Bill was born on September 4th, 1952, to Betty and Robert Hovland in Sioux City, Iowa. He started working at the family company, Hovland Manufacturing Co., in 1966, eventually coming to own and run the company. He graduated from East High School and was also in the Army Reserves from 1971 to 1977. After moving to Cody, Wyoming in 1994, he became a Snap-on Tools franchise owner.