Bill Oesterle was an online entrepreneur and influential political activist as well as the cofounder and CEO of Angie’s List, a pioneering website that was devoted to connecting users to local home improvement contractors.
- Died: May 10, 2023 (Who else died on May 10?)
- Details of death: Died in Indianapolis of ALS at the age of 57.
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Bill Oesterle’s legacy
When Bill Oesterle partnered with Angie Hicks in 1995 to create Angie’s List, the pair was among the earliest to embrace the full potential of the then-nascent World Wide Web. The site, which aimed to connect consumers with reliable home improvement contractors in their area, proved to be one of the web’s earliest successes. Beginning with just three employees, it grew to thousands at its peak. Today it operates as Angi.
In Indiana, Oesterle was more than just the cofounder of an influential website. He was a political leader who developed a reputation for being focused on people over profits and politics. He was on the National Bank of Indianapolis’ board, collaborated with the conservative think tank the Hudson Institute, worked for former Governor Robert Orr, and managed former Governor Mitch Daniels’s 2004 campaign, among other positions. He also created the Orr Fellowship, which connects Indiana graduates with jobs in their field.
His most high-profile advocacy came in 2015. Oesterle, himself a Republican, opposed then-Governor Mike Pence’s push to pass the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which Oesterle feared would allow discrimination against LGBTQIA+ communities. Pence signed it into law. Oesterle left Angie’s List that same year to continue the fight and improve Indiana’s attitudes towards gay rights. In 2017, he experienced the first symptoms of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, the disease that would eventually take his life.
Notable quote
“It’s a weird gift to know about when you’re going to die.”—2022 interview, Indianapolis Star
Tributes to Bill Oesterle
Full obituary: Indianapolis Star
