Doug DeVos
Founder, Continuum Ventures
Jeff Rosen
President & Chief Executive Officer, National Constitution Center
Teresa Weatherall Neal
President & Chief Executive Officer, LEAD 616
In Pursuit of Progress: Building a Thriving And Prosperous Community Together
Event Date: December 9, 2024 11:30am – 1:30pm
Event Location: International Ballroom, JW Marriott
We are sold-out for in-person attendance. Please contact us at registration@econclub.net to be placed on a waitlist.
About Doug DeVos
Founder, Continuum Ventures
Doug is an advocate for real opportunity and freedom for all. He believes in a better tomorrow, where all people are free to pursue their own happiness and are empowered to strive for greatness. He inspires social entrepreneurship and believes in the potential and the power of individuals to create a movement of good.
Doug is Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for Amway, the world’s largest direct-selling company with more than $8 billion in revenue. He previously served as President of Amway for more than 16 years. DeVos joined Amway in 1986 and held various leadership positions in Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Doug, and his wife Maria, are Founders of Continuum Ventures–an investment company for The Doug & Maria DeVos Family. Continuum Ventures invests in business, community, and civic engagement to make a positive and meaningful difference for people and communities.
DeVos’ focus on fostering entrepreneurship and providing opportunities for people around the world to start a business of their own has been a lifelong passion for him. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Commerce appointed DeVos to the U.S.-India CEO Forum. DeVos has also served as an industry leader in numerous roles, including Chairman of the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (2014-2017) and Chairman of the U.S. Direct Selling Association (2003-2004). He has been inducted into the U.S. Direct Selling Association Hall of Fame and recognized with the Direct Selling Education Foundation’s Circle of Honor award.
Beyond Amway, DeVos is Chairman – Frederick Douglass Society and leads the Ambassador Network for Stand Together, an organization committed to helping people realize their potential by addressing society’s biggest challenges.
DeVos also chairs the Chairman of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and is involved in numerous Michigan business and civic organizations, including the West Michigan Policy Forum, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, and the Doug & Maria DeVos Foundation.
He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Purdue University where he was a quarterback for the Purdue football team.
About Jeff Rosen
President & Chief Executive Officer, National Constitution Center
Jeffrey Rosen is the President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, where he hosts We the People, a weekly podcast of constitutional debate. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. He was previously the legal affairs editor of The New Republic and a staff writer for the New Yorker.
Rosen’s new book is The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America. His other books include the New York Times bestseller Conversations with RBG: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law as well as biographies of Louis Brandeis and William Howard Taft.
Rosen is a graduate of Harvard College; Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar; and Yale Law School. In 2024, the French government recognized him as a Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
About Teresa Weatherall Neal
President & Chief Executive Officer, LEAD 616
Teresa Weatherall Neal serves as the President and CEO of LEAD 616, a leadership development company. She provides consulting services for organizations in the areas of professional development, leadership coaching, group facilitation, strategic planning, organization audits, and community networking sessions. She serves as a consultant, instructor, and coach for the Michigan Superintendent’s Leadership Academy. Teresa Weatherall Neal retired as the Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent (January 2012 – June 30, 2019). Teresa served the GRPS district for 43 years, in a variety of positions. Prior to becoming the Superintendent of GRPS, she served as a member of the Superintendent’s Cabinet for 12 years. She is dedicated to enhancing and empowering members of the educational communities and its stakeholders.
Teresa has received two Honorary Doctoral Degrees for her leadership in education, one from Grand Valley State University and one from Ferris State University, Master of Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University, Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from Grand Valley State University and an Associate Degree from Grand Rapids Community College. She has a certification in Superintendent’s Leadership Academy, extensive course work and educational sessions with Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Adaptive Leadership with Cambridge Leadership Development and Institute for Learning through the University of Pittsburgh.
Teresa is very active in her community and has a deep love for the City of Grand Rapids. As a life-long Grand Rapidian, Teresa is dedicated to seeing the City and its people prosper. Although she is retired, she has not slowed down. She spends several hours per week serving on various boards including Grand Rapids Promise Zone Authority Board, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, President Gerald R. Ford Foundation, VanAndel Institute Education Board, Black Impact Collaborative, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and Grand Action 2.0. She enjoys being a servant leader and has helped develop several community collaboratives such as Opportunity For All.
