Diane Hendricks wasn't born into wealth. Growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm and working as a secretary while raising seven children, she co-founded ABC Supply with her husband Ken in 1982 to better serve building contractors.
They built ABC Supply to treat contractors with respect and consistent service. When other distributors were treating builders as interchangeable customers, Diane and Ken focused on building relationships and providing education and support. The breakthrough came after tragedy struck. When Ken died in a fall in 2007, many expected Diane to sell the company. Instead, she took full control and accelerated growth, acquiring competitors during the 2008 housing crisis when valuations were at historic lows.
Today, ABC Supply operates over 800 locations nationwide with annual revenue exceeding $12 billion.
What strategies drove Diane's remarkable success?
Lead Through Crisis: When faced with her husband's sudden death and the Great Recession simultaneously, Hendricks doubled down rather than retreating.
Maintain Private Ownership: By keeping ABC Supply private, she could make long-term decisions without pressure from quarterly-focused shareholders. Invest in Communities: Her revitalization of downtown Beloit, Wisconsin demonstrated her commitment to rebuilding American manufacturing towns when others had given up on them.
Hendricks' story demonstrates that determination can overcome even the most challenging circumstances. By continuing to build the company she co-founded after becoming a widow, she not only preserved her husband's legacy but expanded it dramatically, becoming a powerful example of female leadership in the male-dominated construction industry.
Diane Hendricks wasn't born into wealth. Growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm and working as a secretary while raising seven children, she co-founded ABC Supply with her husband Ken in 1982 to better serve building contractors.
They built ABC Supply to treat contractors with respect and consistent service. When other distributors were treating builders as interchangeable customers, Diane and Ken focused on building relationships and providing education and support. The breakthrough came after tragedy struck. When Ken died in a fall in 2007, many expected Diane to sell the company. Instead, she took full control and accelerated growth, acquiring competitors during the 2008 housing crisis when valuations were at historic lows.
Today, ABC Supply operates over 800 locations nationwide with annual revenue exceeding $12 billion.
What strategies drove Diane's remarkable success?
Lead Through Crisis: When faced with her husband's sudden death and the Great Recession simultaneously, Hendricks doubled down rather than retreating.
Maintain Private Ownership: By keeping ABC Supply private, she could make long-term decisions without pressure from quarterly-focused shareholders.
Invest in Communities: Her revitalization of downtown Beloit, Wisconsin demonstrated her commitment to rebuilding American manufacturing towns when others had given up on them.
Hendricks' story demonstrates that determination can overcome even the most challenging circumstances. By continuing to build the company she co-founded after becoming a widow, she not only preserved her husband's legacy but expanded it dramatically, becoming a powerful example of female leadership in the male-dominated construction industry.