Arthur Blank Arthur M . Blank ( born September 27 , 1942 ) is an American businessman and a co - founder of The Home Depot . Today he is known for his philanthropy and his ownership of the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League . Early life . Arthur Blank was born to a Jewish family , in Flushing , New York , with his father , Max , his mother , Molly , and his older brother , Michael . Blank graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York City and went on to attend Babson College , where he graduated in 3 years in 1963 with a B . S . degree in Business Administration and accounting . He also received an honorary degree from Furman University , where the Falcons held training camp until 2005 . Working life . After graduating from Babson College , 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 . The store revolutionized the home improvement business with its warehouse concept and Blank and Marcus became billionaire s 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 . 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 . , who took over the team after the elder Smith ' s death . In September 2004 , he bought the Arena Football League franchise , the Georgia Force ; he moved the team back to the city of Atlanta after it had spent several years in suburban Gwinnett County . Blank has expressed serious interest in purchasing other Atlanta franchises . In early 2006 , he temporarily withdrew from contention as a potential buyer of the Major League Baseball team Atlanta Braves . 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 spoke of purchasing an expansion franchise in Major League Soccer . Atlanta is currently being considered for MLS expansion . Current life . Blank is the Chairman , President , and CEO of AMB Group , LLC , and chairman of The Arthur Blank Family Foundation . He serves on the Board of Trustees of Emory University and the boards of Staples and Cox Enterprises . He is divorced and has six children and three grandchildren . As of September 17 , 2008 , his net worth was estimated at $ 1 . 3 billion . In 2011 , Blank was the recipient of the Freeing Voices , Changing Lives award from the American Institute for Stuttering . Blank was inducted into the Junior Achievement U . S . Business Hall of Fame in 2006 , and in 2005 he was named National Entrepreneur Of The Year by Ernst & Young LLP . In 2003 , for the second time in three years , Blank was named Georgia ' s Most Respected CEO by Georgia Trend magazine . He and ex - wife , Stephanie , resided in the Buckhead section of Atlanta , along with their three children . A strong believer in work - life balance , Blank still makes time daily for working out and spending time with his children . He also owns Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Emigrant , Montana ; Atlanta Falcons Physical Therapy Centers , and PGA TOUR Superstores . Philanthropy . Blank is a signatory of The Giving Pledge committing himself to give away at least 50 % of his wealth to charitable causes .