Arthur Blank, second from right, wields a sword on Aug. 18 to cut the ribbon on Pace Academy's new Blank Family Upper School. Tim Walsh, former chairman of the Pace board; Robert Sheft, co-chair of fundraising campaign for the $32 million building and current board chair; Elizabeth Richards, co-chair of the fundraising campaign; and Fred Assaf, head of school.
Arthur Blank, second from right, wields a sword on Aug. 18 to cut the ribbon on Pace Academy’s new Blank Family Upper School. Tim Walsh, former chairman of the Pace board; Robert Sheft, co-chair of fundraising campaign for the $32 million building and current board chair; Elizabeth Richards, co-chair of the fundraising campaign; and Fred Assaf, head of school.

Arthur Blank wielded a sword on Aug. 18 to cut the ribbon on Pace Academy’s new $32 million Blank Family Upper School.

More than 150 Pace supporters, including Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, gathered at the school’s West Paces Ferry Road campus for the opening of the 75,000-square-foot building, which includes classrooms, a library and science labs.

“It’s magnificent,” Blank said. “But what’s most magnificent is what happens inside for our young folks. I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

Blank, who co-founded Home Depot and now owns the Atlanta Falcons, was joined for the ribbon-cutting by, left to right, Tim Walsh, former chairman of the Pace board; Robert Sheft, co-chair of fundraising campaign for the upper school building and current board chair; Elizabeth Richards, co-chair of the fundraising campaign; and Fred Assaf, head of school.

Arthur Blank,left, chats with Pace Academy Head of School Fred Assaf before cutting the ribbon to the new Blank Family Upper School at Pace. The ribbon is tied to a suit of armor, representing the school's mascot, the Knight.
Arthur Blank,left, chats with Pace Academy Head of School Fred Assaf before cutting the ribbon to the new Blank Family Upper School at Pace. The ribbon is tied to a suit of armor, representing the school’s mascot, the Knight.

Joe Earle is Editor-at-Large. He has more than 30-years of experience with daily newspapers, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was Managing Editor of Reporter Newspapers.