{{Short description|American businessman}} {{about|Richard DeVos Sr|his son Richard DeVos Jr.|Dick DeVos}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2018}} {{Infobox person | name = Richard DeVos | image = Richard DeVos and Gerald Ford (1975-06-06) (cropped).jpg | image_size = 150px | caption = DeVos in 1975 | birth_name = Richard Marvin DeVos | birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|3|4|mf=y}} | birth_place = Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S | death_date = {{death date and age|2018|9|6|1926|3|4|mf=y}} | death_place = Ada Township, Michigan, U.S | resting_place = | occupation = Businessman | known_for = Amway founder; owner of NBA's Orlando Magic | alma_mater = Calvin College | political_party = Republican | spouse = {{marriage|Helen Van Wesep|1953|2017|end=died}} | children = {{flatlist| *Dick *Dan *Cheri *Doug}} }}
'''Richard Marvin DeVos Sr.'''<ref name="amway-founders">{{Cite web|url=https://www.amwayglobal.com/our-story/founders/|title=Amway's Founders|website=Amway Global |publisher=Amway |language=en-us|access-date=2020-04-14}}</ref> (March 4, 1926 – September 6, 2018) was an American billionaire businessman, co-founder of Amway with Jay Van Andel (company restructured as Alticor in 2000), and owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team. In 2012, ''Forbes'' magazine listed him as the 60th wealthiest person in the United States, and the 205th richest in the world, with an estimated net worth of $5.1 billion.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/profile/richard-devos "''Forbes'' magazine profile of Richard DeVos"] ''Forbes''. Retrieved March 2012.</ref>
==Early life== DeVos was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the son of Ethel Ruth (Dekker) and Simon Cornelius DeVos, Dutch Americans<ref>[https://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/history-and-heritage/dutch_americans/richard-devos/ Richard DeVos <nowiki>[1926]</nowiki>], ''New Netherland Institute''</ref> who worked in the electrical business.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sekpAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Simon+Cornelius+and+Ethel+Ruth+(Dekker)+De+Vos%22|title=The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography: Current volume|date=October 20, 1967|publisher=J.T. White|isbn=9780883710418 |access-date=October 20, 2017|via=Google Books}}</ref> He was educated at Grand Rapids Christian School,<ref name=Nagengastdebt>{{cite web|author=Nagengast, Kate|url=https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2009/03/devos_gift_to_grand_rapids_chr.html|title=DeVos gift to Grand Rapids Christian Schools relieves debt, puts schools on 'very stable financial ground'|work=MLive|date=2009-03-17|access-date=2019-11-24}}</ref> and at Calvin College, and was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He served in the military in World War II in the United States Army Air Corps.<ref>The Possible Dream, by Charles Paul Conn, page 6</ref>
== Career == === Amway === DeVos and his school friend Jay Van Andel founded Amway in 1959 as a multi-level marketing business to distribute cleaning products, following the business model they had observed in a previous venture together.<ref name="amway-founders"/> They ran the business together, expanding it over the decades into an international distributor of a wide variety of products.
===Books=== Books written by him include ''Compassionate Capitalism'' and ''Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons For Life''. The latter reflects his feelings after successfully undergoing a heart transplant operation in the United Kingdom in 1997 after being turned down for a transplant in the United States because of his age and diabetes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/richard-devos-obituary-tlkqwzhxn|title=Richard DeVos obituary|date=2018-09-19|work=The Times|access-date=2020-01-24|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref> This was preceded by two heart-bypass operations in 1983 and 1992.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fate, patience bring DeVos a new heart: Amway cofounder back after journey for life | work= Detroit Free Press|last=Levin|first=Doron|date=October 8, 1997}}</ref> In 1975, DeVos published a book about his success, co-authored with Charles Paul Conn, titled ''Believe!''.<ref name="NBA" /> In 2014 he published his memoirs, titled ''Simply Rich''.<ref name="KR">{{cite web |title=Simply Rich |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/rich-devos/simply-rich/ |publisher=Kirkus Reviews |access-date=September 7, 2018}}</ref>
===Sports ownership=== thumb|DeVos welcoming fans before a game in October 2010 DeVos was the owner of the NBA team Orlando Magic, having bought the team in 1991 for $85 million.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/20/sports/nba-orlando-team-sold.html | title = Orlando Team Sold | access-date = July 27, 2010 | date = September 20, 1991 | work = New York Times}}</ref> He became interested in the team after an unsuccessful effort to acquire a Major League Baseball expansion franchise for Orlando.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/20/sports/nba-orlando-team-sold.html|title=N.B.A. Orlando Team Sold|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 20, 1991|access-date=February 12, 2018}}</ref>
