For most children, their parents are their biggest heroes. They look up to us, they model our behavior, and they are curious as to what we do at work all day long.
So, when it’s Take Your Child to Work Day, Amway really goes all-out to show off our one-of-a-kind company to the children of our workers.
For one thing, we choose to celebrate in the middle of the summer, so more kids can participate. For another, we plan lots of fun activities, so they’re not just sitting around all day long watching Mom at a meeting or Dad on a production line.
And this year, we’re taking it one step further. That’s because Take Your Child to Work Day, on August 9, coincides with a two-day visit from NFL and Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner, who’s our Nutrilite® spokesperson.
So, the children of Amway employees here in Ada, Michigan, will not only get a new understanding of where Mom or Dad works, some of them will also get to meet an honest-to-goodness football superstar!
Kurt’s participating in an employee meeting with Amway Chairman Steve Van Andel, where employees (and their kids!) will have an opportunity to ask him questions and find out more about the life of a pro football player.
Kurt will also be touring the Amway Fitness Center, as well as our manufacturing and distribution areas, meeting informally with employees and their visiting kids.
Finally, as part of Kurt’s visit , he will be attending a football skills clinic with kids from the local Boys and Girls Club, of which Amway is a National Sponsor.
Those who have met Kurt can tell you honestly: This guy’s a true hero, on and off the field. He is exactly the kind of guy we admire, and we are excited to have him visit with us, especially on a day like Take Your Child to Work Day.
Are you a fan of Facebook? Do you tweet? Love YouTube? Like reading blogs like this one?
These days, social media is one of the most popular forms of personal and business communication. It’s how we stay in touch with each other. It’s how we find out what’s happening, what’s new, what’s hot, and what’s not.
Amway has always taken great pride in being on the cutting edge of communication media. Back in the day, Amway co-founder Rich DeVos recorded motivational messages on vinyl LPs, audio cassettes, and videotape. Believe me – this was state-of-the-art back in the 1960s and 1970s.
Today, we’re loving everything about social media: its immediacy, the ability to build community, and the phenomenal instant response we get from our Independent Business Owners, customers, and the general public. We add new content to our Facebook and Twitter sites almost every day. A few recent examples:
News about Amway Independent Business Owners and employees participating in our latest Positive Sprouts Garden Build
Our exciting “As Seen In” tab showing Amway products spotlighted in print and broadcast media
Every day, thousands of people visit our Amway Facebookpage, along with our ARTISTRY®and NUTRILITE®Facebook pages to learn more about us.
Twitter has proven equally thought-provoking and exciting. Here, as with Facebook, we’re creating strategic communities around our company and our core product line, with an Amway Twitter site, as well as sites for ARTISTRYand NUTRILITE. It’s amazing what 140 characters can accomplish!
We get literally thousands of entries in our online contests. People not only learn more about us, they’re also sending us tips and tricks on how they use our products. We get tons of hits on our YouTube videos, and scores of responses to our tweets.
What about you? Have you visited us on Facebook and Twitter? Have you logged on to the Amway YouTube Channel? Are you reading our blogs?
How have you benefitted from our online community? Add your voice here, or on our many social media sites. We look forward to hearing from you!
When it comes to celebrating the Fourth of July, the more traditional, the better. The flags waving, the kids marching in a parade, the sparklers lit, and of course, the fireworks booming bright into the night is enjoyable for all to see.
That’s why we’re so proud Amway is sponsoring the downtown fireworks taking place at Ah-Nab-Awen Park. It’s such an “Amway” thing to do. After all, our company represents freedom and free enterprise to millions of people around the world. And, by taking the lead here in Grand Rapids, we’ve inspired other companies to join us in sponsoring the local festivities here over the next three years.
Independence Day is important for all Americans. It’s our most patriotic, red-white-and-blue holiday, commemorating the day Congress approved the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
So today, 235 years later, we should all put down our Blackberrys. Turn off the TV. Stop checking email. Just for a few minutes.
Whatever your Fourth of July celebration plans are, let’s all take a deep breath and give thanks for the freedom we savor as citizens of this great country.
How many brightly colored fruits and veggies did you eat today? How about yesterday? How about on a daily basis?
Fruits and vegetables are so important for good health, the Centers for Disease Control has set up a dedicated website about it: fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov.
And, while we understand that these foods provide vital phytonutrients and antioxidants, it’s surprisingly difficult to get the 9-13 servings recommended by health experts. That’s 9-13 servings a day. Many of us can easily go a week without getting that many servings!
Amway recognized the need for a convenient, on-the-go way to get important nutrients, so our nutrition scientists developed NUTRILITE® Fruits and Vegetables 2GO Twist Tubes using the latest information and research. The NUTRILITE® brand has been a global leader in nutrition for more than 75 years, and all NUTRILITE products are made from the highest quality ingredients.
