Donald Friese

Early Life

Donald Friese was born in 1940 in York, Pennsylvania. He grew up in humble circumstances as the third of 13 siblings. At a young age, his parents placed him and a brother in an orphanage. Friese worked on dairy, hog, and vegetable farms from his youth to learn about work.

Rise to Success

After graduating high school, Friese served three years in the U.S. Army as a missile mechanic. In 1961, he moved to Los Angeles with only $125 and began working at C.R. Laurence as a warehouse worker. Friese showed dedication, learning various aspects of the business, eventually acquiring a stake in the company and rising to become its sole owner. Under his leadership, the company expanded significantly.

Key Business Strategies

Friese focused on expanding C.R. Laurence by acquiring competitors and developing its manufacturing operations. By 2015, the company manufactured over 65,000 products for the glass industry. A key strategy was vertical integration, which allowed better control of the supply chain and increased profitability. He sold C.R. Laurence to CRH plc in 2015 for $1.3 billion.

Philanthropy

Friese and his son, DJ Friese, established the Friese Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to philanthropy. The foundation supports various organizations, including the American Red Cross, USO, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. In 2021, the Friese Family Foundation gave $50 million for a new hospital tower at Providence Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Tarzana.