Kenneth G. Langone, Home Depot Co-Founder, Chairman of the NYU Langone Medical Center,...

Kenneth G. Langone, Home Depot Co-Founder, Chairman of the NYU Langone Medical
Center, to Lead 65th Annual Columbus Day Parade as Grand Marshal

Lifetime of Achievement Traces Arc of American Dream

Parade to be Held on October 12 on Fifth Ave. in New York City

NEW YORK, Aug. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kenneth G. Langone, investment
banker, venture capitalist and philanthropist, will be Grand Marshal of the
2009 Columbus Day Parade in New York City.

Mr. Langone, a co-founder of Home Depot and chairman of the NYU Langone
Medical Center, will lead contingents of folk dancers, musicians, dignitaries,
and civil servants nearly 35,000 strong past crowds of nearly one million
people in the world's largest celebration of Italian and Italian-American
culture and heritage.

"Ken Langone is a virtuous man of good character, who is an ideal role model
for Italian-Americans and indeed all Americans," said Lawrence Auriana,
chairman of the Columbus Citizens Foundation.

"Mr. Langone is living proof that the American dream continues," said Louis
Tallarini, president of the Foundation. "Ken was able to attend college
because of sacrifices that his parents made, and he worked his way through
school as a construction laborer, a golf caddy, and a butcher's assistant.
Ken succeeded beyond his parents' wildest dreams in business and in his
philanthropic work: he has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to
universities, hospitals, and foundations. We are deeply honored that Ken has
agreed to be the standard-bearer for the Italian-American community and for
all Americans who commit themselves to hard work and helping those in need."

"New York and America have provided opportunities for millions of people who
came here in pursuit of a better life," said Langone. "I am extremely
fortunate that my grandparents were among them, and I am honored to represent
the men and women from Italy who came to the United States before me and who
helped make America the greatest nation on earth."

The parade will be held on October 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The parade
runs north on Fifth Avenue from 47th through 79th Streets and will be
broadcast on NBC affiliates and by RAI Italian television.

As Grand Marshal, Mr. Langone will be presented with an award at the Columbus
Day Gala on Saturday, October 10 at the Waldorf Astoria. In addition to the
Parade and Gala, the Foundation celebrates its heritage with a two-week, 7,000
square foot exhibition in Grand Central Terminal, which this year will become
a stage for a beautiful exhibit on Italy's Veneto Region as well as a
biographical storyboard on the Grand Marshal.

The Columbus Citizens Foundation organizes New York City's annual Columbus
Celebration and is committed to fostering an appreciation of Italian-American
heritage and achievement. The Foundation also provides opportunities for
advancement to deserving Italian-American students through various scholarship
and grant programs. For more information, visit www.columbuscitizensfd.org.

About Kenneth Langone

Mr. Langone was born in Roslyn Heights, New York to working class parents in a
close-knit Italian family. His father was a plumber, and his mother worked in
a cafeteria. Although Mr. Langone's high school principal stated that sending
the boy to college would be a waste of money, the Langones mortgaged their
house so their son could attend Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. Mr.
Langone received a BA in Economics. Upon graduation, he served in the U.S.
Army for two years.

Following his military service, Mr. Langone worked in the investment
department of Equitable Life Assurance Company and in 1960, after attending
night classes, received an MBA from New York University. In 1961, Mr. Langone
became an associate at broker/dealer R.W. Pressprich & Co. and in 1968, as an
Executive Vice President, handled the highly successful initial public
offering of Ross Perot's Electronic Data Systems (EDS).

In 1974, Mr. Langone founded Invemed Associates, Inc., a small Park Avenue
investment bank established to finance start-ups in the medical field. Among
Invemed's major transactions was the takeover of medical electronics company
Ivac, which Langone later sold to Eli Lilly. Ivac became Eli Lilly's medical
instruments division, which has grown into a multi-billion dollar division.

Mr. Langone is perhaps best known as a co-founder of Home Depot, which he
established in 1978 with Arthur Blank and Bernard Marcus. Mr. Langone
provided venture capital for the company through Invemed. He served on the
board and was a member of the Executive Committee of Home Depot until May,
2008. Home Depot employs over 300,000 people and has reshaped the home
improvement industry saving the American consumer billions of dollars
annually.

He also serves on the boards of YUM Brands, Unifi, Inc. and Micell
Technologies. YUM Brands, the world's largest restaurant chain, owns and
franchises Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

In addition to his business affiliations, Mr. Langone currently serves on the
board of Trustees of New York University and on the board of Overseers of its
Stern School of Business. He is chairman of the board of trustees of the NYU
Langone Medical Center, formerly the New York University Medical School and
Hospital, which was renamed in his honor as a result of the generous support
that Mr. Langone and his wife, Elaine, provided.

From 1980 to 1996 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.

Mr. Langone serves on the board of the Cancer Research Fund of the Damon
Runyon Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House, the Robin Hood Foundation, CSIS
and the Harlem Children's Zone. He is chairman of the Harlem Children's Zone
Promise Academy Charter Schools of New York City.

A noted philanthropist, Mr. Langone has donated hundreds of millions of
dollars to charities. He has made major gifts to his alma maters, Bucknell
University and New York University, as well as the NYU Langone Medical Center.
And, in recognition of his support for Catholic causes, Mr. Langone was made
a Knight of St. Gregory by Pope Benedict XVI.

Mr. and Mrs. Langone have three grown sons. In his free time, Mr. Langone
enjoys reading and playing golf with Mrs. Langone.

Event: Columbus Day Parade
Date: October 12, 2009
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Parade route: The parade heads up Fifth Avenue from 47th Street to 79th
Street

SOURCE Columbus Citizens Foundation

Lawrence Auriana, Chairman, Columbus Citizens Foundation, +1-917-414-0908; or
Andrew Decker, Andrew Decker Communications, +1-212-222-4688, F
+1-212-222-3188, decker06@gmail.com, for Columbus Citizens Foundation