DeVos also formerly owned the Orlando Solar Bears, Grand Rapids Griffins, and the Kansas City Blades, three International Hockey League franchises before that league folded;<ref>{{cite web |title=Magic, DeVos family plan to buy Orlando Solar Bears |url=https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2017/05/03/magic-devos-family-plan-to-buy-orlando-solar-bears |access-date=September 7, 2018}}</ref> the Solar Bears and Blades were closed as a result of the league folding, while the Griffins moved to the American Hockey League, and are now under the ownership of Dan DeVos, one of Richard's sons.<ref>{{cite web |title=DAN DEVOS |url=https://www.griffinshockey.com/team/front-office/index.html?staff_id=1 |website=griffinshockey.com |access-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907144545/https://www.griffinshockey.com/team/front-office/index.html?staff_id=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
DeVos asked Orange County, Florida, to help pay for the Orlando Magic's new arena using county funds and Dema Stobell's Corporation money. Amway, for a time, paid for the naming rights to Amway Center (now Kia Center). The use of public money was controversial.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nothing but the best for new arena: Look what your taxes helped buy|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2010/03/13/nothing-but-the-best-for-new-arena-look-what-your-taxes-helped-buy/|access-date=March 13, 2010|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel}}</ref>
===Boards=== He sat on the board of trustees of Northwood University and had been president of the Council for National Policy. He also served on the board of trustees of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, which is a museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_about_Board_of_Trustees.aspx | title = National Constitution Center, Board of Trustees | access-date = July 27, 2010 | date = July 26, 2010 | publisher = National Constitution Center | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100615033447/http://constitutioncenter.org/ncc_about_Board_of_Trustees.aspx| url-status = dead |archive-date=June 15, 2010}}</ref> He sat on the legacy board of Christian Leaders Institute,<ref>{{Cite web|title = Christian Leaders Directory|url = https://www.christianleadersinstitute.org/cli-directory|website = Free Ministry Training – Ordination|access-date = January 15, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.christianleadersinstitute.org | title = Christian Leaders Institute | access-date = May 7, 2012 | date = May 7, 2012 | publisher = Christian Leaders Institute }}</ref> the nonprofit organization founded by Henry Reyenga Jr. after he was encouraged by DeVos and Ron Parr.<ref name="HCLI">{{cite web |title=HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN LEADERS INSTITUTE |url=https://www.christianleadersinstitute.org/history/ |website=www.christianleadersinstitute.org |access-date=September 7, 2018}}</ref>
==Political involvement== DeVos was a major donor to the U.S. Republican Party and to conservative causes, including Focus on the Family, and the American Enterprise Institute. In the early 1970s, he was a major funder of John Conlan and Bill Bright's Third Century Publishers, the founding of which has been called "the first major effort to build a national movement of conservative evangelicals".<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/newchristianrigh00ndpo/ |title=The New Christian Right: Mobilization and Legitimation |date=1983 |publisher=Aldine |isbn=978-0-202-30307-9 |editor-last=Liebman |editor-first=Robert C. |location=Hawthorne, NY |pages=50 |editor-last2=Wuthnow |editor-first2=Robert |editor-last3=Guth |editor-first3=James L. |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> DeVos supported the candidacies of Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich.<ref name=Forbes>{{cite news|last=Bennett|first=Laurie|title=The Ultra-Rich, Ultra-Conservative DeVos Family|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lauriebennett/2011/12/26/the-ultra-rich-ultra-conservative-devos-family/|access-date=November 28, 2013|newspaper=Forbes|date=December 26, 2011}}</ref><ref name=NYT>{{cite news|last=Confessore|first=Nicholas|title=Michigan Effort Shows G.O.P. Sway in State Contests|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/us/politics/republican-donors-make-gains-in-states.html|access-date=November 28, 2013|newspaper=NYT|date=December 16, 2012}}</ref> DeVos served as a finance chairman for the Republican National Committee.<ref name="Exec profile">{{cite web |title=Richard M. DeVos Sr |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=2030799&privcapId=1983255|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203090900/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=2030799&privcapId=1983255|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 3, 2013|publisher=Bloomberg Businessweek|access-date=November 28, 2013}}</ref> In 1987, President Ronald Reagan appointed DeVos to the President's Commission on the HIV Epidemic,<ref>{{cite news|last=Boffey|first=Philip M.|title=U.S. Panel on AIDS, Citing Challenges, Ousts Staff Chief|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/15/us/us-panel-on-aids-citing-challenges-ousts-staff-chief.html|access-date=February 2, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 15, 1987}}</ref> and was criticized at the time for characterizing people with AIDS as wanting "special treatment".<ref name=":0" /> He was a dedicated opponent of same-sex marriage.<ref name=":0" />
