Drew Lewis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Drew Lewis
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| 7th United States Secretary of Transportation | |
| In office January 23, 1981 – February 1, 1983 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Neil Goldschmidt |
| Succeeded by | Elizabeth Dole |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Andrew Lindsay Lewis Jr.
November 3, 1931 Broomall, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | February 10, 2016 (aged 84) Prescott, Arizona, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Marilyn Stoughton |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Haverford College (BA) Harvard University (MBA) Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Andrew Lindsay Lewis Jr. (born November 3, 1931 – died February 10, 2016), known as Drew Lewis, was an American businessman and politician. He was the United States Secretary of Transportation under U.S. President Ronald Reagan. He is most remembered for his role during a major strike by air traffic controllers in 1981.
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About Drew Lewis
Drew Lewis was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, on November 3, 1931. He grew up in Broomall, Pennsylvania. He went to Haverford College and earned a degree in 1953. Later, he received a business degree from Harvard University in 1955. He also studied at MIT in 1968.
In 1950, he married Marilyn Stoughton. She was also a politician in Pennsylvania. They had four children and fourteen grandchildren. One of his sons, Andrew "Andy" Lewis, IV, also became involved in local politics. Drew Lewis cared about education. He donated $3 million to Ursinus College to build a sports center. This center was named after his sister, Floy Lewis Bakes.
Drew Lewis passed away in Prescott, Arizona, on February 10, 2016. He was 84 years old.
His Career Journey
Drew Lewis had a long and varied career. In the 1950s, he worked at Henkels and McCoy, Inc. In the 1960s, he moved up at National Gypsum Company. He became an assistant chairman there in 1969. From 1972 to 1974, he was the president and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Snelling and Snelling, Inc.
In 1971, he helped the Reading Company, a railroad business, get out of financial trouble. He guided the company through a difficult time. It successfully became stable again in 1980. From 1974 to 1981, he ran his own business consulting firm, Lewis and Associates.
Getting Involved in Politics
Drew Lewis became active in politics through his friend, Richard Schweiker. He helped Schweiker win elections for the U.S. House and Senate. Lewis held many political roles in Pennsylvania. He was a county committee member and led the finance committee for the Republican Party. In 1974, he ran for governor of Pennsylvania.
He was also the chairman of Pennsylvania's group at the 1976 Republican National Convention. During this convention, he supported Gerald Ford for president. This was even though Ronald Reagan chose Lewis's friend, Richard Schweiker, as his running mate. Lewis stayed loyal to Ford. Reagan remembered this loyalty. In 1980, Reagan asked Lewis to lead his presidential campaign in Pennsylvania.
Serving as Transportation Secretary
When Ronald Reagan became president in 1981, he chose Drew Lewis as his Secretary of Transportation. Lewis served in this role until 1983. A major event during his time was the 1981 air traffic controllers strike. The controllers stopped working, even after President Reagan told them to return. Drew Lewis had the difficult job of announcing that these striking controllers would be fired.
Another important achievement was the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982. This law increased the gasoline tax and added fees for road users. These funds helped pay for improvements to roads and transportation. By the time he left Washington, many people saw Lewis as a very capable leader in the government.
After Government Service
After leaving his government job, Drew Lewis continued his business career. In 1983, he became the chairman and CEO of Warner-Amex Cable Communications. This company was a partnership between Warner Communications and American Express. He also led Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment Company. This company later became known as MTV Networks.
In 1986, Lewis left Warner-Amex. He became the Chairman and CEO of the Union Pacific Corporation. This company owns the Union Pacific Railroad. He held this important position until 1997.
In 1986, his old college, Haverford College, wanted to give him an honorary degree. However, some professors did not agree with his actions during the air traffic controllers strike. Because of this, Lewis chose not to accept the degree. He said he respected the college's Quaker tradition of making decisions together.
In 1987, President Reagan asked Lewis to return to the White House. He wanted Lewis to be his Chief of Staff. But Lewis turned down the offer. In his later years, Drew Lewis served on the boards of several large companies. These included American Express, Ford Motor Company, Gannett Company, and SmithKline Beecham.
