‘Everyday American’ Diane Hendricks Touts Trump, Her Life Story in RNC Speech

Diane Hendricks speaking at the 2024 Republican National Convention. Photo taken July 18, 2024 by Graham Kilmer.

Wisconsin got a moment in the spotlight early in Thursday’s closing night Republican National Convention program.

Billionaire Diane Hendricks, the chairwoman of ABC Supply, sold her life story as a teenage mom that became “the most successful self-made woman in American history”.

She founded the roofing supply firm with her late husband Ken Hendricks, a roofing contractor.

“I’m living proof that the American dream is possible with hard work and determination,” said Hendricks, a resident of Afton near Beloit.

The convention’s speaking program listed her as an Everyday American. Forbes lists her as having a net worth of $20.9 billion.

Ken Hendricks passed away in 2007 after falling from the couple’s roof. Diane said the firm has quadrupled in size since then to 22,000 employees and is the largest roofing distributor in the country.

Hendricks has also followed her “passion” of real estate. Hendricks Commercial Properties has holdings in several states, including substantial development in Indianapolis and many properties in Wisconsin.

She supports another real estate developer: Donald Trump.

“We need a builder back in the White House, someone who will cut the job killing regulations, lower taxes on working families and give the power back to the American people,” said Hendricks.

She said inflation and regulations were harming entrepreneurs.

Based on the room’s reactions, only the cheesehead-donning Wisconsin delegation was incredibly engaged. It was the third speech of the night and occurred as many people, including media members, were still filing in.

Hendricks is a power player in Wisconsin conservative politics and has been one of the state’s top political donors for several years. A video of her talking to then-governor Scott Walker revealed she lobbied the governor for the union-busting Act 10.

She was subject to a 2017 Urban Milwaukee investigation that found her 228-acre property was under-assessed by the Town of Rock because the reported square foot was substantially undercounted. Its assessed value subsequently more than doubled.