Real Estate and Development | Construction
Chairman, owner and co-founder
ABC Supply
Owner,
Hendricks Holding Co. | Beloit
Diane Hendricks co-founded ABC Supply with her late husband, Ken, in 1982. Hendricks has led the Beloit-based construction materials company since Ken’s death in 2007 and is responsible for steering ABC through its two biggest acquisitions (Bradco and L&W Supply). Today, it is the largest wholesale distributor of roofing, windows, siding and gutter materials, reporting $15 billion in revenues last year and employing 15,000. It’s also the second largest privately held company in the state, trailing only Northwestern Mutual, according to Deloitte. For five consecutive years, Hendricks has topped Forbes’ list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, with a reported net worth of $12.2 billion.
She is also a real estate manager and developer; that work is funneled through Hendricks Holding Co. She invested multiple millions of dollars to buy and fix up properties in downtown Beloit, redeveloping entire blocks of the city. Hendricks Commercial Properties has also invested heavily in Delafield; it owns about 20 properties and is currently building a $25 million mass timber office development in its downtown.
Hendricks is a major contributor to the campaigns of Republican politicians in the state, serving as former Gov. Scott Walker’s biggest donor the year he faced a recall. She also reportedly gave over $5 million in 2016 to a super PAC that opposed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and supported Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson.