Amtrak President Roger Lewis, 1970s.
Black and white portrait photograph of Amtrak President Roger Lewis; dates to the early 1970s.
- Photograph Details
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- Date Archived:
- January 24, 2017
- Decade:
- 1970s
- Data Format:
- Image
- Download the full-sized version of this photo
Roger Lewis (1912-1987) served as the first president of Amtrak from 1971 to 1975. His career was focused on the aviation and aerospace industries, with positions including assistant secretary of the U.S. Air Force and chairman of the General Dynamics Corporation. He also worked for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Curtiss-Wright Corporation and Pan American World Airways. Lewis was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Eisenhower for his contributions to foreign aid programs while serving as assistant secretary of the U.S. Air Force.
Under Lewis' leadership, Amtrak created an organizational framework; hired and trained its first employees; began to upgrade and standardize rolling stock and station facilities acquired from predecessor railroads; instituted a comprehensive national reservations system; and crafted an advertising campaign to inform the public about its services.
Photographer: Unknown for Amtrak. From the Amtrak Corporate Collection.