About Foster Friess

Meet The Original Outrider

Foster Friess grew up in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, a first-generation college graduate. His mother dropped out of school in the eighth grade to pick cotton in order to save the family farm in Texas. His father dealt cattle and horses.

Foster was valedictorian, class president, student council president, and captain of the basketball, track, golf, and baseball teams.

At the University of Wisconsin, Foster earned a degree in business administration, served as president of his fraternity, was named one of the “ten most outstanding senior men.” As president of the Kappa Chapter of the Chi Phi Fraternity, he also orchestrated the first Jewish member of that chapter. He also won the heart of “Badger Beauty” and Chi Omega president Lynnette Estes, whom he married in 1962. Two sons, two daughters, and fifteen grandchildren followed.

Investing in people

He was trained as an Army Infantry Platoon Leader and then served as the Intelligence Officer for the guided-missile brigade in El Paso, TX.

Exiting active duty with $800 of accumulated leave pay, an Admiral TV, a hide a bed, a baby and wife, he and his family built Friess Associates.

A visionary investor and pioneer of growth stock picking, Friess Associates’ high-performing Brandywine Fund led both CNBC and Fox News’ Neil Cavuto to dub Foster one of the “century’s great investors,” and Forbes magazine named him, along with Warren Buffet, Peter Lynch, and John Templeton, among the ten most successful money managers of this generation.

 

Philanthropy

Foster and Lynn devoted over $500 million to philanthropy. In 1999, the “Champ” himself awarded Foster the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award, and in 2000, at the National Charity Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C., Foster was named the “Humanitarian of the Year,” following in the footsteps of Coretta Scott King, Bob Hope, President George H.W. Bush, and Lady Bird Johnson.

Lynn and Foster gain their philanthropic inspiration from Galatians 6:2: “When we carry one another’s burdens we fulfill the law of Christ.” From supporting families of disabled children in Wyoming to assisting victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Haitian earthquake, Lynn and Foster engage in a wide scope of philanthropic activities.

Partnering with Tucker Carlson, Foster launched the Daily Caller. In 2012, Foster met Charlie Kirk, and was instrumental in the launch of Turning PointUSA.  That same year, he was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. The Horatio Alger Award symbolizes personal initiative and perseverance, leadership and commitment to excellence, belief in the free-enterprise system, the importance of higher education, community service, and the vision and determination to achieve a better future.

After the Parkland school shooting, in USA Today Foster issued a $2.5 million challenge grant to fund Rachel’s Challenge which encourages students to launch a chain reaction of kindness. It was founded by Darrell Scott, whose daughter Rachel was the first victim of Columbine. It has averted seven school shootings and over 700 suicides in the last three years.

In 2018, Foster launched Foster’s Outriders with the mission to promote principles of free enterprise, limited constitutional government, fiscal responsibility, and traditional American values. Working with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, the foundation strives to unite Americans from all backgrounds around issues we can all agree on.

In 2021, President Donald Trump, Senator Jim DeMint, and Congressman Mark Meadows presented Foster with the Conservative Lifetime Achievement Award.

Foster passed away on May 27, 2021, surrounded by his family. Today Foster’s Outriders continue his mission to keep America on the right trail by working together with Americans from all walks of life.

Awards

Horatio Alger Award

The Horatio Alger Award symbolizes personal initiative and perseverance, leadership and commitment to excellence, belief in the free-enterprise system and the importance of higher education, community service, and the vision and determination to achieve a better future.

Conservative Partnership Institute Lifetime Achievement Award

The Conservative Partnership Institute is dedicated to providing a platform for citizen leaders, the conservative movement, Members of Congress, congressional staff and scholars to be connected. The organization works to provide these leaders with the tools, tactics, resources and strategies to help make them successful in advancing conservative policy solutions. In 2021, President Donald Trump, Senator Jim DeMint and Congressman and former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows presented Foster with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

ACU Award for Conservative Philanthropy

The American Conservative Union awards the Conservative Philanthropy Award annually at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. to an individual who has supported conservative causes at a national level. Foster was honored by the ACU at CPAC 2013.

Paul Weyrich Award

Paul Werich was a leading conservative luminary, who founded the conservative think-tanks, the Heritage Foundation and Free Congress Foundation, as well as the “Moral Majority” of the 1980s.

A tribute to foster's impact

Watch foster's funeral service

A tribute to foster's impact

Testimony to foster's life

mark_meadows

The only thing bigger than Foster’s cowboy hat was the size of his heart, which had a passion and compassion for his fellow man. Foster’s willingness to humbly serve his community and his country was evident at every turn.

Mark Meadows

29th White House Chief of Staff

Rick Santorum

He was someone who is a giant who will be missed by people on both sides of the aisle. He and Harry Reid had a very good relationship. He saw me and Van Jones on TV and said, ‘Wow I’d really like to get to know Van, he really wanted to show that people on the other side weren’t evil, that they really wanted what’s best for America and just disagreed on the solution.

Rick Santorum

US Senator

Harry Reid

The friendship between myself and Foster Friess shows that people who are different politically can be the best of friends, which we were. He had many strong traits, but his number one trait was his generosity.

Harry Reid

US Senator

Senator

When Foster believed strongly in something or someone, as he often did, he jumped in with both feet and both arms. He had an unwavering commitment to God, his country, his family and those less fortunate. Bobbi and I will miss his good nature and his warm heart.

John Barrasso

US Senator

Liz

My prayers and condolences are with the Friess family, in particular his wife of nearly 60 years Lynn and his four children. His love of Wyoming, service to our state, and legacy of philanthropy will never be forgotten. May he Rest In Peace.

Liz Cheney

US Senator

Cynthia Lummis

First and foremost, Foster Friess was a servant of God. A generous philanthropist, devout Christian and unwavering patriot, he was dedicated to improving the lives of people around the globe.

Cynthia Lummis

US Senator