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Died Jay Van Andel, a cofounder of Amway Corp., on December 7 of natural causes. Van Andel was 80. In 1959, Van Andel and Richard DeVos founded Amway, one of the largest direct-sales companies in the United States. His wife of 52 years, Betty Van Andel, died in January 2004 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. Motivated by his Christian faith, Jay Van Andel founded the Van Andel Institute to direct his charitable giving.

Honored Madeleine L'Engle, author of more than 60 books, by President Bush with the National Humanities Medal. The award recognizes "her talent as a writer on spirituality and art and … her wonderful novels for young people." L'Engle's best-known novel is A Wrinkle in Time (Yearling, 1962).

Appointed Jim Killgore, former CEO of Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment, as president of the Atlanta Christian Foundation. ACF, an affiliate of the National Christian Foundation, seeks to help donors give wisely to Christian ministries in the Atlanta area. ACMC, with 600 member churches, has named former board chair Brent Eimer as its new CEO.

Named Jim Davids, assistant dean of Regent University's Robertson School of Government, as president-elect and chairman of the board of the Christian Legal Society. Davids succeeded Steve Tuggy as president-elect. The current president is Eugene H. Fahrenkrog. Samuel B. Casey continues as CEO and executive director, a position he has held since 1994.

Hired Ronald J. Ensminger, formerly executive director of the international Christian broadcast ministry to the Middle East, SAT-7, as managing partner of Strategic Resource Group. SRG seeks to link ministry in the Muslim world with financial and other resources.

Honored George M. Marsden, a professor of history at the University of Notre Dame, with the 2005 Grawemeyer Award for religion. Marsden received a $200,000 prize for his biography Jonathan Edwards: A Life (Yale, 2003). The award honors creative works and ideas in the sciences, arts, and humanities.

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The Washington Post has an obituary of Jay Van Andel.

The Van Andel Institute has more information about his legacy.

Amway has a tribute to its founder.

More about Madeleine L'Engle is available from her website.

The National Endowment for the Humanities has a press release about the National Humanities Medals.

More about the president-elect and chairman of the board of the Christian Legal Society is available from Regent University.

More about George Marsden's award of the Grawemeyer Award is available from their website.

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February 2005, Vol. 49, No. 2