10 Things You Didn’t Know About Bridget Rooney Koch
Bridget Rooney Koch may be known as Bridget Rooney outside of the world of acting, but you might be surprised to learn that she never actually legally changed her name from her birth name, Bridget Rooney Koch.
1) She is the daughter of one of America’s richest men
In 2017, Forbes magazine listed Koch as the 6th richest woman in America. She is the daughter of one of America’s richest men, Charles Koch. The family has a total net worth of $104 billion and Koch owns an estimated 1% stake in the company her father founded, Koch Industries. Her sister Elizabeth is also part of the family business and currently serves as Executive Vice President at their company Invista Textiles.
2) She was born into a life of privilege
Bridget Rooney Koch was born into a life of privilege. As the daughter of billionaire businessmen, she had access to anything and everything. But when she got into a bad relationship with her boyfriend, she knew it was time to make a change. She started her own business, which became hugely successful and enabled her to live an independent life.
3) She attended an all-girls school
Bridget was born in a small town in Ohio and attended an all-girls school. She majored in Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduation, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she lived for a decade before moving to New York City.
Bridget is fluent in Spanish and has traveled extensively throughout Latin America for both personal pleasure and work assignments.
4) She has three brothers
Bríd’s three brothers grew up with the same passion for music that she did, and the four siblings would often spend their weekends singing together.
Bríd’s three brothers grew up with the same passion for music that she did, and the four siblings would often spend their weekends singing together.
We always used to sing together, says Bríd. It was always a family thing.
We always used to sing together, says Bríd.
5) Her father is a self-made man
Bridget’s father, Rich Koch, is a self-made man. He grew up in Dayton and was the first in his family to graduate from college. Rich attended Miami University of Ohio where he graduated with a degree in economics and finance. Upon graduation, Rich joined the investment banking division of Paine Webber in New York City before transferring to their Cincinnati office. During his time at Paine Webber, he became a member of their management committee.
6) Her mother comes from a long line of wealthy families
Bridget Rooney Koch is the daughter of a wealthy family and grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. Her mother comes from a long line of wealthy families that go back to the Mayflower. Growing up in such a privileged environment was both a blessing and a curse for Bridget. She never felt like she could live up to her parent’s expectations, so she went off on her own at 17 years old after graduating high school. She moved away to New York City and has been living there ever since!
7) Bridget is a philanthropist
Bridget is a philanthropist and has been working in the nonprofit sector for over 15 years. She’s always looking for ways to share her time, skills, and resources to create change and make a difference in communities. Her current passions are civic engagement, women’s leadership development, and economic empowerment.
8) She is an animal lover
Bridget Rooney Koch is an animal lover. She has two dogs, six cats, and a rabbit (which means her house is a no-go zone for pet-allergic guests). She also loves to garden, and her favorite flower is the daylily. She’s made some mistakes in her life, but she always tries to learn from them instead of regretting them forever.
9) She is an avid art collector
Bridget Rooney Koch is a passionate collector of art. She has found her own niche in the art world, by collecting and exhibiting 20th-century paintings and drawings. Her collection includes works by artists such as Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Andy Warhol. This passion for art reflects in her home’s décor: each room is decorated with vivid paintings and sculptures from different decades.
10) She is married to one of the world’s most eligible bachelor
Bridget Rooney Koch is married to one of the world’s most eligible bachelors, George Clooney. She and George have been married for over a decade and they have two children together, Ella and Alexander. Bridget met George when she was working as a television producer in Los Angeles.
