Daniel DeVos to Receive 2017 Peter C. Cook Excellence in Business Award

DANIEL DEVOS TO RECEIVE 2017 PETER C. COOK EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS AWARD

Football Legend Joe Montana to speak at gala, Davenport’s annual scholarship fundraiser

Daniel G. DeVos, Chairman & CEO of DP Fox Ventures, LLC, will be honored with the 2017 Peter C. Cook Excellence in Business Award at Davenport University’s 20th Anniversary Excellence in Business Dinner Gala, benefitting student scholarships. The featured guest speaker at the event will be legendary NFL quarterback Joe Montana, winner of four Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and twice named NFL MVP.

20th Anniversary Excellence in Business Dinner Gala

DeVos Place

6 p.m., April 28, 2017

The Peter C. Cook Excellence in Business Award is presented annually to an individual who exemplifies professional success and commitment to community service and support. The Excellence in Business Dinner Gala is the University’s largest annual fundraising event and directly benefits student scholarships.

“Dan DeVos’ contributions to business and his service to the West Michigan community are simply outstanding,” said Dr. Richard Pappas, President of Davenport University. “We are looking forward to celebrating Dan’s achievements and hearing from one of the greatest football legends of all time. We are grateful for the support of our many generous contributors and the business community who make this such a great event to help deserving students pursue their academic and life goals at Davenport.”

Table reservations and purchase of individual tickets can be made by calling 616-233-3417 or by visiting https://www.davenport.edu/eib.

About Daniel G. DeVos

Daniel G. DeVos is Chairman/CEO of DP Fox Ventures, LLC, a diversified management company with interests in real estate, transportation and sports and entertainment. He was with Amway Corporation from 1980-2000 in a variety of capacities, including Vice President-Pacific and Vice President of Corporate Affairs. DeVos continues to serve on the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee of Alticor, the parent company of Amway and other related businesses.

In real estate, DP Fox has various projects in Michigan and The Bahamas. In the business of sports, DeVos is Chief Executive Officer of the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL and Chairman of the Orlando Magic of the NBA.  DP Fox also owns and operates Fox Motors and Fox Powersports, retail automotive and powersports groups representing 41 manufacturers at 28 locations in Michigan and the Chicago area.

Key beneficiaries of Dan and Pamella’s generous philanthropy and service have included the Grand Rapids Symphony (Past Chair), Grand Rapids Art Museum, DeVos Children’s Hospital, Children’s Miracle Network (Co-Chair), Frederick Meijer Gardens, Hope Network, the Grand Valley State University Foundation and Davenport University. This commitment also extends to the Upper Peninsula’s Northern Michigan University (Past Chairman).

Dan and Pamella live in Grand Rapids and have three children.

About Joe Montana

Widely considered the best NFL quarterback of all time, Joe Montana personifies performance excellence and personal integrity both on and off the field. Yet the word most closely associated with him is not winner — it’s leader.

Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers won four Super Bowls and were the team of the 1980s. What they accomplished in football may never be equaled. Montana won more than 70 percent of the games he started during his 16-year career with the team, and he is the all-time NFL Leader in quarterback ratings. Known for his agility, his vision, his extreme accuracy as a passer, and his capacity to retain and act upon staggering loads of information, Montana’s excellence as a player is legendary.

He is one of the toughest quarterbacks ever to play the game and his trademark was unflappable poise in the clutch. “Joe Cool,” as he was sometimes tagged, played with the same calm determination whether it was a scrimmage or the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl.

Twice named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, Joe led the 49ers to four Super Bowl wins, earning three Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards. He was selected to eight Pro Bowls and named All-Pro five times. Joe retired from professional football in 1995 and, in recognition of his achievements, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

He now brings his lessons of preparation, teamwork and performance under pressure to large and small business audiences as a popular motivational speaker. Montana also teamed up with performance coach Tom Mitchell to write a book, The Winning Spirit: 16 Timeless Principles That Drive Performance Excellence, which was released in September 2005.

Joe is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. He lives with his family in California.

About the Peter C. Cook Excellence in Business Award

The Peter C. Cook Excellence in Business Award was established in 1998 in honor of alumnus Peter C. Cook. The award recognizes business and community leaders who exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit, success and generosity to community that are hallmarks of the Davenport University mission, vision and values. More than $2.2 million has been raised to benefit Davenport University Foundation scholarships through the annual award galas over the past 19 years.

Previous award recipients include Peter C. Cook, Frederik Meijer, Richard M. DeVos, Wilbur A. Lettinga, David G. Frey, John Spoelhof, Robert L. Hooker, Betsy DeVos, Donald W. Maine, John C. Canepa, Fred P. Keller, Ambassador Peter F. Secchia, Doug DeVos, Steve Van Andel, James Hackett, David and Carol Van Andel, Michael Jandernoa, Blake Krueger, Ralph Hauenstein and Birgit Klohs.