Each Twist Tube is the antioxidant/phytonutrient equivalent of two whole servings of fruits and vegetables, packaged small enough to slip into your purse, pocket, or carry-on. Just twist the tube, add the contents to a 16-ounce (reusable) bottle of cold water, and enjoy that fantastic Mango-Citrus flavor.
When we announced the launch of Fruits and Vegetables 2GO Twist Tubes, everyone in the office was on board right away. We’re all trying to drink more water around here, and Twist Tubes is the perfect product to transform all that plain H20 into a delicious drink with health benefits.
Of course, everyone knows whole food is best – but we all have days when that translates to airport offerings, fast food, or a “whole” bag of potato chips grabbed on the run.
Next time that happens, I plan to sip a few servings of fruits and veggies. Antioxidants and phytonutrients never tasted so good!
The other day, we saw two kids, about age 11, absolutely captivated by an interactive video. They were riveted to the screen, fully involved in what was going on.
Not so unusual, you say? After all, these days, it’s hard to find a child who is not mesmerized by TV.
Except this wasn’t TV. It happened during a tour of the Amway Welcome Center. And this wasn’t a Disney movie being presented. It was our Life Age Calculator – a unique way to determine your actual age based on good-health habits.
This was just one stop on the Welcome Center tour, a popular destination for families, Amway Independent Business Owners, school groups and seniors. The Center’s been open for almost two years, and more and more people are discovering this lively look behind the scenes here at Amway, courtesy of ourgood friend, John Faye, tour guide extraordinaire.
No tour is the same, because John always customizes his presentation toour visitors’ questions and interests. It’s anything but boring, with plenty of interactive touch-screen activities, laboratory simulations, exhibits and videos designed to captivate the imagination.
The tour has a little bit of everything. The “parade of products” and a historical timeline are fun ways to showcase our amazing growth over the past 50 years. In the Nutrilite® area, vertical integration and the importance of nutrients come to life. Visitors also love seeing videos of our production lines, along with the science behind Artistry® products, and of course, the Home Care products that started it all.
In addition, I’m pleased to announce that we’re opening the all-new Heritage Hall on June 28th, with an exciting, informative, in-depth look at how Amway came to be, starting with the high school friendship between Amway co-founders Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel.
The Welcome Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-noon and 1:00-5:00 p.m. Tours typically take 1 ½ hours, and groups of 10 or more are asked to make a reservation.
Best of all, all tours are free – so your family can plan an outing that’s budget-friendly, educational, and fun. Talk about a great stay-cation idea within an easy drive of Chicago or Detroit!
Many of us take our abilities for granted. Sure, there are everyday challenges, but for most of us, nothing is insurmountable.
Then there are everyday hero’s like young Suzanne, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair to get around. Or an adorable five-year-old named Jake who has autism spectrum disorder. Or any one of the millions of children with disabilities who face life’s difficulties head-on, and achieve personal goals every day of their lives.
These children are being assisted through the Easter Seals “Walk With Me” campaign, a national fund-raising event that spreads hope and raises funds to support families living with disabilities. “Walk With Me” events combine individual walkers with teams, as everybody gets together for a day of entertainment, fun, and of course, those fund-raising walks. Last year, more than 23,000 people participated, raising $3.8 million for children receiving assistance through Easter Seals.
Amway is once again proud to be the National Presenting Sponsor of “Walk With Me” with more than 1,000 Amway Independent Business Owners and employees participating in dozens of events around the country. Amway has supported Easter Seals for the past 27 years, raising more than $30 million for this worthwhile cause through the Amway One by One Campaign for Children.
Amway Independent Business Owners and employees will participate in the “Walk With Me” event on Saturday, June 11 at Battery Park in New York City.
This year, I will be joining Amway Independent Business Owners and employees to participate in the “Walk With Me” event June 15 at John Ball Park Zoo, in our hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
How about you? You, too, can make a difference and help these wonderful kids achieve big goals in their young lives. Please consider joining us on a “Walk With Me” event in your community.
It’s also the driving force behind the U.S. Dream Academy (USDA), an after-school and mentoring program whose mission is to empower at-risk youth by providing academic, social, and value enrichment through supportive mentoring programs.
USDA began in 1998 by serving the children of incarcerated parents and children falling behind in school. Since then, the Academy has served more than 6,500 students in neighborhoods in 10 communities across the country.
Academy programs combine mentoring, strong academics, and technology to help elementary school students engage in active learning. The overall goal is to nurture the whole child while altering attitudes, enhancing self-esteem, supporting emotional and intellectual growth, and sparking dreams.
This kind of positivity has been powering the Amway business since 1959. We’ve always been in the business of helping people live better lives.
In fact, Amway is the Presenting Sponsor for the upcoming 10th Annual Power of a Dream Gala taking place on May 25 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C.
This black-tie fundraiser gathers together more than 500 of the most influential, respected politicians, business people, philanthropists, social leaders, and entertainment and media moguls to celebrate the many achievements of the Academy. To date, the Gala has raised more than $10 million to enable the Academy to continue their amazing work.
