“Here’s to the bright New Year, and a fond farewell to the old;
“Here’s to new things that are yet to come, and to the memories that we hold.” – Author Unknown
Amway will be closed on Monday, January 2, 2012 in observance of New Year’s Day. We wish all of our readers a 2012 filled with friendship, joy, laughter and prosperity.
Earlier this week, the National Basketball Association released its much-anticipated 2011-2012 schedule. Games begin in less than three weeks and run through the end of April.
The NBA’s Orlando Magic, the team that is owned by Rich DeVos and plays in the arena that bears our name, will play 66 home games this year. But even more importantly, the NBA lock-out did not jeopardize the mid-season classic also known as the NBA All-Star Game.
When the Amway Center hosts the game on Sunday, February 26, 2012, it will be broadcast in more than 40 different languages, and be seen in more than 200 countries. And we think that will make for a 2012 season that is beyond magical.
Whether someone has been an engaged Amway distributor since 1959, or is just getting to know one of the Amway award-winning brands today, there is a lot to learn.
Many want to focus on the Amway business opportunity that provides the freedom to set a flexible schedule and be part of entrepreneurial community that mentors and supports them. For others, it’s about products that perform and come with the trusted advice of a friend. And for some, Amway is viewed through the lens of the Amway One by One Campaign for Children that brought hope to their family or community.
No matter what Amway means to you, this video means something to us. In less than three minutes, it tells the story – the complete one – of who Amway is today.
After a hockey player scores a goal, he or she might pump a fist; jump against the boards; or dance with his or her stick.
This is called a celly: hockey-speak for celebration.
We’re joining the city of Orlando, Florida in its celly to welcome the Orlando Solar Bears back to the ice.
Once an International Hockey League champion team, the Solar Bears went into hibernation in 2001 when the league itself collapsed. Now, they’re back! The first of the team’s 36 home games will take place in October 2012 at the Amway Center, the 875,000-square-foot arena that bears our name and was designed with the dream of someday housing a hockey team in addition to the NBA’s Orlando Magic.
The Solar Bears are expected to draw up to 7,000 people per game. That’s another 250,000 hockey fans – in addition to Grand Rapids Griffins and Detroit Red Wings fans – who will get to know the Amway brand more closely.
And that is cause for another celly.
Amway was recently named to this year’s InformationWeek 500 listing of the nation’s most innovative users of business technology.
We were included in the ranking for creating mobile apps to help our distributors manage their businesses and sell products. These include the Artistry skin care recommender app, which puts a powerful analysis tool right in our distributors’ hands.
It’s appropriate recognition for an app-ropriate use of technology!
“Lounge” isn’t a word you typically associate with the Amway business.
But that term takes on new meaning when applied to the “Amway Lounge” that just opened in Kanazawa, Japan.
The Lounge is a bustling space that provides an interactive setting for distributors to introduce our business and products to prospects. There’s a Beauty Space for one-on-one or small group Artistry consultations. The Lounge Space offers a setting for conversations about our business. And a Digital Showroom showcases Amway Japan’s brands and products.
This is the first “Amway Lounge” in Japan, a concept that if successful will be rolled out in other cities.
And judging by the lively crowds in Kanazawa, there’s little “lounging” happening there!
The elite of IT undergraduates in China gathered recently to take part in the Amway Cup IT Project Competition.
Over 400 projects designed by students from 136 universities in 13 provinces of the Pan Pearl River Delta Region, including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, vied for the gold prize and prestigious Amway Cup.
Amway China Vice President of Information Services Peter Yeung says the Amway Cup has an impressive positive impact on the IT industry and encourages the next-generation of IT leaders to create technology to help people live better lives.
Teams from Hannan University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Macao University and Chengchi University of Taiwan shared the gold prize and Amway Cup honors this year.
In 1969, Amway cofounders Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos decided that Australia would be the company’s first intercontinental expansion. And forty years ago today – on April 18, 1971 – that vision became reality. As Rich has noted in the Amway history books, “There was little science in the choice. We simply liked the people.”
It was the first of many ventures in which original plans had to be adapted to the realities of new markets and cultures. From Australia, distributors’ cross-border relationships allowed Amway to also launch the business in Hong Kong (1974) and Malaysia (1976).
Today, more than 100,000 distributors own their own Amway businesses in Australia and New Zealand, and the majority of new ones are under the age of 30. Triple Olympic Gold Medalist Libby Trickett and cricketing legend Adam Gilchrist are company ambassadors; and donations of over $2 million have been made to help recover from local disasters and assist children with disabilities.
Next month, Australia will celebrate with employees and distributors and share in a big announcement. We’ll cover the big news here, so stay tuned! In the meantime, on behalf of your friends around the world, happy 40th birthday, Amway Australia!
(Pictured: Amway Australia headquarters in Castle Hill, New South Wales.)
It’s a phrase we’ve all heard during this film awards season.
We’d like to fill in the blanks of that phrase with “Amway,” and you can help.
Cast your vote for Amway’s One by One Campaign for Children “Positive Sprouts” film, which is in the running for honors in the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship film festival.
Learn more about our entry at the One by One blog, and see and vote for our video at the Boston College Center web site.
On Veteran’s Day, we salute all who have served our country and those still serving to protect our freedom. And we remember those gave their lives in service.
I remember my father and a missing rain jacket.
My Dad was a World War II veteran. He enlisted with some of his high school buddies and wanted to see the world with his friends. But when it came time to ship out, my father was pulled from his troop because his supply kit was missing a rain jacket. He fumed and fought and insisted he would be able to serve without rain gear, but ultimately, he stayed ashore while his friends headed for Europe.
They all died at Normandy.
Months later he was in Sydney, Australia, with other troops awaiting ships that would take them into battle. Dad’s ship was sunk en route. He spent another six months awaiting redeployment, growing so tired of the mess tent that he began taking breakfast at some of Sydney’s better hotels. He eventually saw action as part of the New Guinea campaign under General Douglas MacArthur.
Today somebody’s son or daughter or mother or father are serving in the armed forces. Tomorrow somebody’s sister or brother or husband or wife may die. Every day someone you may know is protecting and defending the freedom we so often take for granted.
A salute, and thanks, to those who have chosen to serve.