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In
April, operating
through the Ja-Ri Corporation, the Dutts, Hansens, Victors,
DeVos, Van Andel, and a few others form an association to gain a
powerful voice promoting their interests and protecting their
rights. The Association is incorporated in Grand Rapids,
Michigan, as a non-profit organization under the name "The
American Way Association" (AWA).
Walter Bass is the first President of the
Association. The AWA Board meets monthly to
investigate products for Distributors to retail
to earn income. Products must
meet five principles: universal appeal,
repeatable sales, unlimited potential, not tied
to the economy, and support free enterprise.
An
AWA seal is developed to identify products that
meet the AWA criteria, which appear on products
approved by the Board.
L.O.C. is the first product,
SA8 is the second – brands that pass
the test of time over the decades.
1962 – Canada is the First International Market
Amway officially opens for business in
Canada. Soon,
England and
Australia will follow and the
International Amway business will blossom.
1964 – Amway Corporation Is Born
Ja-Ri Corporation merges with Sales, Services,
and Manufacturing to become
Amway Corporation. The AWA begins
advising the new company in all areas of its
operations
that affect Distributors, just as it continues to
do today.
1965 – First Diamonds Recognized
Dutts are Amway’s first Diamonds, followed
quickly by Hansens and Victors. They attend the
first Bahama Rama with 13 Distributorships in
celebration. AWA recommends new pin levels as
Distributors flock to the opportunity and
leaders build growth.
1966 — A New Name: The ADA
The
American Way Association changes its name to
ADA-U.S. Simultaneously, Canadian IBOs form the
ADA-Canada to provide the same protection and
representation U.S. IBOs receive through the
ADA-U.S.
1960s and 1970s
IBO
growth causes a huge expansion of
Corporate facilities in Ada, Michigan. To keep
up with the expansion of product selection and
support staff, the Board initials the addition
of new
production facilities: liquids, powder, aerosol,
plastics, even cardboard and printing.
Distribution and warehousing are added. The
Amway complex in Ada grows to a mile long.
Amway buys majority ownership rights in
Nutrilite Inc. and guarantees integrity of lines
of sponsorship.
1975
Board Members attend the dedication of the new
Center of Free Enterprise, which becomes the
Corporate Headquarters and ushers in a new age
of International expansion of the business.
1979
Jay Van Andel and
Rich DeVos arrive at a Board Meeting and
announced that the FTC has just requested
thousands of documents for an investigation. “It
puts us in league with some of the largest
companies in the nation,” says Jay. “We are
confident we will win.” And we did. To this day
it stands as proof of the validity of the
business model.
1981
Members of the Board join Crown Ambassadors at
dedication ceremonies for the
Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and the
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum,
accompanied by several heads of state and the
sitting U.S. President, Ronald Reagan.
New
Cosmetics Production Plant finishes expansion in
Ada. State of the Art on-site facilities support
growth of Distributor beauty business. Company
expansion now moves off-complex.
Board Members are enthusiastic about the
business opportunity in other countries; the
Corporation expands Amway into Latin America,
Europe, Asia, and places few would have
imagined, including Eastern Europe, Russia, and
China.
1984
ADA celebrates its 25th Anniversary as
the voice and advocate of the IBO.
1991 — Association Council Created
Together, ADA-U.S. and ADA-Canada adopt an
agreement with the Corporation that creates the
ADA Council and legally clarifies its role as an
advisor and consultant to the Corporation.
1994 — ADA-U.S. and ADA-Canada Combine
ADA-U.S. and ADA-Canada combine to form a single
organization named The ADA. A larger Board is
formed to replace the Boards of Directors of
both former organizations.
The
Corporation formally agrees to submit to The ADA
any proposed new policy or policy change that
might affect IBOs in the U.S. and Canada. These
include, but are not limited to, changes in the
Sales and Marketing Plan, changes to the
Rules of Conduct for IBOs, and
changes to various IBO documents.
Final decision-making
authority continues to remain with the Company.
1999 — A New Name: The IBOA International
The
ADA is renamed the
Independent Business Owners Association
International (IBOA International or
IBOAI) to embrace all that
Distributors have become.
The
launch of Quixtar (now
Amway Global) as a business opportunity in the e-commerce model
represents a new era for Independent Business
Owners.
2003
IBOs
and their customers make Quixtar the
#1 online
Health & Beauty Retailer, a mark achieved
multiple years in a row.
2007
Jim Janz becomes first Canadian
Chairman of the North American
IBOAI Board. Jim has been active on the Board
for 25 years, including 15 years as Chairman of
the Canadian Board.
2008
Amway Global begins rebranding, to be completed in 2009.
Formerly
Quixtar, the Corporation is rebranded to take advantage of the
many positives surrounding the original Amway
name worldwide.
2009
IBOAI celebrates its
50th anniversary in March as the
primary advocacy organization for IBOs, noting
that before there was an Amway there was an
Association. IBOAI events include dedication of
the William J. Halliday Memorial Board Room
(author of the original Association charter) and
a festive celebration with current and past
Board Members, Corporate associates, second and
third generation family members, Founding Family
Member Bernice Hansen plus special guest
Wintley Phipps of the
U.S. Dream Academy.
Amway Global celebrates its
anniversary in May with events at the
Corporation, a Global Diamond Forum and a
special Global Executive Diamond Council in Las
Vegas.
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