Corporate giant began with $49 investment
UNITED States billionaire Richard DeVos, cofounder of directselling giant Amway, owner of the Orlando Magic and fatherinlaw of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, began his business career in 1949 with an investment of $49.
Family spokesman Nick Wasmiller said DeVos died at his western Michigan home last week, due to complications from an infection. He was 92.
DeVos was born in Grand Rapids, not far from Ada, the community about 220km west of Detroit, where he later lived and died.
In 1949, he and friend Jay Van Andel took $US49 and invested the modest amount into manufacturer and vitamin directseller Nutrilite. They became independent vitamin distributors and later used the company’s persontoperson selling approach when starting Amway in Ada with an allpurpose household cleaning product.
They coined the name Amway as an abbreviation of American Way. Over five decades, Amway became a multibilliondollar international corporation. Van Andel died in 2004.
‘‘Rich and my father built this company from the ground up, and in many ways Rich was the heart and soul of Amway,’’ Steve Van Andel, Amway’s chairman said.
‘‘His vision and spirit inspired our employees and independent business owners for more than 50 years.’’
Michigan’s Republican governor Rick Snyder described DeVos as ‘‘an incredible businessman, philanthropist and true Michigander’’.
Former President George W. Bush called DeVos ‘‘one of the great entrepreneurs — and great Americans — of our time’’.
‘‘He used his business to empower others and advance the universal values of freedom, opportunity, compassion, and personal responsibility,’’ Bush said.
‘‘Rich made his country and his community better, and he was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and greatgrandfather.’’
DeVos, who served as Amway’s president until 1993, was also involved in the NBA, buying the Magic from a group headed by Orlando real estate developer William duPont III in 1991 for $US70 million ($A97 million).
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said DeVos formed a deep bond with the city of Orlando, ‘‘and whether hosting the finals or AllStar festivities, he was always incredibly welcoming to the NBA family.’’
His son, Dick, is married to Betsy DeVos, who was appointed Education Secretary by President Donald Trump. He is also survived by three other children, two sisters and grandchildren. — AP