Ken Langone

NEW EXCLUSIVE
  • Co-Founder, The Home Depot
  • Founder & CEO, Invemed Associates LLC
  • New York Times Bestselling Author, 'I Love Capitalism!'
  • Philanthropist & Benefactor of the NYU Langone Medical Center

Iconoclastic entrepreneur and business legend Ken Langone is renowned as the co-founder of The Home Depot, where he was lead director and a member of the executive committee of its board since the company's founding, helping it expand to a national chain with over 2,000 locations and 400,000 employees. A pillar of corporate America for decades, Langone is the Founder and CEO of investment banking firm Invemed Associates LLC, served as CEO and President of Geeknet, Inc. (2011-2013), and was a director of the New York Stock Exchange. 

Langone's New York Times bestseller, I Love Capitalism!: An American Story, tells his compelling personal story rising up from a low-income family to becoming one of America's most successful businessmen. A passionate defender of the American Dream, Langone demonstrates that everyone is entitled to dream big and reach their maximum potential. Langone provides on-the-nose business insights, sharp analysis on the current political and economic climate, and real-life, empowering, inspiration on success and leadership. 

A world-class philanthropist, Langone's many contributions include a major gift to NYU's Medical Center, resulting in its renaming as the NYU Langone Medical Center. He also serves on the boards of Unifi, Inc., Micell Technologies, Relationship Sciences and Juice Press. 

 


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Past Hosts Include:
  • Young Leaders Circle Forum
  • NYU Stern
  • Yale University
  • Fordham Gabelli School of Business
  • Milken Institute
  • Alternative Investment Management, LLC
  • Yahoo Finance
News Commentary - Why billionaire investor Ken Langone thinks the U.S. is already in a recession | CNBC Squawk Box [5:05] - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Ken Langone
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An Evening with Ken Langone

Business legend KEN LANGONE has seen it all on his way to a net worth beyond his wildest dreams. A pillar of corporate America for decades, he’s a co-founder of Home Depot, a former director of the New York Stock Exchange, and a world-class philanthropist. In this captivating conversation, Langone d ...

Business legend KEN LANGONE has seen it all on his way to a net worth beyond his wildest dreams. A pillar of corporate America for decades, he’s a co-founder of Home Depot, a former director of the New York Stock Exchange, and a world-class philanthropist. In this captivating conversation, Langone discusses his career, his life, and his thoughts on how to preserve the American Dream and why free markets are worth defending. He sheds light on the current economic climate, reveals his candid business insights, and shares remarkable and revelatory stories from his life rising from a low-income, immigrant family to becoming one of the most prominent business leaders in America. 

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Speaker News

Ken Langone's groundbreaking work and book are making headlines

Co-Founder of The Home Depot and business legend KEN LANGONE has been making headlines thanks to his groundbreaking philanthropic work and New York Times bestselling book I Love Capitalism!. Featured in a moving 60 Minutes segment and the subject of in-depth interviews on CBS News and CBS This MorningLangone shares remarkable business insights, sharp analysis on the current political and economic climate, and real-life, empowering, inspiration on success and leadership. The 60 Minutes segment explores Langone's tremendous contributions to NYU Medical School-- since renamed the NYU Langone Medical Center-- to make it tuition-free for all students, in perpetuity. A transformative move that has served as a lightening rod in the conversation around student debt, Langone connects his philanthropy to his stance as a passionate defender of the American Dream. As the co-founder of The Home Depot, Langone helped the company expand to a national chain with over 2,000 locations and 400,000 employees. A pillar of corporate America for decades, Langone is also Founder and CEO of investment banking firm Invemed Associates LLC, served as CEO and President of Geeknet, Inc. (2011-2013), and was a director of the New York Stock Exchange. Sought-out to speak everywhere from Yahoo Finance to Yale University, Langone leaves audiences informed, empowered. and inspired. As one tweet after a recent event read: "We heard such great feedback about Ken Langone's keynote presentation, he really was inspiring! Thanks."

Speaker Spotlight: Ken Langone 

Iconoclastic entrepreneur and business legend KEN LANGONE is renowned as the co-founder of The Home Depot, where he helped the company expand to a national chain with over 2,000 locations and 400,000 employees. A pillar of corporate America for decades, Langone is the Founder and CEO of investment banking firm Invemed Associates LLC, served as CEO and President of Geeknet, Inc. (2011-2013), and was a director of the New York Stock Exchange. Sought-out to speak everywhere from Yahoo Finance to Yale University, Langone provides on-the-nose business insights, sharp analysis on the current political and economic climate, and real-life, empowering, inspiration on success and leadership. His recently released New York Times bestseller, I Love Capitalism!: An American Story, which tells his compelling personal story rising up from a low-income family to becoming one of America's most successful businessmen, is also a passionate defense of the American Dream — of preserving a country in which any hungry kid can reach the maximum potential of his or her talents and work ethic. As Chairman & CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co, Jamie Dimon, said of the book: “Insightful and inspirational... An authentic, up-by-the-bootstraps story by a shining example of the American dream.” Langone recently inspired an audience at the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting with a conversation on the value of free enterprise. 

Watch some of KEN LANGONE's talks here  > >

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Biography

Ken Langone is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Invemed Associates LLC., a New York Stock Exchange member firm.

He received a BA from Bucknell University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business; he remains active with both institutions currently serving on the board of overseers of the Stern School and on the board of trustees of New York University as well as Chairman of the Trustees of New York University Medical Center. In April 2008 the medical center was renamed the NYU Langone Medical Center (now NYU Langone Health) reflecting a major gift from Ken and his wife Elaine.

He was a member of the Bucknell University Board of Trustees where he served as Chairman of its nominating committee, its endowment and as a member of its executive committee. He remains an emeritus trustee.

Ken is a co-founder of The Home Depot and was lead director and a member of the executive committee of its board since it was founded in 1978 until 2008. He is also a board member of  Unifi, Inc. In addition he serves on the boards of NYU Winthrop Hospital, The Center for Strategic and International Studies, The Ronald McDonald House of NY, Horatio Alger Society Foundation and the Harlem Children’s Zone and its charter school, The Promise Academy and St. Patrick’s Cathedral where he led the fundraising effort for its recent restoration and renovation.

He and Elaine have three sons and two grandchildren.