Richard DeVos Biography

Richard M. DeVos, Sr. (born March 4, 1926, Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American businessman, co-founder of Amway along with Jay Van Andel (company restructured as Alticor in 2000), and owner of the Orlando Magic NBA 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 billion. At one point, he was one of the 10 wealthiest Americans.

Early life and education

DeVos was educated at Calvin College and is a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. He served in the military in World War II in the United States Army Air Corps.

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 1997. This was preceded by two heart-bypass operations in 1983 and 1992. In 1975, DeVos published a book about his success, co-authored with Charles Paul Conn, titled Believe!.

Sports ownership

DeVos is the owner of the National Basketball Association's franchise basketball team, the Orlando Magic, having bought the team in 1991. 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; 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. In 2011, it was announced that DeVos planned to revive the Solar Bears as an expansion franchise for the ECHL. The new franchise will take the ice in October 2012.

DeVos was approached to buy the Magic, and after a 45 minute meeting, he wrote a single check for $300 million purchasing the team.

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 pays for the naming rights to Amway Arena. The use of public money was controversial.

Boards

He sat on the board of trustees of Northwood University and has neen president of the Council for National Policy. He currently serves on the board of trustees of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, which is a museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, he sits on the board of Christian Leaders Institute, a non-profit organization committed to strengthening the Christian Church.

Personal

In addition to Dan (owner of the Griffins), DeVos is the father of Richard Jr., Cheri, and Doug. Richard Jr. was the Republican Party nominee for governor of Michigan in 2006, but was defeated by the then incumbent governor, Jennifer Granholm.

DeVos has made it his mission to bring the Christian Reformed Church in North America and Reformed Church in America, which split in 1857 and divided his grandparents, back together.

See also

• List of billionaires