The founders of Uline built a distribution powerhouse while establishing deep business, family and philanthropic ties to Wisconsin.
Richard “Dick” and Elizabeth “Liz” Uihlein built Uline from a basement startup into one of North America’s leading distributors of shipping, packaging and industrial supplies. Although the couple’s campaign finance filings list a Lake Bluff, Illinois, address, their company headquarters, business investments, employment base and charitable giving have established a substantial presence in Wisconsin, particularly in Kenosha County.
Dick Uihlein was born in 1945 and grew up in Lake Bluff, Illinois near Chicago. His family’s Wisconsin roots stretch back generations. He is the great-grandson of August Uihlein, a member of the family that helped build Milwaukee’s Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company into a major American brewery. Dick’s father, Edgar “Ed” Uihlein Jr., was also a businessman who co-founded General Binding Corporation in the Chicago area.
Dick attended Phillips Academy Andover before graduating from Stanford University in 1967 with a degree in history. He later worked in international sales for General Binding, gaining business experience before launching his own company.
Liz Uihlein, born Elizabeth Anne Hallberg, grew up in the Chicago area and attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. Her connection to Wisconsin began early, through childhood summers spent in the Northwoods near Mellen with her cousin Martin Hanson, an environmentalist who worked to secure federal protection for the Apostle Islands.
In 1980, Dick and Liz founded Uline after recognizing a need for a distributor that could deliver shipping supplies quickly and reliably. With startup funding from Dick’s father, the couple began operating from their basement. Their first product was the H-101 carton sizer, a device used to measure boxes for shipping.
Uline grew by emphasizing product availability, efficient distribution and fast service. Its catalog expanded to hundreds of pages, covering packaging, warehouse, safety and industrial supplies. The privately held company remains family-operated, with Liz serving as chief executive officer and Dick as chairman. Uline reports more than 10,000 employees across North America, (with thousands in Kenosha County alone).
Building a Wisconsin presence In 2008, Uline announced plans to relocate its headquarters from Waukegan, Illinois, to Pleasant Prairie. In 2009, Uline broke ground on a 200-acre corporate campus featuring a 274,000-square-foot corporate office (known as “The Lodge”) and an adjacent 1 million-square-foot distribution center. The move officially culminated in 2010, bringing 1,000 jobs to Pleasant Prairie right away. State and local economic-development incentives were tied to job creation benchmarks, which KABA helped facilitate the relocation alongside regional partners.
When discussing the company with KABA, Liz said, “It’s weird to develop a love of corrugated boxes and shipping supplies, but I really enjoy (it). It’s very exciting to get a product, write the copy, put it in 11 locations in North America, and so I really like the creative part.”
Uline’s Kenosha County footprint has continued to expand. With another approved project, the company’s facilities in the county are projected to approach 14.5 million square feet of Kenosha County space, according to the Kenosha Area Business Alliance. The company is a major regional employer, with an extensive local property footprint and a significant role in the area’s economic and tax base.
The company is among Kenosha County’s largest taxpayers, with substantial property holdings supporting its headquarters and distribution operations. A Pleasant Prairie tax report listed approximately $3.47 million in property taxes due in 2023 on one Uline property alone. KABA reports that Uline employs approximately 3,800 people in Kenosha County and occupies more than 11 million square feet of space statewide. Uline’s employment, property and continued investment establish a significant economic presence in the state.
Beyond Uline: Housing, museums and Northwoods investments
The Uihleins’ business presence has been accompanied by more than 15 years of community giving. In 2023, Uline donated $3 million to the City of Kenosha for Home Kenosha, a $6 million workforce-housing initiative. The city matched the corporate contribution with $3 million in public funds to support single-family home construction and expand homeownership opportunities. In 2024, Uline donated $83,250 to the Friends of Pleasant Prairie Parks Foundation for local parks and green-space improvements.
The Ed Uihlein Family Foundation has also supported Kenosha cultural and community institutions. The Foundation awards generous grants to Kenosha Civil War Museum and Kenosha Public Museums annually. In 2024, the foundation also reported grants of $25,000 to the Kenosha YMCA and $50,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha. The foundation has supported regional conservation entities like the Seno K/RLT Conservancy operating in Kenosha and Racine counties. The private foundation has directed millions of dollars to the region annually.
The family’s Wisconsin ties extend north to Manitowish Waters, where Liz has described the Northwoods as a “home away from home.” Together they started EAU Holdings, the hospitality and property management company. Holdings’ mission is to enhance the community of Manitowish Waters by developing and operating businesses with an emphasis on quality and customer service. EAU strives to make a great place even better for both tourists and residents.
Liz and Dick purchased a property that became the Smokey’s Restaurant in 2006. Starting with the purchase of a single property, the EAU company executed a massive downtown revitalization campaign in 2014, establishing an interconnected ecosystem of high-end Northwoods lodging, dining, recreation, and retail properties
The EAU Holdings portfolio includes The Lodge at Manitowish Waters, Smokey’s Restaurant and Dixie’s Coffee House, alongside other downtown businesses and amenities, including a spa, salon, boutique and athletic club.
Liz also operates the LUMW Foundation, which has donated millions toward community, recreational, civic infrastructure, and local conservation/land trust groups in the Manitowish Waters area. These investments connect the family’s business interests with the area’s tourism economy and year-round community life.
Political giving and influence
The Uihleins are among the country’s most prominent Republican donors. Richard operates the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation and frequently donates to conservative think tanks and nonprofits.
Wisconsin campaign-finance reports covering July 1 through September 23, 2026, show that Dick and Liz each contributed $11 million to the Republican Party of Wisconsin, for a combined $22 million during the reporting period. The party received another $5.6 million from Beloit businesswoman Diane Hendricks, bringing the three donors’ combined contributions to $27.6 million during those months.
The state party then transferred approximately $24.2 million to Republican gubernatorial nominee Tom Tiffany’s campaign during the same period. Tiffany reported raising approximately $26.3 million overall, compared with about $10.2 million raised by Democratic nominee David Crowley.
Wisconsin law limits individual contributions to candidates but allows state political parties to accept unlimited contributions and transfer unlimited amounts to candidates. Democrats have also used the law, although the scale of Republican fundraising in this reporting period was exceptional.
David Crowley accused the three wealthy Republican donors of trying to “buy” the governor’s office, arguing that Tiffany would serve their interests over those of Wisconsin families. A progressive advocacy group, A Better Wisconsin Together, similarly accused the donors of seeking a state government that would serve their interests.
Dick Uihlein has also funded Restoration of America PAC, which has spent millions independently in Wisconsin’s 2026 governor’s race. Campaign spending records show the PAC has supported Tiffany and opposed Crowley, including substantial advertising and voter-outreach expenditures.
The Uihleins’ politics are not subtle–they want a Republican legislature and a Republican governor. What democrats cannot honestly say about these donors is that they do not have a stake in our state. From Uline’s headquarters in Pleasant Prairie to affordable housing, parks, museums, various charities and civic institutions, to the Northwoods hospitality and conservation protection/restoration efforts, the Uihleins have generously invested in several different areas across Wisconsin.
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