D onald Friese is a self-made American billionaire who built his fortune in the glass and glazing industry. His is a remarkable rags-to-riches story. He grew up in an orphanage and, after serving in the U.S. Army, he took a warehouse job at C.R. Laurence, a small glass supply company, in 1961. Through decades of hard work and dedication, he rose through the ranks.

He eventually bought the company from its founder and, as CEO and owner, transformed it into the dominant supplier of tools and hardware for the glazing industry in North America. He grew the company with a relentless focus on customer service and an encyclopedic product catalog. In 2015, he sold C.R. Laurence to the Irish building materials giant CRH for $1.3 billion in cash. He has since focused on philanthropy and is a signatory of the Giving Pledge, committing to donate the majority of his wealth.