For years, Dick DeVos worked at Amway, helping to build his father’s legacy as the co-founder of the sports arena company. However, in private, he donated millions to his hometown to expand the downtown area and even the international airport. DeVos has been a fan of aviation and owns several pilot licenses, but his work with Grand Rapids international airport put the city on the map.
In the 1990s, the Grand Rapids airport was falling apart. Sales were down, and only executives used the airport for jet and helicopter storage. There simply weren’t enough destinations to encourage ticket sales.
All of this changed when the CEO of the airport started working with Dick DeVos. The famous businessman and legendary entrepreneur developed a plan to bring in more people and to increase the number of destinations.
He made one phone call to speak to the CEO of AirTran Airways in the early 2000s. He asked that the airline add new destinations, which instantly caused a surge of ticket sales and led to the airport’s expansion. As new terminals were added, more ticket sales brought profits to the airport, which built a new food court and technology centers for business travelers.
DeVos had other plans for the Grand Rapids metro area. He wanted to work with the Gerald R. Ford International Airport to bring in more business travelers to the new conference center in downtown Grand Rapids, as well as the DeVos Performing Arts Center.
As the airport grew in popularity, so did business travelers who began to see Grand Rapids as a business convention destination. The DeVOs Place Convention Center started to book more and more events, leading to a surge of businesses to the area.
Now the airport has received a $45 million renovation known as the Gateway Project. This added much-needed technology and convenience options for travelers, leading to better security and a larger area for business travelers. The airport saw millions of travelers in 2018 and continues to improve.
Due to his work with the airport, DeVos was invited to work with the FAA as an advisor on a citizen council, which included 13 members. Airline executives, transportation policymakers, and other analysts stepped into advise the FAA on what to do about major problems with airports around the country. DeVos would advise on budgets and future planning, leading to a renovation of the GSO Tower.
