Richard DeVos Jr.
| Richard DeVos Jr. | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Organization: | Windquest Group |
| Role: | President |
| Location: | Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| Affiliation: | Republican |
| Education: | Northwood University |
| Website: | Official website |
Richard "Dick" DeVos Jr. is the president of the Windquest Group and the former president of Amway, a company co-founded by his father Richard DeVos Sr. DeVos was a candidate for governor of Michigan in 2006 but lost to Jennifer Granholm (D). He is a donor to a number of conservative causes in Michigan and nationally. DeVos' wife, Betsy DeVos is the former chair of the Republican Party of Michigan.
Career
Dick DeVos served as the president of Amway from 1993 to 2002 having previously worked as the company's vice president. He also worked as the president of the Orlando Magic, the city's NBA franchise owned by the DeVos family, from 1991 to 1994.[1] DeVos and his wife Betsy have been active donors to groups that advocate school choice in Michigan and for the state's right-to-work laws passed in 2012.
In education circles, Dick and Betsy DeVos are strong advocates of school vouchers—programs that provide taxpayer money for private school tuition for children in failing districts. In 2000, The Wall Street Journal reported that "the DeVoses signed on to the school-voucher movement -- not just endorsing it, but leading it, financing it, working the crowds on its behalf."[2] DeVos has also been active in the charter school movement. He founded the West Michigan Aviation Academy, a public charter school, in 2010. The school aims to "provide a rigorous educational program, through an aviation focus, preparing students for unlimited opportunities, including college achievement, career success, and engaged citizenship."[3]
In 2012, DeVos was a prominent donor to groups opposing Proposal 2, a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee union rights to bargain. The proposal did not pass the general election, and DeVos then contributed to a campaign proposing a "right to work law"—legislation that bans mandatory union payments. According to The New York Times, the right to work legislation supporters "included national conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity, founded by the philanthropists David and Charles Koch, and a potent coalition of local business groups and donors led by Mr. DeVos."[4]
Top influencers by state
Influencers in American politics are power players who help get candidates elected, put through policy proposals, cause ideological changes, and affect popular perceptions. They can take on many forms: politicians, lobbyists, advisors, donors, corporations, industry groups, labor unions, single-issue organizations, nonprofits, to name a few.
In 2015, Ballotpedia identified Richard DeVos Jr. as a top influencer by state. We identified top influencers across the country through several means, including the following:
- Local knowledge of our professional staff
- Surveys of activists, thought leaders and journalists from across the country and political spectrum
- Outreach to political journalists in each state who helped refine our lists
Recent news
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See also
- Betsy DeVos
- The Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation
- DeVos Family
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Dick DeVos, "Biography," accessed November 17, 2015
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "In Michigan, Amway Chief and Wife Give School Vouchers a Higher Profile," October 25, 2000
- ↑ West Michigan Aviation Academy, "Mission & Vision," accessed November 17, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Michigan Effort Shows G.O.P. Sway in State Contests," December 16, 2012
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