Press Release: 4/4/2007
www.princeton.edu/~csrelig
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Contact: 609-258-5545): Center for the Study of Religion, Princeton University, is pleased to announce the inaugural lecture in the new series The Doll Family Lectureship on Religion and Money: “Philanthropy...It's Definitely Not for Wimps: Reflections on Faith and Finance” The lecturer is Dick DeVos, President of the Windquest Group. Stanley N. Katz, Lecturer with rank of Professor, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University will provide a brief response. The lecture will be on April 24, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. in the Rotunda of Chancellor Green on the Princeton University Campus. A map indicating Chancellor Green Rotunda can be found here. A program for the event can be downloaded here. The lecture is free and open to the public.
About the Doll Family Lectureship on Religion and Money: The Doll Family Lectureship on Religion and Money was established by Henry C. Doll ’58 and his family. It reflects the family’s longstanding interest in the subject of philanthropy and its relationship with religion. Mr. Doll’s father, Edward C. Doll ’25, was a founder and longtime volunteer leader of the Erie Community Foundation in Erie, Pennsylvania. During his career, Henry Doll was staff to a number of family foundations in the Cleveland area. Over the years, father and son discussed the issue of religion and money on many occasions and enjoyed attending foundation conferences together. They shared a strong belief in the importance of giving back to their communities and of sharing one’s resources for the greater good. The purpose of the lectureship is to bring distinguished speakers to Princeton University who will inspire students, faculty, and the campus community toward a greater understanding of the many - and often neglected – relationships between religion and money in our own time and historically. These include such topics as philanthropy, which has often been encouraged by religious values; personal responsibilities in the use of money, which for many people are grounded in religious teachings, questions about the stewardship of one’s time and money; considerations about the ethical issues associated with wealth and poverty; and the influence of religious values upon individual and corporate decisions. An important objective of the lectureship will be to present the perspectives of the various religious traditions in ways that encourage greater understanding of their teachings on the subject and that might inspire their followers to exercise greater generosity. About Dick DeVos: Dick DeVos is the founder and President of The Windquest Group, a multi-company management group involved in the manufacture and marketing of storage and space utilization products. From 1991 to 1993 he was also President and CEO of the Orlando Magic® Basketball franchise. He was the Republican nominee for Governor of Michigan in 2006.
Press Release: 4/4/2007
www.princeton.edu/~csrelig
However, the main thrust of his career has been his involvement with Alticor Inc., and its subsidiaries, Amway® Corporation, Access Business Group and Quixtar. Mr. DeVos began working with Amway in 1974, holding positions in various divisions. In 1984, he became Amway V.P. International with responsibilities for operations in 18 countries. Mr. DeVos left Amway in 1989 for Windquest but returned in 1993 to succeed his father (Amway’s co-founder) as President. In 2000 he led the company to record sales and was the prime architect in its global restructuring, leading to a privatization of two public companies that resulted in worldwide growth and increased profitability. Mr. DeVos chaired the Education Freedom Fund, and co-chairs various Grand Rapids revitalization projects ($75M arena, $220M convention center, $90M heart hospital). He has been a board member of Amway Corp., Windquest Group, Fifth Third Bank West Michigan, Old Kent Financial Corp., Old Kent Bank, Willow Creek Association and has chaired the World Federation of Direct Selling. About Center for the Study of Religion: Founded in 1999, the Center for the Study of Religion at Princeton University encourages greater intellectual exchange and interdisciplinary scholarly studies about religion among faculty and students in the humanities and social sciences. The Center aims to facilitate understanding of religion through an integrated program of support for Princeton faculty to pursue research and teaching on thematic projects, awards for Princeton graduate students to complete dissertation research, interdisciplinary seminars, undergraduate courses, public lectures, and opportunities for visiting scholars to affiliate with the Center. Other upcoming events at Center for the Study of Religion include: April 24 “Unorthodox Icons, Heretical Rituals: Constructing the Perfect Body in Medieval Japan” a public lecture by Lucia Dolce, School of Oriental and African Studies, The University of London. Buddhist Studies Workshop. 4:30 pm, 202 Jones Hall. May 11 "What is Prayer?" a symposium featuring Sister Mary Margaret Funk, Our Lady of Grace Monastery; David D. Hall, Harvard Divinity School; Carol Zaleski, Smith College; and Albert Raboteau, Princeton University. Cognition and Religion Initiative 3:00-6:00 p.m. Frist Campus Center Multi-Purpose Rooms (B Floor/Basement)
Center for the Study of Religion 5 Ivy Lane Princeton University Princeton, NJ 08540 USA -Phone: 609-258-5545 Fax: 609-258-6940 E-mail: csrelig@princeton.edu Web: www.princeton.edu/~csrelig