About Bernie Marcus
The youngest son of poor Russian immigrants, Bernie grew up in a New Jersey tenement with a loving family and little else. Despite all odds, today Bernie is one of America’s most successful business leaders and influential philanthropists, a self-made man who combines an extraordinary entrepreneurial vision with a selfless passion for serving others.
Bernie’s father was a cabinetmaker and his mother a teacher at business schools until she was bedridden in her mid-forties, crippled with rheumatoid arthritis. His mother’s doctor said the only hope she had of ever walking again would be if she had another baby. And so, Bernie was conceived for medical reasons, arriving Mother’s Day, May 12, 1929.
As a young man, Bernie faced his fair share of adversity. From his dashed hopes of becoming a doctor, to his unfulfilling work as a pharmacist, to a series of stops and starts in the discount store industry, he always found strength in his mother’s words of wisdom: focus your energy on the future, not on replaying the past.
In the years to follow, thanks to his business acumen and ability to genuinely connect with people, Bernie climbed the corporate ladder at some of America’s top retail companies— yet he still found himself searching for more.
That opportunity came on April 14, 1978, when, at age 49, for the first time in his business career, he heard the words, “you’re fired.” Bernie had been the successful Chairman, CEO and President of Handy Dan Home Improvement Centers. Driven by a strong work ethic that would ultimately serve as a compass for his life’s work, Bernie knew he wanted to create something truly lasting. “Do it yourself” had always been a theme for Bernie’s life. For years, he had been dreaming of transforming the home improvement business by creating a huge warehouse-style store that stocked everything someone might need at low prices. He knew, by adding great customer service to the mix, it would be a transformational formula for a business. This was his chance.
Just months later, Bernie and Arthur Blank founded The Home Depot with help from longtime friend and investment banker Ken Langone. Its beginning and growth are one of business’s greatest entrepreneurial success stories. Forty-five years later, The Home Depot has evolved into a world-class Fortune 50 company with nearly 2,300 stores and more than 500,000 associates. The Home Depot is one of the most recognized and admired companies in the world.
The Home Depot story is forever intertwined with Bernie’s story, as it was born out of Bernie’s cumulative life experience and grew to embody his deeply held ideals. Its success allowed Bernie and his beloved wife Billi to establish The Marcus Foundation, which would enable them to advance causes that reflect their personal values. For most people, the triumphant success of The Home Depot would be more than the achievement of a lifetime. Not for Bernie. Since 1989, Bernie has focused his energy and resources on the business of philanthropy. He has again led a transformation by helping to redefine the metrics philanthropists employ to distribute their wealth.
Today, the breadth and cumulative impact of their philanthropy is staggering. And in the process, they have transformed hundreds of organizations in Georgia and beyond with their emphasis on metrics, accountability, and impact. How to define Bernie’s brand of creative, hands-on philanthropy? He identifies a challenge, crafts an innovative solution, and generously provides the necessary resources for success. His entrepreneurial spirit, when channeled toward a variety of charitable endeavors, helps make the nonprofits supported by The Marcus Foundation better.
