Arthur M. Blank

Perhaps best known as co-founder of The Home Depot, Arthur Blank is now widely recognized for his diverse businesses. Distinguished by Forbes as one of the World’s 100 Greatest Living Business Minds 2017,  Sports Business Journal’s Executive of the Year 2017 and Sports Business Journal’s one of the 50 Most Influential People in Sports 2016, Blank’s Family of Businesses portfolio currently includes the Atlanta Falcons; Atlanta United; PGA TOUR Superstore; The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation; Mountain Sky Guest Ranch; West Creek Ranch; and AMB Group, the parent company of his for-profit businesses. Blank and the Falcons, in partnership with the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia, are the private funders of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The stadium is operated by the Atlanta Falcons Stadium Company, a newly-created company also owned by AMB Group, and is home to the Falcons and Atlanta United.

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While diverse in nature, all of Blank’s businesses are run based on a common set of core values, which focus on developing customer relationships, treating associates with respect, and supporting communities. Blank believes in the importance of making a difference – professionally and personally. In addition to the company’s financial success, during his 23 years with The Home Depot the company donated more than $113 million to communities, and Home Depot associates provided hundreds of thousands of hours of personal volunteer time. Blank is applying the same business acumen and values in building his competitive, successful and community-oriented businesses today.

 

Blank is dedicated to his own giving back. Through his generosity, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has granted more than $360 million to support early childhood development, education, the arts, and parks and greenspace. The foundation also leads giving programs for each of the for-profit businesses in Blank’s portfolio.

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Blank serves on the Board of Trustees of The Carter Center, Inc.; the Board of Trustees of The Cooper Institute; and the Board of Trustees of The First Tee. In September 2001, Blank joined the faculty of Emory University’s Goizueta Business School as its first Distinguished Executive in Residence. He now serves as a Goizueta Executive Fellow. Blank also served as the 2003 Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

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A native of Flushing, N.Y., Blank received a B.S. Degree in Business Administration with Distinction from Babson College, where he was active in a wide variety of extracurricular activities.

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A Babson College alum, Blank resides in Atlanta, Georgia and is the father of six children and has six grandchildren.

 

Consistent with the way he approaches work and life, his favorite T-shirt appropriately reads, “There is no finish line.”