From left to right: Former Chairman of the Pace Academy Board of Trustees and Pace Academy alumnus Tim Walsh, current Board Chairman and capital campaign co-chair Robert Sheft, Pace Academy Trustee and capital campaign co-chair Elizabeth Richards, Chairman of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Arthur Blank and Pace Academy Head of School Fred Assaf cut the ribbon on the Arthur M. Blank Family Upper School on August 18.
From left to right: Former Chairman of the Pace Academy Board of Trustees and Pace Academy alumnus Tim Walsh, current Board Chairman and capital campaign co-chair Robert Sheft, Pace Academy Trustee and capital campaign co-chair Elizabeth Richards, Chairman of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Arthur Blank and Pace Academy Head of School Fred Assaf cut the ribbon on the Arthur M. Blank Family Upper School on August 18.

By Joe Earl

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.

Inside Pace Academy’s Woodruff Library, part of the Arthur M. Blank Family Upper School.

Collin KelleyEditor

Collin Kelley has been the editor of Atlanta Intown for two decades and has been a journalist and freelance writer for 35 years. He’s also an award-winning poet and novelist.