This year’s Gala will feature special performances by the one-and-only Patti LaBelle, along with Committed and the USDA’s Dream Kids Choir. Special appearances include former Redskins/NFL Hall of Famer Darrell Green and his wife, Jewell, and Miss America Outstanding Teen Chair Donna Bozarth.
We look forward to the Gala, and our continued partnership with the U.S. Dream Academy, as, together, we help at-risk children realize the power of a dream.
That’s how the Detroit Free Pressreferred to the Detroit Red Wings’ come-from-behind win in the series against the San Jose Sharks in San Jose, California, on Sunday. The writer also referred to it as “The Miracle at HP Pavilion.”
I watched every minute of the game, and I’d call it the “Win Outta Nowhere.”
In the third period, the Wings were down by 3 goals – an almost insurmountable challenge. Yet, this amazing team managed to pile up not one, not two, but an unbelievable threegoals in that single period, pulling out a this-close 4-3 win and keeping the Wings’ season alive for Game 6.
With Amway a proud sponsor of the Red Wings, we love it when the team extends their season, especially if it means another home game at the Joe. The Amway logo can be seen on the dasher board signage during all home games, and the Wings also wear our logo on their practice jerseys.
Amway’s celebrating the Wings being in their 20th consecutive Stanley Cup Playoffs, by giving away an autographed Red Wings hockey puck the day after each playoff game. Visit our Facebookpage for details.
Game 6 is slated for tonight against the Sharks at the Joe Louis Arena in Hockeytown (that’s Detroit, for all you non-hockey fans).
If (dare I say, when) the Wings win, then it’s on to Game 7 on the road to the conference finals.
For sure, nothing beats having our name associated with a winning team. But we also value the prevailing spirit of the Red Wings: Even when you’re behind, you can still win. And give it all you’ve got, especially when you’re down. Because the game’s not over until that final buzzer is heard.
With Mother’s Day coming up, I want to give a shout-out to all the moms reading this. Nobody works harder, if I do say so myself. In fact, every mom I know is entitled to have a special day set aside just for them.
That goes double for the moms who aren’t our birth moms. They’re our Other Mothers: those special people in our lives who took us in and mothered us when, for whatever reason, Mom wasn’t there.
Nobody understands the value of Other Mothers better than the SOS Children’s Villages organization. They practically invented the idea. At the heart of each SOS family around the world is the SOS Mother – the Other Mother – who dedicates her life to raising a generation of orphaned and abandoned children as if they were her own, living with them, caring for them, comforting them, and celebrating them.
Amway’s One by One Campaign for Children is proud to partner with SOS Children’s Villages around the world, providing much-needed housing in desperately poor areas and helping these treasured Other Mothers be the moms these children would otherwise never have.
So this Mother’s Day, May 8, along with traditional moms, we’re also celebrating these unsung heroes – grandparents, aunts, family friends, neighbors, teachers – all those wonderful people who reached out and parented a kid when he or she really needed guidance.
You can celebrate your own Other Mother in a very special way, starting (appropriately enough) on Mother’s Day. The SOS Children’s Villages Other Mother contest invites you to tell the world why your Other Mother deserves to be named “Other Mother of the Year.”
Prizes include a Schwinn bike, a Nook Color™ reader from our Partner Store Barnes and Noble, or an Amway gift basket.
But the best prize of all is the wonderful tribute you’ll be giving to your very own Other Mother.
Because Mother’s Day is a special day for all moms. Maybe especially, Other Mothers. If you know one of them, it’s time to celebrate her.
We’re celebrating here at Amway, with the news that our Durables division set a new record of $1 billion in worldwide gross sales in 2010. The Durables products include the eSpring® Water Purifier and treatment system, ATMOSPHERE® Air Purifier, and iCook® Cookware in the U.S. and AMWAY QUEEN® Cook ware elsewhere in the world.
Are we surprised? Not really.
Truth is, Amway has been establishing a reputation for top-quality durable products for the home ever since we started selling cookware in 1961.
Throughout these many years, people quickly discovered the great benefits of Amway products. They simply lasted longer, and performed better than the competition.
According to 2009 global sales figures, the eSpring Water Purifier was the world’s largest selling brand of kitchen (or point-of-use, as the industry calls it) water filtration systems, and the second-largest selling brand of home water filtration systems.
eSpring won the 2010 SPE GPEC Award for “Design for Sustainability,” in addition to winning the 2010 Asia Pacific Frost & Sullivan Water Filtration Company of the Year award.
In 2010, when Amway launched the ATMOSPHERE Air Purifier in China, it was our largest single-market product launch in Amway history.
Of course, iCook and AMWAY QUEEN Cookware continue to be best-sellers around the world, in a very competitive industry.
Now, the proof of Amway’s product excellence is also in the numbers: $1 billion in gross sales.
That’s quite an accomplishment for any company – especially one better known for our NUTRILITE® supplements and ARTISTRY® cosmetics.
