Pamella DeVos

After graduating from Michigan State University with a BA degree in business, Pamella DeVos built an extensive professional background in marketing and public relations, working for nearly 10 years in both corporate and agency environments. After marrying her high school sweetheart, Dan DeVos, she focused on being a mother and lending her talents and experience to a wide range of business, retail, and cultural efforts.

In the early nineties, Pamella and her family made their home in Japan, where Dan served as Vice President – Pacific of the family company, Amway Corporation. Not long after arriving in Japan, Pamella put her expertise to work in support of the arts when she was tapped to direct all public relations efforts for the prestigious National Art Show of the College Women’s Association of Japan – one of the largest cultural events in Japan.

After returning to Grand Rapids, Dan and Pamella established DP Fox Ventures, L.L.C., to manage their business investments and explore new opportunities. The name of the firm is a nod to the couple’s Dutch heritage–the “DP” coming from their first initials, and “Fox” from the Dutch translation of the family’s last name. DP Fox oversees operations of over forty companies in a variety of industries, including fashion, sports, real estate, and automobile and powersports dealerships. The DP Fox companies employ over 1,300 people, with locations throughout Michigan, in New York City, Chicago, and the Bahamas. DP Fox’s most recent venture is a new Ford/Lincoln store in downtown Chicago, in the Lincoln Park area, which opened its doors in 2015.

After a lifelong passion for design and many years of retail experience, Pamella started her clothing design business, pamella roland in 2002. The pamella roland collection has retail distribution in Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, and other leading retailers across the country and around the world. In addition to her role as Owner/President of the company, Pamella is also the label’s Creative Director, playing a definitive role in designing and creating each piece, with the final say on shapes, fabrics, and colors. The collection has received numerous accolades, including the prestigious 2003 Gold Coast Award. In 2010 Pamella was inducted into the Council of Fashion Designers of America, a fashion industry group that includes many of the top American designers. The brand has also become a label of choice for celebrities including Angelina Jolie, Eva Longoria, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Garner, Halle Berry, Mariah Carey, Vanessa Williams, the late Whitney Houston, and many others.

In 2013, Pamella opened the Pamella Roland DeVos School of Fashion at Kendall College of Art and Design. The fashion program provides a unique four-year program to students interested in fashion. Students complete their first few years in Grand Rapids, Michigan while moving on to complete their degree in New York City at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Along with her successful fashion business, Pamella has always been very committed to the arts. In particular, she has served in many capacities with the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM), including co-chairing major exhibitions of artists ranging from Picasso to Perugino to the Dutch masters. Pamella has been a long-time member of GRAM’s Board of Trustees. She was Vice-Chair of the capital campaign for the new GRAM, which opened its doors in the fall of 2007. She and Dan served as co-chairs of the new GRAM’s Inaugural Ball and the GRAM Centennial Gala in September of 2010, where Pamella was honored as one of the 10 most influential women of GRAM’s first 100 years. In late 2010, Pamella brought “Diana – A Celebration” to the GRAM. This exhibit, which chronicled the life of Princess Diana, was the most successful exhibitions in GRAM’s history. In recognition of her many years of service to GRAM, Pamella was named an Honorary Life Trustee in 2010.

Pamella’s cultural commitments have also brought her into top leadership positions with the Grand Rapids Ballet and the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra (GRSO). She has chaired the Symphony’s BRAVO Awards since its creation in 1999. In honor of her long-time commitment to GRSO, Pamella received their BRAVO Award in 2009, and was nominated as an honorary Board member in May of 2012. In recognition of Pamella’s contribution and dedication to the arts, in April of 2012 she was nominated by Michigan Governor, Rick Snyder, to the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). In 2017, Pamella joined the Board of Directors at the newly opened Great Lakes Center for the Arts in Bay Harbor, Michigan. She and Dan took a lead role in making the GLCA a reality, and look forward to watching it grow to become a destination for arts in Northern Michigan.

In New York City, Pamella serves as Vice President of the Board of Trustees at the Whitney Museum of American Art. She also serves as a member of their Executive Committee and Retail and Restaurant Committee. Since Pamella joined the Whitney’s Board, the Whitney moved to a new Renzo Piano designed building in the Meatpacking District in lower Manhattan. Similar to her involvement from concept to construction of the new GRAM, Pamella played an important role in making the new Whitney a reality.

In Chicago, Pamella has been involved with the Joffrey Ballet for many years. Beginning by joining the Women’s Board of the Joffrey Ballet in 2009. She joined the Board of Directors in 2013. Pamella and Dan have enjoyed becoming more involved in the Joffrey Ballet over the years. In recent years, they have become season sponsors, as well as taking a keen interest in helping to support the Ballet’s newly reinvented Nutcracker ballet choreographed by Tony award winner, Christopher Wheeldon which opened in December 2016. The Joffrey recognized Pamella’s dedication by honoring her at the New York City’s Joyce Theatre Gala in the spring of 2017 where the Ballet Company presented their Romeo and Juliet performance.

Most recently, in January 2021 President Trump appointed Pamella to the Board of Trustee’s at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington D.C. Pamella will serve a 6-year term on the Board of Trustee’s, and is committed to various sub committees while serving on the Board.

In recognition of her business accomplishments and community leadership roles, in 2007 Pamella received the “Top Women-Owned Businesses” award in Michigan, along with Northwood University’s Distinguished Women Award. In addition, she has been named one of the “Most Influential Women in West Michigan” multiple times, and most recently was given the Michigan State University Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015.

Over the years, Pamella has committed her time and talent to many different organizations and Boards. To name just a few, Pamella has served as Vice President and founding member on the Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park Board of Trustees, on the Michigan State Library Board, the Michigan State Make-A-Wish Foundation Board, Co-Chaired the Children’s Miracle Network campaign, and recently completed a board position with theChildren’s Scholarship Fund in New York City.

Now splitting time between New York, Chicago, and her home in Grand Rapids, Pamella has managed to continue her civic and philanthropic commitments. She continues to serve on many community boards, including the Grand Valley State University Foundation Board of Trustees and the Grand Rapids Griffins Youth Foundation Board. In 2011, Pamella was invited by Mrs. Laura Bush to be on the Women’s Advisory Council at the George W. Bush Institute.

Pamella and Dan have two daughters, and one son.