Meet The Jackie Robinson Of Wall Street
Opener: Courtesy Reginald F. Lewis family Executive photo: Courtesy Reginald F. Lewis family Young Lewis: Courtesy Reginald F. Lewis family George Bush: Courtesy Loida Nicolas Lewis Michael Milken: Courtesy Loida Nicolas Lewis Airplane: Courtesy Loida Nicolas Lewis
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In 1987, a little-known New York lawyer became a master of the universe when he led a takeover of the food conglomerate Beatrice International, creating the first Black-owned billion-dollar company. Robert Smith, Michael Milken, Henry Kravis and others recall the life and legacy of Reginald F. Lewis.
On November 30, 1987, an army of 180 lawyers, accountants, financial advisors and corporate executives annexed six floors of prestigious New York law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, in a race to close a $985 million leveraged buyout of the food conglomerate Beatrice International. The deal (which would be worth some $2.3 billion tod