Reginald F. Lewis

1994 Honoree

Reginald F. Lewis was born on December 7, 1942 in Baltimore, Maryland. Strongly influenced by his family, he began his career at the age of ten by delivering the local African-American newspaper. At Dunbar high school, he excelled as a student and athlete.

He attended Virginia State University on a football scholarship until he was injured, and was on the dean's list when he graduated. After college, Lewis attended Harvard Law School. Within two years after graduation from Harvard, in 1968, he established his own law firm, Lewis and Clarkson. Their main focus was on corporate law.

In 1983, Lewis formed TLC, LP., an investment group and acquired The McCall Pattern Company. Under his leadership, it enjoyed the two most profitable years in its 113 year history. In 1987, Lewis sold McCall and purchased Beatrice International for 5985 million, out bidding many of the world's largest corporations.

As chairman and CEO, Lewis moved quickly to reposition the company as a pan-European food conglomerate and vastly improved the company's worth. In 1992, the company had over 51.6 billion in sales, making Lewis one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time.

Lewis was also a noted philanthropist. In 1987, he established the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation which has given more than 510 million to various organizations around the world. Major grants included: 51 million to Howard University,53 million to Harvard Law School, and a 52 million endowment to the NAACP's Reginald F. Lewis Fund.

Entrepreneur, philanthropist, chairman and CEO, Reginald F. Lewis lived his life according to the words he often spoke to audiences around the country, "Keep going, no matter what!"