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Catherine Biewer
GE 202
Professor Mcmillan
3/24/2015
Grands Rapids: A Modern Renaissance Story
“The Renaissance”­­ one thinks of the grand, old Florence, Italy: wine, art, wealthy
oligarchs prancing around in the olden times, a time when philanthropy was thriving and the arts
were highly regarded. One would not immediately think of a current time, and certainly not within
a city once only known as Furniture City USA ­ that is, Grand Rapids, Michigan. However, old
money within three generations of philanthropists has spurred a Grand Rapids Renaissance ­ with a
deep appreciation for music, art, food, education and culture, which is being shared with all levels
of society. In turn, this renaissance has brought Grand Rapids into the highlight, with a big
increase in global business and trade.
Florence was dominated by wealthy upper­class families who “enjoyed unprecedented
wealth” but at the same time “cultivated their tastes in literature and art… and determined the
culture”, such as the Medici family (Matthews, Platt and Noble 297). This is very similar to how
Grand Rapids is the home to wealthy philanthropists, such as the late Peter M. Wege, founder of
Steelcase, Inc; the late Frederik Meijer, founder of Meijer Inc; Richard DeVos and Jay Van Andel,
co­founders of Amway Corporation; and Peter Cook. Just like Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici
(1360­1429), who “rose from modest circumstances [and] amassed the family’s first large fortune
through banking....” (Matthews, Platt and Noble 298), these Grand Rapids families have built up
their own mini­empires and have used their money to better the place they live.

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Before looking at the present­day situation in Grand Rapids, one must first have an
overview of the work in Florence under the House of Medici, notably Cosimo de’ Medici. The son
of Giovanni de’ Medici, Cosimo de’ Medici was the strongest influence on the Florence
Renaissance. He was an Italian merchant prince and the first of the Medici to rule over Florence.
He furthered his father’s banking business and was very successful; all the while he “lavish[ed]
expenses for the state, for charities, and for the arts and learning”. He also had a great “generosity
toward artists and scholars”, through his foundation of the Medici Library, and funded many
artists, most famously Brunelleschi and Donatello (The Columbia Encyclopedia).
Cosimo had a tendency towards charity and restitution; and his “major artistic commissions
owed their existence largely to the expiatory imperative of charity” (Kent 127). He wanted to
express himself as a citizen of Florence and a Christian (Kent 128). Between 1430 and 1464,
Cosimo was responsible for “rebuilding or redecorating three major religious foundations,” which
were all “clearly labelled with Medici arms and images” to remind people of the family’s
importance (Kent 131). Because of the Medicis, many patrician families also went for this style of
self­advertising to keep their name remembered. Many historians are skeptical of his motive,
although at the time patronage was to be said as “the honor of God, and the honor of the city, and
the commemoration of me” (Kent 132). This is not very different from today’s role of wealthy
citizens funding hospitals or performance halls with their namesake.
The influence of artists on the society led to an appreciation of the arts, not only for
money’s sake (though that was there), but also for the intrinsic beauty. For the city of Florence,
that there were a “plethora of educated patrons” living there “was an important precondition of the
extraordinary intensivity of creative innovation by so many talented artists at work” (Kent 41).

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This is important for any city’s livelihood ­ a city without art is a dump, a sad place to live, and an
even worse place to die. When art is introduced, people are inspired, and more people want to
move in to the location, especially from foreign lands. The House of Medici, particularly Cosimo,
influenced Florence to become such a city.
The same thing has happened in Grand Rapids, Michigan, although the philanthropists are
not necessarily political leaders, but business leaders with a great political and social influence.
Wege, Meijer, Van Andel, DeVos and Cook are all big names in this area, not only for the
corporations they founded, or the buildings whose namesakes are theirs, but for what their money
went to fund and help spread throughout the city. To realize just how much they have influenced
Grand Rapids to be what it is today, one needs an overview of their contributions.
The late Peter M. Wege, founder of Steelcase, Inc., is a personal favorite, as he helped
make Aquinas College what it is today. In fact, it is estimated by Aquinas College officials that
Wege's contributions surpassed $46.5 million (Kaczmarczyk par. 7). He helped Aquinas acquire
the beautiful campus it has today. He is well­loved by many. In a local newspaper, Wege is
commemorated in the following words:
Wege's legacy of support for education, environmentalism, health care, human services,
and arts and culture, spanning some 50 years, can be seen most anywhere in Grand Rapids,
in West Michigan and beyond (Kaczmarczyk 6).
Kaczmarczyk’s words are not an overstatement. Present­day Grand Rapids is highly regarded in
these areas. Without Peter Wege, it may not have been already to this high level of excellence.
Not only did Peter Wege contribute heavily to Aquinas College, but he also contributed
heavily to the building of the Grand Rapids Art Museum by donating $20 million, which was his
single largest gift (Kaczmarczyk par. 3). He was also a large part of bringing in the landmark

