Reginald F. Lewis honored by Millennium Excellence Foundation

The Millennium Excellence Foundation (MEF) is honoring the late Reginald F. Lewis at the 2026 Millennium Excellence Awards held at the Warner Theatre. The tribute recognizes Lewis as a pioneer of American enterprise and a supporter of Africa’s future.

Lewis, who rose from a working-class background in Baltimore, was the architect of the acquisition of Beatrice International Foods. He transformed the company into TLC Beatrice International Holdings, which became the first Black-owned business in the United States to exceed one billion dollars in annual revenue.

In addition to his business achievements, Lewis was noted for his significant philanthropy, including a landmark donation to Harvard Law School that was, at the time, the largest single donation in the institution’s history.