DeVos was a long-time close friend of Gerald and Betty Ford, and was an honorary pallbearer at Gerald Ford's state funeral. He was an honorary trustee of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geraldrfordfoundation.org/centennial/oralhistory/richard-devos/|title=Rich DeVos - Gerald R. Ford Foundation|date=May 29, 2013|access-date=September 6, 2018}}</ref>
=== Donations === He co-founded the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, an American conservative foundation and grant-making body in 1970.<ref name="Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation">[http://old.mediatransparency.org/funderprofile.php?funderID=17 Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725110710/http://old.mediatransparency.org/funderprofile.php?funderID=17|date=July 25, 2011}}</ref> It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.<ref>{{cite web|author=The Grantsmanship Center|date=February 27, 2017|title=Funding State by State|url=http://www.tgci.com/funding/fdnresultnew.asp?thisID=6312|website=The Grantsmanship Center}}</ref> The DeVoses were known in their philanthropy for contributing to education, health care, arts, and historic causes like Mount Vernon, and conservative think tanks such as The Heritage Foundation and AEI.<ref>[https://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2016/01/how_mlive_analyzed_devos_famil.html How MLive analyzed DeVos family's $90.9 million in annual donations], mlive.com, January 19, 2016</ref> Education-related philanthropy included the Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Grand Valley State University, the Richard and Helen DeVos Fieldhouse at Hope College,<ref>[https://hope.edu/news/2018/giving/richard-devos-philanthropic-impact-reflected-by-hope-campus.html Richard DeVos’ Philanthropic Impact Reflected by Hope Campus], hope.edu, Greg Olgers, September 6, 2018</ref> and the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Arts and Worship at Grand Rapids Christian Schools.<ref>{{cite web|title=DeVos Center for Arts and Worship|url=http://www.dcaw.org/|website=www.dcaw.org}}</ref> The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation was in part responsible for funding the creation of the Sport Business Management Program at the University of Central Florida.<ref>[http://www.bus.ucf.edu/sport/cgi-bin/site/sitew.cgi?page=/devos.htx Sport Business – About the DeVos Foundation<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070706153733/http://www.bus.ucf.edu/sport/cgi-bin/site/sitew.cgi?page=%2Fdevos.htx|date=July 6, 2007}}</ref>
==Personal life== Richard DeVos was the father of Dan (owner of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team), Richard Jr. ("Dick", husband of former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and candidate for governor of Michigan), Cheri, and Doug.
DeVos was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. He spent the last decade of his life trying unsuccessfully to rejoin it with the Reformed Church in America, from which it had split in 1857, dividing his grandparents.<ref name=":0">Knape, Chris (May 19, 2009). [http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/05/at_83_amway_cofounder_richard.html "At 83, Amway co-founder Richard DeVos prepares company's third generation, addresses church, gay-marriage concerns"]. Michigan Live.</ref>
==Death== He died at his home in Ada, Michigan, on September 6, 2018, at the age of 92.<ref name="NBA">{{cite news|title=Orlando Magic senior chairman Rich DeVos passes away at 92|url=http://www.nba.com/article/2018/09/06/orlando-magic-rich-devos-passes-away-92|access-date=September 6, 2018|work=NBA.com}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite web|title=Amway co-founder Richard DeVos dies at 92|date=September 6, 2018|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/09/06/news/amway-richard-devos/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906212139/https://money.cnn.com/2018/09/06/news/amway-richard-devos/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 6, 2018|publisher=CNN|access-date=September 7, 2018}}</ref>
==See also== *''The World's Billionaires''
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{C-SPAN|1006308}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050828123330/http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/Richard_DeVos.php Richard DeVos's campaign contributions] at Newsmeat
{{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{s-bef|before=Jimmy Hewitt|before2=William duPont III}} {{s-ttl|title=Orlando Magic principal owner|years=1991–2018}} {{s-aft|after=Dan DeVos}} {{s-bus}} {{s-new|First}} {{s-ttl|title=RDV Sports, Inc. Chairman |years=1991–2018}} {{s-aft|after=Dan DeVos}} {{s-end}}
{{Orlando Magic}} {{NBAOwners}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Devos, Richard}} Category:1926 births Category:2018 deaths Category:American billionaires Category:Amway people Category:Calvin University alumni Category:American people of Dutch descent Category:Christians from Michigan Category:Orlando Magic executives Category:Orlando Miracle owners Category:Businesspeople from Grand Rapids, Michigan Category:Military personnel from Grand Rapids, Michigan Category:WNBA executives Category:Heart transplant recipients Category:American members of the Christian Reformed Church in North America Category:American male writers Category:United States Army Air Forces soldiers Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II Category:People associated with direct selling Category:Michigan Republicans Category:Orlando Magic owners Richard Category:Acton Institute Category:Grand Rapids Christian High School alumni