By Brian E. Clark
WisBusiness.com
Civic and business leaders said Wisconsin will miss billionaire industrialist and philanthropist Ken Hendricks, who died early Friday morning after a fall at his rural Rock County home. Hendricks owned ABC Supply and more than a dozen other companies.
Gov. Jim Doyle called Hendricks’ death a “great loss” for Wisconsin.
“He was a good friend to me and to so many people in this state,” Doyle said. “He has been such a great citizen of Wisconsin and he has done so much to help Beloit.
“Ken has been one of Wisconsin’s greatest business successes and has used that success to help so many people,” he said, adding condolences to Ken’s wife Diane and his family.
James Buchen, vice president for government relations at Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, called Hendricks death a “tragedy.”
“It’s really unfortunate to lose such a great entrepreneur and business leader,” Buchen said. “He was somebody who grew a large and successful operation from the ground up. We don’t have enough of those people in this state.”
Beloit City Manager Larry Arft said Hendricks leaves behind economic growth and cultural support in Beloit, where his ABC Supply headquarters is located.
“Ken’s love of the city of Beloit and Beloit College, his support of local charitable organizations and his great fondness for the arts has left an amazing legacy for present and future generations of Beloit residents,” he said.
“In addition to family and friends, the entire city of Beloit will be mourning the loss of one of the community’s leading citizens,” he said.
Chris Long, president and CEO of Madison-based WisconsinEye, credited Hendricks and wife Diane for keeping the public affairs network afloat with a $1 million donation two years ago.
“Ken’s passing is a setback for public life in this state,” said Long, who noted that Hendricks was a WisconsinEye board member. “He was a lifesaver for us.
“Ken and Diane were also great champions of renewal in Beloit and they did it rather quietly. He will be missed by a lot of people.”
Carol Engebretson, executive officer of the Janesville-based South Central Wisconsin Builders Association, said his death is being felt personally by many of the group’s members.
“His presence and leadership will be sadly missed,” she said. “We had a lot of respect for him and his works. He gave a lot of money to many organizations.
“Everyone seemed to know a member of his extended family. He was a Janesville native and liked and respected. People had a lot of respect for Ken.”
Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, said Hendricks was the epitome of persistence. It was that aspect of his life – and his business success – that earned him the 2006 “Seize the Day” award from the Tech Council.
“He was a great guy because he overcome so many obstacle to build ABC Supply, and then he used the company for the betterment of his community and own employees in very creative ways,” said Still, who spoke to Hendricks only last week.
“Any time you lose a down-to-earth leader like Ken, it has to have an effect,” he said.
Still said he hopes Hendricks’ family will carry on his philanthropic and commercial efforts.
“Part of Ken’s legacy is he surrounded himself with good people and that his family is very much involved in the company,” he said.
“I’m confident they will carry on in his spirit,” he said.
Rock County authorities said Hendricks suffered massive head injuries when he tumbled through the roof of his garage about 10 p.m. Thursday. He had gone out on the building to look at new construction, his wife told sheriff’s deputies.
Hendricks was taken to Beloit Memorial Hospital and then later transferred to Rockford Memorial Hospital, in Illinois, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 5 a.m.