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exhibition, "Perugino: Master of the Italian Renaissance,” the 15th and 16th century Renaissance
paintings of Pietro di Perugino to Grand Rapids, when they had never previously left Italy
(Kaczmarczyk par. 12). His large contributions in these areas have forever altered the landscape of
Grand Rapids.
The late Frederik Meijer was a product of the Great Depression. He started off his career as
a grocery bagger for his Dutch immigrant father. The first department store opened by the Meijers
was in 1962 and it was not even called Meijers ­ it was Thrifty Acres. They were ahead of the
game in the ‘big box’ format, doing this before Wal­mart became big. There are currently more
than 190 Meijer stores in five states. The headquarters remain in Michigan and it has hugely
impacted the economy ­ a recent statistic is that “1 in every 100 Michigan workers is employed by
Meijer” (O’Connor par. 1­2).
Meijer is not only noted for his Meijer department stores, but also for the 132­acre Frederik
Meijer Botanical Gardens and Sculpture Park, which was built in 1995. The history which the
Meijer Gardens website provides goes into detail of why Meijer and his family got involved:
simply because “they embraced the concept of a major cultural attraction centering around
horticulture and sculpture” and this “original vision has turned into a top cultural destination in the
Midwest region, known internationally for the quality of the art and gardens” (“History”).
Because of Meijer and his financial contributions, many people visit Grand Rapids just to
see the gardens, most notably the ​The American Horse​, which “was inspired, in part, by a work
created by Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci for the Duke of Milan in the late 15th century”
(“Sculpture Collection”). In fact, two were made ­ one for the gardens and one for the city of
Milan, Italy ­ another great connection to the land of the original Renaissance.

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Richard DeVos and the late Jay Van Andel are famous as being co­founders of the global
company Amway in 1959, which is now in more than 100 countries (“Co­Founders”). Well­known
places which bear the DeVos name include the DeVos Place Convention Center, the DeVos
Performance Hall, and the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. The Van Andel name is also
prominent, as in the Van Andel Arena, which hosts many concerts of renowned performers,
hockey games, and university graduation ceremonies such as Grand Valley State University. Van
Andel also founded the Van Andel Institute, their mission statement according to their front­page
website being: “Through biomedical research and science education Van Andel Institute is
committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations”.
Only because of the generosity of DeVos and Van Andel, these buildings and programs have
greatly enhanced the music & arts and medical & science industries in this area, bringing in
outside talent and bettering the lives of Grand Rapidians.
The final philanthropist that garners recognition in this paper is the late Peter C. Cook, who
lived through the Great Depression and became a renowned businessman, most notably by selling
German cars in Michigan shortly after WWII, to become chairman of Mazda Great Lakes. Cook
was noted for giving heavily to local education institutions, such as Aquinas College, Davenport,
and Hope College. He is known for his contributions towards the building of the Cook Arts Center
and the Cook Library Center. In an interview given in 2005, Cook disclosed that he and his late
wife enjoyed giving away money. He said, he used to tell his wife that they were “never going to
use it all” ­ and “in spite of all the money [they gave] away, [they were] never any poorer at the
end of the year than… at the beginning” (Shellenbarger par. 1­25). Many institutions and churches
in this area owe their gratitude to the Cook family’s generosity.

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Much like how the House of Medici contained many influential people through generations
living in Italy and abroad, the generations in the families of DeVos, Van Andel, and Meijer have
been exceptionally influential in continuing their tradition of influence in Michigan. The second
generation followed the example of their parents ­ and now “they are ready to step aside for a third
generation who, besides being younger, has access to more money ­ and there are many more of
them than the city has ever seen” (Kackley par. 5). This is something so new, the Johnson Center
for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University did a study on them. It was found that the third
generation ­ or G3s ­ are interested in “grassroots or neighborhood­based projects and programs,”
wanting to be “more hands­on in their philanthropic investments,” particularly in how it impacts
the environment (Kackley par. 8­10). It will be interesting to see what comes of the latest
generation and if there is any shift of values or political leanings as compared to the first
generation.
Through the contributions just discussed, these philanthropists, and the generations
following them, have made Grand Rapids what it is today, similarly to how the House of Medici
influenced Florence. Since these contributions have made great art and music venues, as well as
medical facilities, it has enticed people to live, study, and work here. This means the overall
economy of Grand Rapids has flourished. In 2014, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area was ranked
by the Brookings Institution as the 9th fastest growing economy in the U.S. and the 69th fastest
growing in the world out of the 300 largest metropolitan areas (Harger par. 1). This economic
growth necessarily means booming industries, events, local talent, and exceptionally good food,
which the previously termed “Bland Rapids” had not seen previously.

