RICH DEVOS AND JAY VAN ANDEL

In 1959, Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel founded Amway Corporation. Says Rich DeVos, We were just two guys from Ada, Michigan, USA who wanted to have a business of our own. We were two kids (it still feels like that sometimes) who were hungry for success and who wanted to give others the chance to be in business for themselves, too. Our late founder, Jay Van Andel, said of the company, Amway gets people into a new life of excitement, promise, profit, and hope. Amway now operates in over 80 countries and territories around the world.

DeVos is a renowned speaker and author of four books, including: Believe!, Compassionate Capitalism, Hope from My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life, and Ten Powerful Phrases for Positive People. He has also owned a number of professional sports franchises, including the Orlando Magic of the NBA.

Van Andel was a lifelong advocate of free enterprise. Past Chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Director of the Jamestown Foundation, U.S. Ambassador and Commissioner General to Genoa Expo '92 and Trustee of the Heritage Foundation. In his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, he was the founder of the Van Andel Institute for Education and Medical Research, founding Chairman of the Right Place Committee, and through the Jay and Betty Van Andel Foundation, contributed to significant community projects in economic development, health care, education and the arts.
1950 Amway begins in Ada, Michigan. Founders Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos coined Amway as an abbreviation for American Way 1959 Amway launches its first product, Liquid Organic Cleaner one of the world s first bio-degradable, concentrated multi-purpose cleaners. Liquid Organic Cleaner becomes a high seller and initiates the legacy of taking our stewardship for the earth seriously.

1959 Richard DeVos discusses the early days of Amway. How a few key decisions and opportunities led to the world of Amway as we now know it.

COMPETITORS

y Mary Kay

y Procter & Gamble AVON