Bill Pulte was a builder long before he became a businessman. At just 18 years old, with little more than a set of blueprints and a strong work ethic, he built his first house on Detroit’s east side. He did much of the labor himself—learning by doing, making every decision count, and developing the discipline that would define the rest of his life. That humble, hands-on beginning was the first step in what would become one of America’s most iconic homebuilding success stories.

Bill founded Pulte Homes in 1956, and over the next several decades, he transformed it from a small, family-run operation into one of the largest and most respected homebuilders in the nation. Through good times and bad, he remained focused on quality, affordability, and innovation. His company helped millions of Americans achieve something that once felt out of reach: the dream of homeownership. Bill believed deeply in that dream. He knew that a home meant more than shelter—it meant stability, dignity, and the chance to build a better life.

But his legacy is far greater than the thousands of neighborhoods he helped create. Bill Pulte believed in using success as a platform to serve others. He was a man of deep Catholic faith, and his values shaped both his personal and professional life. He gave quietly but generously to causes that aligned with what he believed mattered most: faith, family, and lifting up those who had been left behind. He supported churches, Catholic schools, housing programs, hunger initiatives, and healthcare efforts—always with the belief that those blessed with much have a duty to give much.

In his later years, Bill formalized his commitment to giving by establishing the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation. The Foundation serves as the lasting expression of his values and priorities—focused on caring for others, feeding the hungry and thirsty, providing shelter, and investing in the poor and vulnerable, both in the United States and abroad. It reflects Bill’s belief that generosity is one of the highest callings in life.

Bill Pulte never sought the spotlight. He measured success not by headlines, but by lives changed. Whether it was helping a single mother buy her first home or funding a mission in Guatemala, he believed in doing good—quietly, humbly, and with purpose. He was a builder at heart. And what he built—through his company, through his faith, and through his Foundation—continues to stand as a testament to what one life, rooted in service, can create.

Today, the Foundation carries forward Bill’s vision. His legacy lives not just in the homes he built, but in the hope he gave, the faith he lived, and the lives he changed along the way.