No Finish Line

Arthur Blank
Listen

On any given Sunday, The Home Depot co-founder and Babson alumnus Arthur Blank ’63, H’98 can be seen sporting a touch of Falcons red and cheering on the players, even dancing with joy after a big win.

Being an NFL owner has brought him both epic highs and lows. With a Super Bowl loss in 2017, also came the opening of a dramatic new home for the Falcons, the $1.6 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium, an immense and impressive structure that Blank calls “a dream come true.”

Blank has plenty to keep him busy outside of football as well. He’s the owner of the Atlanta United soccer team, two Montana ranches, and the PGA Tour Superstore, which has locations across the country.

He also is dedicated to philanthropy, following the lead of Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates by signing the Giving Pledge, a commitment by billionaires to donate at least half of their wealth to charity. Blank has promised to give 95 percent of his estate to The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

“I have all the things I need and want and could use, so it’s an opportunity to make a difference,” he says. “You want to have meaning in your life in some form or fashion, and meaning for me comes from making a difference in others’ lives.”

In November 2019, Blank brought this commitment to Babson College by investing $50 million in the College’s new Arthur M. Blank School of Entrepreneurial Leadership.

Read the rest of “No Finish Line” from the Fall 2017 issue of Babson Magazine.
Read the full article

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

More from Community »

Latest Stories

Students and friends celebrate and hug after winning the competition
‘Moos’ and Ahhs: Babson AI Showcase Draws Rave Reviews A high-tech solution from two MSEL students to improve monitoring herds of cows wins the top prize at the first Babson College AI Showcase, hosted by the C. Dean Metropoulos Institute of Technology and Entrepreneurship.
By
Eric Beato
Editor / Writer
Eric Beato
Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.
May 9, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

A woman stood next to a Babson student during her visit to class.
Don’t Wait to Be Ready: UX Pioneer Karen Clark Cole on Graduation and Embracing Uncertainty Tech visionary Karen Clark Cole prepares to deliver the Commencement address at Babson’s graduate ceremony, sharing advice on impact, uncertainty, and starting without fear.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
May 8, 2025

Posted in Community

Heidy Magaña talking to someone at an event in Knight Auditorium
Class of 2025: How This First-Gen Student Created a Community First-generation student Heidy Magaña ’25 has spent her time at Babson building a community and growing the support available to other first-generation students.
By
Melissa Savignano
Writer
Melissa Savignano
Melissa Savignano, a content marketing manager at Babson College, has worked in higher education for almost a decade, where she tells authentic, compelling campus and community stories. Before Babson, she managed communications for Boston University’s largest college, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. She previously worked in client relations, helping brands of various sizes launch content marketing strategies and storytelling initiatives. When not at work, you will find her in the city of Boston, probably at the movie theater.
May 7, 2025

Posted in Community