Named by Forbes in 2023 as the “Most Successful Female Entrepreneur in American History,” Diane Hendricks is both kind and formidable, often describing herself as a conservative and a patriot. “Freedom is very important to me,” she notes with passion, “I am blessed to have been born in this country.” Together with her late husband Ken, Diane founded the Hendricks Family Foundation in 2004, creating a formal structure to support their growing philanthropy.

Diane was born the fourth of nine girls on a farm in Osseo, Wisconsin. Proud of her family upbringing, she describes her father as the most influential person in her life. “He taught me right from wrong” she says, a lesson she has worked hard to instill in her own children. Though her father never allowed she and her sisters to do traditional farm work, she grew up understanding the importance of hard work. She also grew up dreaming of a life off the farm and a job in business. “I knew I wanted something different. I pictured myself in a blue suit,” she says in telling her story.

The path to her dream could have changed when she became pregnant at 16. She moved to Rock County with her husband and young son when she was just 17 years old and was 21 when her marriage ended in divorce. Undeterred she worked a number of jobs to make ends meet soon making her way into real estate, a profession that would grow into a life-long passion. Diane met Ken Hendricks, then a roofer, a few years later and they would become partners in both business and life building a family of seven children and starting ABC Supply in 1982.

Their intent in starting ABC supply was simple – to provide roofing contractors with complete lines of products along with the professionalism, respect and service they deserved. They knew their customers and they had the passion, desire and knowledge to change the industry. Diane still speaks of those goals when talking to ABC Associates, “I can’t say it often enough, we have walked in those shoes. It’s hard work being a roofer.”

The initial “goal” of ABC Supply was to build a distribution company that would provide a variety of products and exceptional service nationwide. The plan was to have 200 stores across the nation. Today, ABC Supply is the largest distributor of exterior building materials in the nation with more than 970 locations, 20,400 associates and more than $18.5 billion in sales in 2022.

Some would describe Diane Hendricks as a risk-taker, others say she has a way of believing things into reality. Either way she has the ability to challenge those around her to reach, and then reach higher. Her business success comes from a combination of acumen, vision, perseverance, and character. When sharing her journey with aspiring entrepreneurs she notes, “You must pay your bills but you always pay yourself last.”

When Ken died unexpectedly in 2007, Diane had a decision to make. Keep or sell the company she and Ken had built. She kept it and has since grown the company by more than 700%. She is unwavering to this day, “we will never sell this company.”

In addition to ABC Supply, Diane owns a real estate development firm – Hendricks Commercial Properties – and a holding company with investments in 18 businesses, including Northstar Medical Radioisotopes, a company dedicated to detecting and treating certain forms of cancer and heart disease.

As a two-time cancer survivor, Diane does not take life or time for granted and now in her 70’s, her philanthropy is increasingly important. She is intentional about how she invests her time and her resources. She has leveraged her success in business to lead and grow the Hendricks Family Foundation and to expand her own personal philanthropy. She considers this work both a blessing, and a responsibility. Education is a particular passion for her.

The Foundation’s tag line – Cultivating Opportunity. Building Community. Honoring Country. – captures a combination of values Diane brings to much of her philanthropic work. The community of Beloit in particular has benefitted greatly. Diane has served on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club, Beloit Health Systems, Beloit 200 (previously Beloit 2020 and Beloit 2000), Blackhawk Bank and Beloit College. The Foundation has given leadership gifts to Beloit Health Systems, the Stateline Boys and Girls Club, the Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin, Hendricks CareerTek and most recently to launch The Lincoln Academy, a K12 independent public charter school. Diane’s personal giving extends to the state-of the art ABC Supply Stadium. She was a key supporter for the Beloit College Powerhouse redevelopment and supports many other community organizations.

Yet her efforts extend beyond Beloit. Diane previously served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Bradley Foundation and the Bradley Impact Fund. She was a founding donor for Wisconsin Eye and has continued to invest in order to ensure Wisconsinites have the ability to see the work of government in action. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Homes for Our Troops, a national organization devoted to building homes for disabled veterans and their families. She continues to serve on the Board of Beloit 200, the Hendricks Family Foundation, ABC Supply, Hendricks Holding Company and The Lincoln Academy.

Despite her business success, Diane reminds those around her often, “family first” and her most important role is being the matriarch of her family, which includes seven children, 15 grandchildren and a growing number of great-grandchildren.