Bernard Marcus facts for kids

Bernard Marcus (born May 12, 1929 – died November 4, 2024) was an American businessman. He was a very successful person who helped start a famous store called The Home Depot. He was the first CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and chairman of the company until he retired in 2002. By November 2024, he was known as a billionaire, meaning he had a lot of money.

Early Life and Dreams

Bernard Marcus was born in Newark, New Jersey, on May 12, 1929. His parents were immigrants from Russia. He was the youngest of four children and grew up in a small, crowded apartment building called a tenement.

He finished high school in 1947. Bernard really wanted to become a doctor and was even accepted into Harvard Medical School. However, his family couldn't afford the cost of tuition. Instead, he went to Rutgers University and earned a degree to become a pharmacist.

Starting a Business Empire

Bernard Marcus first worked as a pharmacist in a drugstore. But he soon became more interested in how stores sell products. He worked for different retail companies, learning a lot about business. Eventually, he became the CEO of a chain of home improvement stores called Handy Dan Improvement Centers.

In 1978, something big happened. Bernard and his future business partner, Arthur Blank, were both fired from Handy Dan. But they didn't give up! Instead, they decided to start their own home improvement store.

The Home Depot Begins

In 1978, Bernard Marcus and Arthur Blank teamed up with other experts like Pat Farrah and Ken Langone. Together, they created The Home Depot. The very first two Home Depot stores opened on June 22, 1979, in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Home Depot changed how people bought things for their homes. It was like a giant warehouse where customers could find everything they needed for home projects. This idea was very successful, and Bernard, Arthur, and Ken all became billionaires. Bernard Marcus was the company's first CEO for 19 years. He also served as the chairman of the board until he retired in 2002.

Giving Back and Helping Others

Bernard Marcus was a very generous person, known for his philanthropy. This means he gave away a lot of his money to help others and support good causes. He planned to give away most of his wealth to charity. He signed something called The Giving Pledge, promising to donate a large part of his fortune. By 2019, he had already given away $2 billion!

Supporting Important Causes

Bernard Marcus supported many different causes through his Marcus Foundation. These included:

• Helping children.
• Funding medical research to find cures for diseases.
• Supporting free enterprise (businesses).
• Assisting military veterans, especially those with brain injuries.
• Helping Jewish causes and communities.

He was also a board member and volunteer for the Shepherd Center, which helps people recover from injuries.

Special Projects and Awards

• In 2005, Bernard Marcus received the "Others Award" from the Salvation Army, which is their highest honor.
• He helped create the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia. He gave a huge donation of $250 million to help build this amazing aquarium, which opened in 2005.
• He founded The Marcus Institute, a special center that helps children and teenagers with developmental disabilities.
• He also gave $25 million to Autism Speaks, an organization that works to find causes and cures for autism.

Supporting Jewish and Israeli Causes

Bernard Marcus also cared deeply about Jewish and Israeli causes.

• He helped start the Israel Democracy Institute in 1991. He gave money to build its main building in Jerusalem and supported its work for many years.
• In 2016, he and his wife Billi donated $25 million to build a new blood services center in Israel.

Books Written by Bernard Marcus

Bernard Marcus shared his business wisdom in books:

• In 1999, he co-wrote Built from Scratch: How a Couple of Regular Guys Grew The Home Depot from Nothing to $30 Billion. This book tells the story of how Home Depot became so successful.
• In 2022, he wrote Kick Up Some Dust: Lessons on Thinking, Giving Back and Doing It Yourself with Catherine Lewis. This book shares his ideas on life, giving back, and doing things yourself.

Personal Life

Bernard Marcus was married twice. He had two children, Frederick and Susanne, with his first wife, Ruth. With his second wife, Billi, he had a stepson named Michael.

Bernard Marcus passed away on November 4, 2024, in Boca Raton, Florida. He was 95 years old.

See also

In Spanish: Bernard Marcus para niños