Thomas Langone – A Lifetime Entrepreneur

Peter Langone and Thomas Langone led their volunteer fire company in Roslyn, N.Y. During their free time they shared the skills learned on the job with others.

Two brothers – one a police officer and the other a firefighter – shared a dream to serve others through helping. When Glasgow fire fighters arrive on Ladder Truck 5, they carry with them the spirit of these two individuals who had such an important impact in Glasgow.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Langone was raised in Roslyn Heights, NY. At 16 he struggled to gain entry into a Catholic seminary and was dissatisfied with its indifference toward civil rights issues.

Langone attended Bucknell and New York universities before embarking on his Wall Street career. From these early experiences he learned the value of hard work, honest communication and customer service – values which would eventually guide his entire career and eventually help co-found The Home Depot.

Langone is an avid philanthropist, contributing to organizations such as New York University School of Medicine and Harlem Children’s Zone. Additionally, he sits on several boards including The Boys’ Club of New York and Promise Academy and has donated over $250 Million.

Professional Career

Thomas Langone had worked at Home Depot since he was 22. Additionally, he donated generously to various charitable and civic groups.

On September 11th 2001, Tommy was one of those killed when the Twin Towers collapsed. Both he and his brother Peter were members of the New York City Fire Department; Peter served with ESU Truck 10 in Queens while Tommy was assigned as a police officer with Squad 252 in Brooklyn.

He chose NYU Langone because of its close-knit culture between residents and faculty, its commitment to resident education, and its diverse patient population. Furthermore, he appreciated being given opportunities to participate in cutting-edge clinical research as well as engaging in various philanthropic activities around the globe.

Achievement and Honors

Thomas Langone was remembered fondly by family and friends alike as someone who never shied away from a challenge, was deeply passionate about his work, and showed genuine consideration for others.

Kappa Tau Alpha Honor Society was his academic affiliation, earning a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University in political science, corporate communications and public affairs.

He was an enthusiastic baseball player and golfer, loved to travel and had visited over 50 countries; an accomplished artist, who specialized in sculpture and painting; devoted father of JoAnn, Brian and Caitlin whom he loved dearly; will forever be remembered as one of our nation’s great heroes; all those who knew him will miss him deeply.

Personal Life

One of Langone’s hallmarks of success lies in his belief in building relationships with customers and understanding how businesses function. Known for being forthright in all his dealings with people – something he learned from his mother – Langone stands out amongst the competition as being unwavering in his beliefs and practice of transparency in all that he does.

His mother taught him the value of planning ahead and anticipating others’ needs, something which has allowed him to serve on numerous boards such as R.W. Pressprich, Unifi, Geeknet, YUM Brands and Electronic Data Systems.

He has made generous donations to various organizations, including the New York University School of Medicine, Boys’ Club of America, Harlem Children’s Zone and Horatio Alger Society Foundation. Furthermore, he donated generously to both St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Animal Medical Centers within New York City.

Net Worth

Thomas Langone has an estimated net worth of approximately $2 billion. He is best known as one of the first, and later largest private equity firms worldwide – Thomas H. Lee Partners which he launched in 1974; additionally he pioneered leveraged buyouts.

In 1978, Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus made an early investment with Arthur Blank and helped guide it towards its initial public offering eight years later. Today, Home Depot boasts estimated annual revenues exceeding $100 billion.

Langone has long been active as a philanthropist, contributing to NYU’s medical center, his alma mater Bucknell University and Harlem Children’s Zone through donations. Furthermore, he pledged half of his wealth as part of The Giving Pledge commitment among billionaires to distribute half their fortune.