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Beloit's entrepreneurial wizard perishes after falling from roof

Shocked. Stunned. Saddened.
These are the words used repeatedly today as the community reacted to the unexpected death of Beloit business mogul Kenneth A. Hendricks.

Kenneth Hendricks , the billionaire chairman of ABC Supply Co., the largest U.S. supplier of roofing materials, died today after falling through the ceiling above his home garage in Afton, Wisconsin. He was 66.

Hendricks, chief executive officer of the Beloit, Wisconsin- based company, suffered massive head injuries last night after falling while inspecting work on the garage, Commander Troy Knudson of the Rock County Sheriff's Office said in a telephone interview.

“Ken was a wonderful man. Beloit's No. 1 booster and No. 1 philanthropist,” Arft said. “It's difficult.”

Arft called Hendricks a young man, in the prime of his life.

“This is a terrible tragedy for the family and the community,” he said. “We send our sincerest condolences to his family and the larger ABC (Supply) family.”

Kenneth A. "Ken" Hendricks (1941 – December 21, 2007) was a businessman who grew a shingle supply company into a $2.6 billion fortune and a spot on the Forbes 400. Primarily associated with Beloit, Hendricks lived in Afton, Wisconsin.

Hendricks, born and raised in Janesville, was a high school dropout who joined his father in the roofing business, reshingling houses on weekends. He eventually started his own firm, which grew into a 500-man multi-state operation by 1971, a time when most roofers were still local. After selling off that business to have more personal time, he started ABC Supply, which has become the largest U.S. wholesaler of roofing supplies, with annual sales approaching $3 billion. Hendricks remained the sole owner, and was added to the Forbes 400 in 2004. In 2006, with his personal wealth estimated at $2.6 billion, Hendricks was added to the Forbes list of the world's billionaires.

Hendricks also owned the Beloit Plaza mall and the former Beloit Corporation manufacturing complex, much of which has been completely redeveloped; ABC Supply has taken over most of the disused Fairbanks-Morse complex, as well.

In 2001, Hendricks was cited for exceeding the state's campaign laws mandating a $10,000 limit on political contributions. No legal action was taken.

Hendricks and his wife Diane owned and ran several other companies through the Hendricks Group. Hendricks was known for his interest in green building technology, and was set to build an environmentally friendly roof for a complex at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Hendricks was involved in efforts to build a new stadium for the Beloit Snappers minor-league baseball team, and is the developer of a residential plat in Janesville.

In 2006, Inc. named Hendricks its 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year award and he was featured on the magazine's cover. Inc. had ranked ABC Supply its #1 Inc. 500 business in 1986, after which it was too large to list.