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| Drew Lewis | |
|---|---|
| Name | Drew Lewis |
| Birth date | May 29, 1931 |
| Birth place | Hershey, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Death date | July 25, 2016 |
| Death place | Hershey, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Businessman, politician |
| Office | United States Secretary of Transportation |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Term start | January 23, 1981 |
| Term end | February 1, 1983 |
| Predecessor | Neil Goldschmidt |
| Successor | Elizabeth Dole |
Drew Lewis Drew Lewis (May 29, 1931 – July 25, 2016) was an American businessman and Republican politician who served as United States Secretary of Transportation under President Ronald Reagan. He was a corporate executive in the airline and confectionery industries and a prominent figure in Pennsylvania politics, known for leading the 1981 air traffic controllers' dismissal during the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) strike. Lewis's career intersected with major institutions and events in postwar American corporate and political life.
Born in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Lewis was raised in a family tied to the Hershey community and attended local schools before serving in the United States Navy. After military service, he enrolled at Dartmouth College, where he earned a bachelor's degree and was active in campus organizations linked to postwar student life. He later pursued legal studies at Harvard Law School, joining networks that connected him to prominent alumni in Pennsylvania business and Republican Party circles.
Lewis began his professional career as a lawyer and corporate executive, taking a management role at the Hershey Company where he helped oversee operations tied to confectionery manufacturing and distribution. He later moved into the airline industry, serving in leadership positions at Allegheny Airlines and other aviation firms during a period of deregulation that involved stakeholders such as the Civil Aeronautics Board and the broader airline industry restructuring. Lewis also served on corporate boards including those of U.S. Steel and regional banks, linking him to boardroom networks in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and national finance. His corporate tenure placed him among executives who navigated mergers, regulatory change, and labor negotiations in the 1960s and 1970s.
Active in Republican politics, Lewis chaired state-level campaigns and served as a key fundraiser and strategist for candidates such as Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. He chaired the Pennsylvania campaign apparatus for the 1976 and 1980 presidential cycles, working with national operatives tied to the Republican National Committee. His political roles included leadership in state commissions and advisory boards that connected him to policymakers in Harrisburg and to figures in the White House transition teams. Lewis's political profile rose through coordination with conservative leaders, business donors, and policy groups active in the late Cold War era.
Appointed by President Ronald Reagan as Secretary of Transportation, Lewis led the United States Department of Transportation from January 1981 to February 1983. His tenure coincided with major events including the 1981 strike by the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO), which culminated in President Reagan's decision to fire striking controllers after an illegal strike—an action that involved the Federal Aviation Administration and reshaped federal labor enforcement. Lewis also oversaw policies responding to airline deregulation instituted in the 1970s, safety oversight linked to the National Transportation Safety Board, and budgetary reforms aligned with the Reagan administration's priorities, interacting with congressional committees such as the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
After leaving the cabinet, Lewis returned to the private sector and served on multiple corporate and nonprofit boards, including philanthropic and civic organizations in Pennsylvania and national institutions such as The Heritage Foundation-aligned networks and university governing boards. He remained active in Republican politics, supporting candidates and policy initiatives during the George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations. Lewis also engaged with regional economic development efforts in Hershey and Lancaster County, and contributed to civic projects tied to cultural and educational institutions, connecting him to leaders in business, academia, and state government.
Lewis was married and had children; his family maintained ties to the Hershey area and to philanthropic endeavors associated with local institutions such as Lebanon County charities and regional hospitals. He received recognition from business and civic organizations for his contributions to transportation policy, corporate leadership, and public service. Histories of labor relations, aviation policy, and the Reagan era often cite Lewis's role in the PATCO crisis and in implementing transportation priorities, situating him among notable cabinet members whose decisions affected federal labor precedent and the trajectory of air traffic control modernization. Category:1931 births Category:2016 deaths Category:United States Secretaries of Transportation Category:Pennsylvania Republicans