaboration with Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlantas Book Festival in Your Living Room, the National JCC Literary Consortium and the Atlanta History Center.