Early Life
Bill Alfond was born in 1949 to Dorothy (née Levine) and Harold Alfond in Maine, USA. His father, Harold Alfond, founded the Dexter Shoe Company in 1958. Bill Alfond graduated from Governor Dummer Academy (now The Governor's Academy) in 1967.
Rise to Success
Bill Alfond's wealth originated from his father's business, Dexter Shoe Company. In 1993, Harold Alfond sold the company to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway in exchange for stock. In 2007, Bill Alfond inherited shares in Berkshire Hathaway after his father's death.
Key Business Strategies
Bill Alfond's business involvement includes the Dexter Shoe Company, Berkshire Hathaway, and the Alfond Foundation. He was involved in the bowling shoe division at Dexter Shoe Company. Bill and his brother Ted are minority investors in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Philanthropy
Bill Alfond, along with his wife Joan, founded The Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation in 1986. The Foundation focuses on higher education (particularly athletically oriented capital projects and scholarship endowments), healthcare, medical research, economic development, and youth education programs. The foundation has supported downtown Waterville's revitalization and built models for early childhood education in central Maine. The Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation distributed $2.34 million in charitable grants in 2023.