Falcons owner and chairman Arthur Blank appeared on Golf Channel's Morning Drive Show with Erik Kuselias and Peter Hanson on Wednesday morning, following recent Masters champion Bubba Watson's interview from Tuesday.
On the show, Blank shared that two of his biggest passions in his life have been running The Home Depot, the American home improvement retailer that he co-founded in 1978, and the Atlanta Falcons. After retiring from The Home Depot in 2001, Blank purchased the Atlanta Falcons and began a project to turn the team into a viable and successful football franchise. He said being able to run both businesses with the same values and principles has provided him with great pride.
Blank was on the show to discuss his involvement with The First Tee, his PGA TOUR Superstores and the opening of the Rising Sun Golf Course at his Montana Mountain Sky Guest Ranch. Designed by Johnny Miller, the world-class golf facility offers impressive views of Paradise Valley, the 50,000-acre cattle ranch that is the setting for Blank's ranch. Davis Love III, Tom Fazio and Tom Weiskopf also played roles in the designing the course. Blank said he enjoyed working with Miller and developed a great relationship with the former golfer and current lead golf analyst for NBC Sports.
The First Tee, a golf foundation dedicated to providing youth with development and life-enhancing opportunities through golf and sportsmanship, recently announced the Falcons owner and chairman's naming as a trustee. Blank recently donated $1 million to support the foundation's endeavors.
Through his role as owner of the PGA Tour Superstores, Blank learned about The First Tee and their initiatives. Blank said he was inspired by their work with children and wanted to be involved with the foundation through his Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
Blank said he is proud of the The First Tee's goals to use lessons in golf to help children become productive and mature influencers in the modern world they are growing up in.
The PGA TOUR Superstores that Blank owns feature many of the same business philosophies that helped make The Home Depot a success. The service aspect of the golfing stores is aimed at helping customers not only find every product they need in the world of golf, but also helping them understand how to use the products. All 12 of the large stores include men's and women's professional golf instructors as well as club-fitting programs to ensure customers are happy and comfortable with their purchases.
