Archives



Business


Former Union Pacific Chairman Drew Lewis Dies at Age 84

[ March 4, 2016   //   ]

Andrew Lindsay “Drew” Lewis Jr., who died Feb. 10, at age 84, served as Union Pacific Railroad chairman and chief executive officer from April 1986 to April 1987. Lewis then served as Union Pacific Corporation president and chief executive officer from 1987 to 1997.
Lewis played a central role in the Union Pacific leadership team that completed key mergers including the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad in 1988, the Chicago & North Western Railroad in 1995 and the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1996. These mergers set the stage for Union Pacific’s exceptional freight rail performance continuing today.
Lewis joined Union Pacific from Warner Amex Cable Communications where he served as chairman and chief executive officer. Prior to joining Warner Amex Cable Communications, Lewis was Secretary of Transportation in the Reagan administration from 1981 to 1983. Before his service in Washington, Lewis pursued a successful business career for more than two decades serving in various roles with American Olean Tile, Simplex Wire and Cable, National Gypsum Company and Snelling & Snelling, Inc. After Reading Railroad declared bankruptcy in 1971, Lewis oversaw the company’s successful reorganization. He began his career in 1955 with Henkels & McCoy, Inc.
In addition to his leadership role with Union Pacific, Mr. Lewis served on the boards of American Express, Ford Motor Company, Gannett Company and SmithKline Beecham.
Lewis was also heavily involved in politics throughout his adult life. Lewis was Richard Schweiker’s campaign manager during Schweiker’s successful runs for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Lewis himself was the Republican nominee in Pennsylvania’s 1974 governor race. Lewis later held leadership roles in Ronald Reagan’s successful presidential campaign and with the Republican National Committee.
Lewis held a B.S. from Haverford College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He also completed postgraduate work at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
An Eagle Scout, Mr. Lewis was a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, the United Way, Catholic Charities, Ursinus College and Haverford College.

Tags: