Amway President Doug DeVos spoke at the Loosemore Auditorium at Grand Valley State on April 14, 2010. His speech concerned the current state of the economy and the choice of profits over morals.
DeVos, co-founder of Amway with his father, has helped the direct sales company to increase sales in recent years by adopting the view that one solution to the problems of the world is economic development and vitality.Businesses today need to approach consumers not only with viable, useful products, but with an attitude of helpfulness and morality.
DeVos spoke about attending the funeral of Jay Van Andel, one of the wealthiest men in the world, and seeing that he could not take his money with him. The Amway President further said that in living our lives, we need to give money the proper context. As business owners we need to have in our minds that what we do and sell has an impact on our lives and our communities.
One of the main concerns and focuses of Amway as a company is having a business that can benefit others on an ongoing basis. DeVos emphasized that free enterprise and entrepreneurship should take precedence over reliance on government.
And while he acknowledged his financially secure upbringing and status, he also reminded the auditorium that having wealth does not guarantee a happy life.
