List of Famous people born in Wisconsin, United States of America
Foster Friess
Foster Stephen Friess is an American investment manager and prominent donor to Republican Party and Christian right causes. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor of Wyoming in the 2018 election, losing in the primary to State Treasurer Mark Gordon.
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright believed in designing in harmony with humanity and the environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture. This philosophy was exemplified in Fallingwater (1935), which has been called "the best all-time work of American architecture." Wright played a key role in the architectural movements of the twentieth century, influencing generations of architects worldwide through his works.
Travis Frederick
Travis Frederick is a former American football center who played his entire seven-year career for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at Wisconsin and was drafted 31st overall by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. In his time as a Cowboy he was elected to 5 Pro Bowls and he was an All-Pro in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Dick Trickle
Richard Leroy Trickle, mostly referred to as "Dick", was an American race car driver. He raced for decades around the short tracks of Wisconsin, winning many championships along the way. Trickle competed in the ASA, ARTGO, ARCA, All Pro, IMCA, NASCAR, and USAC.
Laurie Bembenek
Lawrencia Ann "Bambi" Bembenek, known as Laurie Bembenek, was an American former police officer convicted of murdering her husband's ex-wife. Her story garnered national attention after she escaped from Taycheedah Correctional Institution and was recaptured in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, an episode that inspired books, movies and the slogan "Run, Bambi, Run". Upon winning a new trial, she pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and was sentenced to time served and ten years' probation in December 1992. Four years after, she sought to have the sentence overturned.
Jessica Szohr
Jessica Karen Szohr is an American actress. She started her screen career appearing on television shows such as My Wife and Kids (2003), Joan of Arcadia (2004), What About Brian (2007) and CSI: Miami (2007). She gained recognition in 2007 with her breakthrough role as Vanessa Abrams on The CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl (2007–2012). She has appeared in feature films including the horror film Piranha 3D (2010), the comedy film I Don't Know How She Does It (2011), the comedy film The Internship (2013) and the comedy film Ted 2 (2015). Her recent television credits include Complications (2015), Kingdom (2015), Twin Peaks (2017) and Shameless (2017–18). In 2018, she joined the cast of the science fiction series The Orville during its second season.
Amanda Kessel
Amanda Kessel is an American professional ice hockey player. She has been a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team and played four seasons for the Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey program. She has played professionally in the National Women's Hockey League and Professional Women's Hockey Players Association.
Eric Heiden
Eric Arthur Heiden is an American physician and a former long track speed skater, road cyclist and track cyclist. He won an unprecedented five individual gold medals, and set four Olympic records and one world record at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. Heiden was the most successful athlete at those Olympic Games, single-handedly winning more gold medals than all nations except for the Soviet Union (10) and East Germany (9). He is the most successful Winter Olympian from a single edition of any Winter Olympics. He delivered the Athlete's Oath at those same 1980 Games. His coach was Dianne Holum.
Steve Sisolak
Stephen F. Sisolak is an American businessman and politician serving as the 30th and current Governor of Nevada since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously chaired the Clark County Commission from 2013 to 2019.
Raja Chari
Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari is an American test pilot and NASA astronaut. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, and has over 2,000 flying hours. He is a colonel in the United States Air Force.