FULFILLING A DREAM: DIANE HENDRICKS
Diane and Ken Hendricks harbored a dream for the way they envisioned their lives unfolding.
“In 1982, Ken and I had a vision,” says Diane, chairman of ABC Supply Co., Inc., the company she co-founded with her late husband. “We wanted to be productive with our lives, make a difference in our industry, and give back to those who helped us achieve our dreams. Ken and I were blessed to be born in this great nation, where we are born with the gift of opportunity and freedom. Our vision was to live the American dream by working hard, working smart, and having fun.”
Ken passed away in 2007, but Diane has carried on, continuing the dream the couple started together. Today, ABC Supply, a Beloit-based corporation, is the largest wholesale distributor of exterior building products in the United States with 970 locations, 20,4000 employees, and $18.5 billion in sales in 2022. The company has received seventeen Gallup Great Workplace Awards, which honor the most engaged and productive workforces in the world. They also received two Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Awards in recognition of their dedication to fostering an employee-first and engaging culture.
Diane serves as Chairman of Hendricks Holding Company, which includes a diverse collection of domestic and international companies in commercial real estate, construction, insurance brokerage, manufacturing, recycling, transportation and logistics, pharmaceutical research, and other business sectors. She is President and Chairman of the Hendricks Family Foundation and an active philanthropist with a particular passion for education.
“Diane’s commitment to the City of Beloit is exceptional and unprecedented,” says Drew Pennington, Economic Development Director for the City of Beloit and President/CEO of the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation. “Diane’s influence upon Greater Beloit goes far beyond providing quality jobs and extends into housing, hospitality, arts & culture, entertainment, and beyond. Her companies and organizations have elevated the quality of life in our community, and we are very grateful for her leadership.”
Beloit is comprised of many citizens willing to contribute to making Beloit the great community that it is, says Diane. “It’s the people that make Beloit a community. We are fortunate to have strong city and economic development teams, financial institutions, and industry leaders dedicated to the future prosperity of Beloit. They are individuals who are willing to invest their time and money to create reasons to live, work, and play here. We revive buildings for economic development, but it’s what’s inside them that counts the most. Beloit is a wonderful community, and I am extremely proud to call it my home.”
“I see it as my civic responsibility,” says Hendricks, who has seven children, 15 grandchildren, and a growing number of great-grandchildren. “I’ve had wonderful opportunities in my life and feel it is my duty to help create opportunities for others. I believe that the key to economic sustainability is a thriving private sector that provides good careers, paired with a strong educational system.”
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