ATLANTA, June 23, 2004 – The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation announced today that the Foundation’s trustees have appointed John Bare, Ph.D., Vice President for Strategic Planning and Evaluation. Dr. Bare will assume his new position on June 28.

Dr. Bare will play a key role in the development and effective implementation of the Foundation’s strategic plan, which pledges more than $100 million over the next five years to fostering opportunities for children and youth and enhancing the quality of life. He will report to Blank Family Foundation President Penelope McPhee and work closely with Elise Eplan, Vice President for Special Initiatives, and Deva Hirsch, Vice President for Program.

"John is a terrific addition to a terrific team," said Ms. McPhee. "His deep experience in foundation evaluation will help us enhance the impact of our work. John has become a national leader in foundation planning and evaluation. He will help fulfill our goals to be innovative, effective and accountable in our philanthropic commitment."

Since 1997, Dr. Bare has served as Director of Planning and Evaluation at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, a $1.9 billion private foundation that promotes excellence in journalism worldwide and invests in the vitality of 26 U.S. communities.

"I'm privileged and excited to join the Blank Family Foundation team," said Dr. Bare. "The Foundation’s strategic plan holds great promise for making a difference in the lives of many people, and the enthusiasm of the staff for community and social change shines through everything they do. I look forward to using planning and evaluation as tools to build learning and continuous improvement.”

During his tenure at the Knight Foundation, Dr. Bare managed a $3 million budget, leading research, planning and evaluation for the foundation’s Journalism Initiatives, National Venture Fund and Community Partners Program. He created the Community Indicators Project, which tracks quality-of-life measures in the 26 communities where the foundation works. Dr. Bare also directed arts research, including the ‘Magic of Music’ marketing study, which set forth new ways to assess and enhance symphony orchestra participation.

Prior to joining the Knight Foundation, Dr. Bare worked as a writer and editor for the Education Statistics Services Institute of the American Institutes for Research in Washington, D.C., and as a columnist with the Chapel Hill, N.C. Herald-Sun. Dr. Bare holds a Ph.D in Mass Communication Research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as a master’s degree from its School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He is married to Elizabeth Ross.

The author of numerous articles on media, planning and evaluation, risk in philanthropy, and education, Dr. Bare is a board member of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations and an advisory board member of the Evaluation Roundtable. He has served as a member of the Independent Sector’s conference planning committee and is active in the American Evaluation Association.

Arthur M. Blank founded The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in 1995 to share his civic values and the joy of giving with his family. Since that time, the Foundation has contributed more than $130 million to support youth development, preserve green space, sustain the arts and enhance the quality of life. The Foundation awards grants in communities where members of the Blank family have community roots: Atlanta; Beaufort County, South Carolina; and Maricopa County, Arizona. It also supports two affiliated funds: the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund in Montana.

Mr. Blank is co-founder of The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, and Owner and CEO of the Atlanta Falcons professional football club.