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One great example of Grand Rapids’ growing fame because of philanthropist wealth is
ArtPrize, the largest art competition in the world. Founded in only 2009 by Richard DeVos’
grandson, Rick DeVos, ArtPrize 2014 brought in 1,537 entries showcased in 174 venues. More
than 441,000 visitors flocked to Grand Rapids, filling the streets with normal, every­day people
wanting to experience art (“ArtPrize”). In fact, these people are given the opportunity to vote for
their favorite to win a prize. This has been very controversial in the art world, because most artists
would prefer it judged by trained juries. Rick DeVos, who leads the third generation of DeVos
philanthropists, told ​MLive ​on the subject of ArtPrize​:
For the record, I don’t think you find good art through people voting. I think it’s actually
antithetical in a number of ways. But as a tool for getting people engaged — giving them a
voice, giving them a vote — it’s really powerful (Ellison par. 16).
In this way, the people have been incorporated into viewing art in a way and scale previously
never seen. Art and culture patrons from all generations would be proud of what has been
accomplished through this yearly event.
As anyone who looks into Grand Rapids’ history and developments over the past sixty­odd
years, it is clear that the accumulation of wealth and generosity of its philanthropists has brought
Grand Rapids to this moment of being a flourishing city for families, businesspeople, and students
alike to enjoy. Grand Rapids is indeed experiencing a modern Renaissance, similar to that of
Renaissance Florence, with its wide range of booming industries and diverse foreign cultures
moving here to find jobs. On top of the third generation philanthropists such as Rick DeVos,
students like myself are being encouraged to stay after graduating. This is bringing new vibrancy
and hope that this trend will not be short lived. What Grand Rapids needs to continue in its positive

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growth are new entrepreneurs to bring innovative and creative businesses and projects to the area,
building off the infrastructure already present.
The names of Wege, Meijer, Van Andel, DeVos and Cook will adorn the buildings and
history of Grand Rapids similarly to how the House of Medici has largely influenced Florence and
the surrounding area’s history. Wealth comes and goes, as we all know, but in this present moment
Grand Rapids, Michigan is experiencing the benefits of having produced intelligent entrepreneurs
who turned into its greatest benefactors. The everyday people who both live in Grand Rapids and
come to visit only have to walk a block to encounter the phenomenon. For ordinary students such
as myself, it is the prime time to enjoy the benefits of top­notch facilities, events, people, and the
knowledge they pass on in this time of Renaissance.

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Works Cited
"ArtPrize." About. ArtPrize Grand Rapids, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.
<​http://www.artprize.org/about/​>.
"Co­Founders." ​Amway​. Amway, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
Ellison, Garret. "Rick DeVos: ArtPrize Voting Doesn't 'find Good Art,' It Engages Public." ​MLive​.
MLive Media Group, 1 Oct. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.
Harger, Jim. "Among World Cities, Grand Rapids' Economy Is Ranked 69th by Brookings
Institution." ​Mlive​. MLive Media Group, 22 Jan. 2015. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.
"History." ​Meijer Gardens​. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
Kackley, Rod. "A New Age of Giving: Grand Rapids Philanthropy Evolves from a Generation
Whose Names Dot Landscape." ​Crain's Detroit Business​. Crain Communications, Inc., 12
Oct. 2014. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.
Kaczmarczyk, Jeffrey. "Grand Rapids Ballet Receives $1 Million from Estate of Philanthropist
Peter Wege." ​Mlive​. MLive Media Group, 8 Sept. 2014. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.
­­­. "Grand Rapids Remembers Peter M. Wege: Philanthropist,
Environmental Activist, Arts Patron." ​Mlive​. MLive Media Group, 9 July 2014. Web. 24
Mar. 2015.
Kent, Dale V. ​Cosimo De' Medici and the Florentine Renaissance: The Patron's Oeuvre.​ New
Haven: Yale UP, 2000. Print.
Matthews, Roy T., F. DeWitt Platt, and Thomas F. X. Noble. ​Experience Humanities.​ 7th ed.
New York: McGraw­Hill, 2010. Print.

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Medici, Cosimo de'. In The Columbia Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Columbia, 2013.
University Press. Retrieved from
>http://0­search.credoreference.com.woodhous.aquinas.edu/content/entry/columency/
medici_cosimo_de/0>
Miller, John J. "All Eyes on the ArtPrize." ​The Wall Street Journal. ​Dow Jones & Company,
Inc., 17 Sept. 2013. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.
O'Connor, Clare. "Grocery Billionaire Frederik Meijer Dies At 91." ​Forbes​. Forbes Magazine, 28
Nov. 2011. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
"Sculpture Collection: The American Horse." ​Meijer Gardens​. Frederik Meijer Gardens &
Sculpture Park, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
Shellenbarger, Pat. "Grand Rapids Businessman, Philanthropist Peter Cook Dies at 96." ​MLive​.
MLive Media Group, 10 Nov. 2010. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.