Gala Honoree Spotlight: William Friedman - Citizen of the Year

Bill Friedman, Chairman of the Board of Friedman’s Home Improvement, has spent a lifetime growing his business and being involved in the Santa Rosa community. Bill’s parents instilled in him the importance of supporting and giving back to the communities in which we work and live.

Bill’s career at Friedman’s began as a 5-year-old accompanying his father, Benny, to work at the store Benny and his brother, Joe, opened in 1946. Today, Friedman’s Home Improvement stands as one of the rare independent, family-owned businesses that competes and thrives against national retail competition. Bill believes it is the commitment to the customer that he learned from his father that is the key ingredient to the success of the business. Together with his dedicated team, Bill’s 50-year career has included opening stores in Sonoma, Ukiah, and in the Spring of 2014, Petaluma. Under Bill’s leadership, Friedman’s has been an innovator known for its great product selection and service.

In 2013, Bill appointed his son Barry to the position of President/CEO, becoming the third generation to lead Friedman’s. This allows Bill the opportunity to spend more time working with the community organizations he loves. Bill is a founding member of Schools Plus; has served on the Board of Trustees of Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital; co-chaired the Redwood Empire Food Bank’s recent capital campaign; driving force of SAY’s “Dream Center;” provides guidance and support for Sonoma County’s Secret Santa program; and supports many other local causes relating to our youth, the elderly, and those less fortunate in our community.

Bill calls Suzie, his wife and partner of 43 years, his “inspiration.” They are the proud parents of daughter, Julie, who lives with her family in San Diego; son, Barry, and his family of Santa Rosa; and the loving grandparents of five.

Congratulations to Bill Friedman on being named Citizen of the Year.