“Passion and standing up for things can help create a sense of unity”
Arthur Blank was born into a modest household in Queens, New York in 1942. After graduating high school, he stepped on the life accelerator and finished college in three years. His father’s pharmaceutical business was bought out in the late 1960s. Blank stayed on at the company, with an eye toward rising through the ranks and making the most of himself. It would lead him to success well beyond what he ever envisioned. Blank made his way to another area of the company, Handy Dan Home Improvement Centers.
It was here that he learned the blueprint for what it took to run a successful hardware company. From there, he used his expertise to co-found the Home Depot, showcasing an innovative warehouse model for its stores that spoke to the heart of what building was all about.
By 2004, the company’s sales stood at $73bn. Always one to stay ahead of the game, Blank thought it best to get in the game. In 2002, he purchased the Atlanta Falcons and truly entered another league of competition. And Blank hasn’t stopped there; he has expressed interest over the years in purchasing other sports teams. Arthur Blank has created and maintained a unique ability to see the value in wherever life has taken him, and he has used this keen sense to build empires.
“It takes a real talent to turn something ordinary, like selling hardware, into an extraordinary empire. He has created a business model that future generations
will use”
– Bernardo Moya
