Bernard Marcus, the larger-than-life billionaire everyone called “Bernie,” died Monday night at his home in Boca Raton, Florida, according to Jay Kaiman, the president of The Marcus Foundation.
No cause of death was disclosed immediately. He was 95 years old.
Marcus co-founded the Atlanta-based Home Depot chain of home-improvement stores. He also masterminded and financed downtown’s Georgia Aquarium and supported a multitude of charitable causes, such as the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta and the Marcus Autism Center.
Here is a timeline of his life:
1929: Born May 12 in Newark, New Jersey, to Russian immigrant parents.
1954: Receives a Bachelor of Science from Rutgers University. Goes to work as a pharmacist and later in a cosmetics company.
1968: Moves to California to work for a manufacturing company, Odell Inc.
1970: Joins the Daylin Corporation as an executive with its Handy Dan home improvement subsidiary and meets Arthur Blank.
1978: He and Blank are fired after a run-in with their boss.
1979: On June 22, the first of The Home Depot stores open in Atlanta on Memorial Drive, Buford Highway and Cobb Parkway.
1981: Home Depot stock goes public.
1990: With his wife, Billi, founds the Marcus Institute, a treatment center for children with brain and behavioral disabilities in Atlanta.
1991: Founds the Israel Democracy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank in Israel dedicated to promoting and defending democracy in that country. Separately, he founds what later became the Marcus Autism Center.
1997: On May 28, steps down as Home Depot’s chief executive officer but remains chairman. Blank takes over day-to-day management.
1999: Marcus and Blank author the book “Built From Scratch” about Home Depot.
2000: Then-Gov. Roy Barnes hitches a ride home from Israel on Marcus’s private jet. Marcus mentions that he wants to give a major “thank you” gift to the state of Georgia in the form of a world-class aquarium.
2001: Blank retires from Home Depot in February and its board of directors in May.
2001: Marcus announces in November that his private foundation will spend up to $200 million to build the Georgia Aquarium.
2002: Retires in May from the Home Depot board of directors.
2005: Celebrates the opening of The Georgia Aquarium on Nov. 23.
2014: Founds and funds the Job Creators Network, a conservative, free-market advocacy group.
2016: The Marcuses donate $25 million to help build the MDA Marcus National Blood Services Centre in Israel.
2016: The Marcuses give $75 million to Piedmont Hospital for renovations.
2016: Supports Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, giving millions to it.
2019: Using Marcus’ 90th birthday celebration as a carrot, friends and fans donate more than $117 million to his favorite nonprofits.
2020: The Marcuses give $80 million to Atlanta’s Shepherd Center
2020: Marcus’ comments on Fox News that he was going support Trump’s second term leads to calls to boycott Home Depot.
2021: He and Blank contribute $20 million each to a center that provides veterans with mental health services.
2022: Co-writes the book “Kick Up Some Dust, Lessons On Thinking Big, Giving Back and Doing It Yourself.”
2023: Announces he will again support Trump’s reelection bid.
2024: Awarded the Forbes 400 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant giving.
— Compiled by News Researcher Joni Zeccola and staff reporter Matt Kempner
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