Dianie Hendricks, Konya Hendricks Schuh Betting on Beloit in TV show

Wisconsin’s richest person, billionaire Diane Hendricks, and her real estate broker daughter, Konya Hendricks Schuh, are “Betting on Beloit” in a new A&E show about revitalizing homes there.

Beloit is where ABC Supply Co. — which Hendricks co-founded in 1982 with her late husband, Ken — is headquartered. It’s also the city that was labeled the worst in Wisconsin to live in just a few years ago. Hendricks resides in nearby Afton.

While the daytime docuseries is new, its concept isn’t.

In 2017, the New York Times reported that Hendricks has gone to great lengths to help Beloit turn a corner. She’s had her hand in numerous local development projects, from flipping homes with her husband several decades ago to transforming a heavy manufacturing complex into what’s now the massive Ironworks Campus.

“I just want to give back to the community that gave us a chance,” Hendricks said in the new TV show’s trailer.

Here’s a look at the new home renovation and design series, who Diane and Konya are, what ABC Supply does and more:

What is ABC Supply Co.?

ABC Supply Co. is the largest wholesale distributor of roofing supplies and one of the largest distributors of siding and windows in North America.

ABC Supply has more than 700 locations across the U.S. and Canada, according to its website.

Hendricks has been its chairwoman and sole owner since her husband’s death in 2007.

Who is Diane Hendricks?

According to Forbes, Hendricks grew up on her family’s dairy farm in Osseo, Wisconsin, as the fourth of nine daughters.

After getting pregnant at 17, Hendricks was forced to leave school, married the baby’s father and moved to Janesville. After the couple divorced a couple years later, the single mom worked at a local Playboy Club and got into real estate, Forbes reported.

She met Ken, a roofing contractor, and they married in the mid-’70s before co-founding ABC Supply in 1982. They raised seven children together.

Diane is also the chairman and founder of Hendricks Commercial Properties, which invests in, manages and develops real estate, according to the company’s website. And, she’s the chairman of Hendricks Holding Company, Inc., a private investment firm.

For the past eight years, Hendricks has topped Forbes’ list of richest self-made women in America. And this year, she was named 92nd-richest person in the world by the business magazine. Her net worth? $21.9 billion.

One of the things Hendricks is best-known for is for being a longtime Republican megadonor. She even spoke at the RNC that was held in Milwaukee last summer.

Who is Konya Hendricks Schuh?

According to a news release about “Betting on Beloit,” Hendricks Schuh has two decades of experience in real estate development, sales and construction.

“Sharing in her parents’ devotion to Beloit, Konya has played a key role in numerous projects that have contributed to the city’s ongoing growth and renewal,” the release said.

As a real estate broker, she specializes in residential and new construction properties. For each project, she runs point on decisions and leads the design process “with a focus on honoring each home’s history and style while elevating spaces with modern touches.”

She’s secretary and treasurer for the Hendricks Family Foundation and chairman of the board for Grey Collar Enterprises, the parent company of Hendricks Commercial Properties and Geronimo Hospitality Group, the release said.

She’s also a wife, mom and animal welfare advocate.

What is ‘Betting on Beloit’?

“Betting on Beloit” follows Hendricks Schuh — who’s listed as an executive producer of the show — and her team — including husband Matt, a plumbing contractor and former home builder — as they purchase, restore and reimagine historic homes in Beloit’s storied neighborhoods, the release said. Hendricks is financing the venture.

“I expect a lot out of Konya,” Hendricks said in the show’s trailer, posted to YouTube on June 11. “She better not fail me.”

According to the release, the team’s mission is to turn “once-neglected properties into vibrant dream homes for individuals and families ready to plant new roots in Beloit.”

“It’s not just restoring the houses, it’s restoring the community,” Hendricks said in the promo.

The trailer received a range of reactions, from praise to concerns over the homes’ affordability. Here’s a sampling of those comments:

• “Thank you Diane for investing in these homes that otherwise would be collapsed and condemned. It would be wonderful if these homes draw a few people who otherwise would have lived in Janesville or Roscoe — people who will pay property taxes, purchase things downtown, and contribute to our community! Beloit, let’s stay positive. If you don’t like what you see, rise to the occasion and be the change.”
• “Smh this is exactly why people actually from Beloit can’t afford to live here because they are trying to glamorize this like it’s Hollywood! Us that were born and raised here want this to stop! We need affordable housing!”
• “As someone who was born and raised in Beloit and fled the blight and decay in the late 1990’s, I am intrigued to watch the show. I appreciate the effort and money the family has put into the city, but a few renovations don’t change the people, economy, or the negative outlook/attitude that lives in that city. It is going to take generations to truly improve Beloit. Kudos for the attempt. I’m not convinced it will change much. Will make for interesting TV though.”

How to watch ‘Betting on Beloit’

“Betting on Beloit” premieres July 12 on A&E with back-to-back-episodes at noon and 12:30 p.m. CT.

Episodes will also be available the next day on A&E’s website and on demand.