Remarks to the Economic Club of Grand Rapids

This was recently shared with me from the 2026 Econ Dinner and I thought it was worth sharing as well. I’d love to hear any feedback!

by: Dick DeVos

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Thanks, Dan, and let me add my thanks to the board of the Grand Rapids

Economic Club and to each of you for this award and this opportunity to

share a few thoughts.

You heard what makes us passionate about this community. We are

committed to making this a place where families thrive, generation after

generation. We have seen many of the pieces needed for that vision

strengthened over the past decades. We have seen downtown progress

from a place where you couldn’t host a parade for a US president because

it was too unsafe, a place without any venue for a 100-person wedding

reception, to a place with facilities and amenities that attract people from

every corner of our great state and country.

But as my family has noted, we are facing some challenges as a

community. There are clouds on the horizon. We can’t think that the good

things we have accomplished have happened by accident, or that success

can be put on autopilot.

In the video, Betsy noted the difference between building a house and

building a home. One of the key differences, is caretaking.

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Without it, houses get run down over time. They don’t care for themselves.

So, we must be honest and direct about what has been done and what is

not being taken care of here in Grand Rapids. We’re seeing some troubling

signs around town again. The progress that’s been made is at risk.

- Downtown residential growth has slowed.

- One in five downtown storefronts sit vacant.

- We are mortgaging our future - when 8 out of 10 children in 3rd grade

at Grand Rapids Public Schools can’t read at grade level.

- Vagrants and pan handlers accost our city’s residents and guests, all

too often.

- Crime is all too present despite the tremendous work of our brave

men and women of the Grand Rapids police....And we just lost our

police chief due, in his words, to “anti-police politics” from a vocal

minority that some of our leaders wrongly listened to.

- And podiums in our community are too often filled by outside voices

that are out of step with west Michigan values.

This isn’t acceptable. We can and must do better.

Equally concerning is the risk of losing our uniqueness. The Grand Rapids

area grew to what it is today because we are different.

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- We celebrate vibrant churches on every corner.

- Children and families aren’t just welcome here, they are a priority.

- We don’t practice pseudo compassion and let our fellow citizens

sleep on the street, we help them. . . even when it requires “tough

love.”

- We know safety isn’t optional - it’s essential.

- We believe in people and their possibilities, and want every child to

learn so they can reach their full potential.

- We believe that hard work is a good thing that leads to a life of

meaning and purpose . . .and that earned success is a good thing

too!

- And yes, cleanliness is next to Godliness and we are happy to

“culturally appropriate” that from our community’s Dutch roots.

We must ignore the voices who tell us we are “not progressing enough” to

be like other cities. That’s not easy when their voices get loud.

We don’t want to be New York, or Chicago, or LA, or San Francisco, or

Portland, or Seattle.

We want to BE Grand Rapids!

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Let’s get back to having pride in who we are and confidence in where we

want to go. Leading with strength and courage, knowing we can make

tomorrow better than today.

Let’s get back to doing what’s right for the vast majority of our community,

with less concern about offending a vocal few.

We have work to do.

Yes, “west Michigan nice” is a real thing (and it’s a good thing), but we are

called to something greater. Because it’s not enough to be west Michigan

nice. We need to be west Michigan good.

Nice means we can avoid challenges and conflict.

Good means we address challenges directly and we engage personally.

Being good protects what matters.

Being good makes Grand Rapids special.

It’s time we recapture the spirit of our friend Peter Secchia. Remember

him? Many of you here do. And some of you got one or more of those pink

paper memos with smiley faces or - more often - frowny faces.

I sure did. Sometimes I wasn’t so happy about those. But most often, upon

reflection, the “kick in the butt” was just what was needed.

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Our city is so much better thanks to him and others who never accepted

“just okay,” but always challenged us to be good.

We must take up that challenge again – to make our west Michigan house

a better home.

So it’s time to get back to sweeping the streets – literally and figuratively.

We have a solid foundation, thanks to the vision and leadership of

generations that have come before us, and so many of you right here in

this room. We are deeply grateful for that.

At the same time, there is much more work to be done. We hope each of

you – in your own ways – will join us in working to reclaim all that makes

Grand Rapids and West Michigan the very best place to call home.

On behalf of the entire DeVos family, thank you again, very, very much.