Building Legacies
The Richard M. DeVos Center
The Richard M. DeVos Center is located on the Pew Campus in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. The center has 22 classrooms, three distance education classrooms, five computer labs, the 250-seat Loosemore auditorium, two 112-seat case rooms, and an art gallery. The Steelcase Library houses over 242,000 volumes with a unique computer driven robotic retrieval system affectionately named SPOT. The DeVos Center includes space for several departments, including the College of Education, the College of Community and Public Service (School of Social Work, School of Public, Non-Profit and Health Administration, the School of Criminal Justice, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management) Continuing Education, Grad Studies and Grants, and the Development Office. The center is the hub of the Grand Rapids campus, with food services, conference and event planning, a bookstore, and a full range of Student Services.
Richard M. DeVos is one of the co-founders of the Amway Corporation (1959) and one of the first six inductees in the Greater Grand Rapids Business Hall of Fame. He has served on the Grand Valley State University Board of Control as well as the Butterworth Health Corporation Board. He has been instrumental in raising funds for the university, including monies for the Cook-DeVos Health Sciences building and DeVos Hall on the Pew Campus in Grand Rapids. Amway purchased Peter Island Resort and Yacht Harbor in 1978, the Pantlind Hotel in 1979 (which when renovated was named the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel), and is noted for his contibution to the DeVos Hall and Center for preforming arts and conventions. He also purchased and served as chairman of the Orlando Magic NBA Basketball Team in Florida.
DeVos was born in Grand Rapids in 1926. In 1953 he married the former Helen Van Wesep. They have one daughter and three sons (Richard, Daniel, Suzanne and Douglas). He served in the United States Air Force from 1944-1946 and attended Calvin College. He has served on countless boards, including the Gerald R. Ford Foundation, the National Organization on Disability, United way of Grand Rapids, New Grand Rapids Comittee and the Republican National Committee. He has recieved numerous awards, Marketing Man of the Year, West Michigan Chapter of the American Marketing Association, Excellence in Management Award, "Industry Week," Round Table Honorary Knight for Life, 1992 Thomas Jefferson Freedom of Speech Award, Kiwanis International as well as several honorary Doctor of Letters from colleges and honorary degrees Doctor of Laws from major universities. Mr. DeVos is an Honoris Causa member of Omicron Delta Kappa, National Leadership Society.
Richard M. DeVos is listed in Who's Who in Finance and Industry, Who's Who in the Midwest, Who's Who in the World, and White's Cyclopedia of American Biography.
The Center was completed in the year 2000. Daleene Menning, created a mural for the Fulton Street entry to the DeVos Center. The mural, titled Wind Over the Lake took several years to create, move and install.
Page last modified May 7, 2013
