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Arthur Morris Blank (born September 27, 1942) is an American Businessperson. He is best known for being a co-founder of the home improvement retailer Home Depot.
Blank owns three professional sports teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL), Atlanta Drive GC of TGL, which won the SoFi Cup in 2025, and Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer (MLS), which won the 2018 MLS Cup, and is chairman of their parent company, AMB Group LLC.
In 1978, Blank co-founded Home Depot with Marcus. New York investment banker Ken Langone assembled the initial group of investors and merchandising expert Pat Farrah helped founders realize their vision of one-stop shopping for the do-it-yourselfer. The first two stores opened on June 22, 1979 in Atlanta. The stores revolutionized the home improvement business with its warehouse concept and Blank and Marcus became 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.
On May 22, 2024, Blank won the Sports Business Journal's Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with the Falcons, United FC, and the surrounding community.
Blank has expressed serious interest in purchasing other sports 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. 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.
In March 2020, Blank's foundation announced it would donate nearly $5.4 million to aid the coronavirus pandemic response in Georgia and Montana.
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 opened on September 29, 2024.
He is a signatory of The Giving Pledge committing himself to give away at least 50% of his wealth to charitable causes.
Blank owns Mountain Sky Guest Ranch and West Creek Ranch outside Yellowstone National Park in Paradise Valley, Montana. He also owns a 90-meter (295 ft) $180 million superyacht named with Blank’s initials, "dreAMBoat", as well as several PGA TOUR Superstores.
On February 9, 2016, Blank disclosed that he had treatable prostate cancer. Jewish Voice New York: "Jewish Billionaires Join Group Pledging Majority of Their Wealth to Charity" by Sholom Schreiber April 25, 2005 On March 17, 2016, Blank announced that he is cancer-free following treatment. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Blank announces he is ‘cancer free’" by D. Orlando Ledbetter March 17, 2016
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