Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr.
Quick Facts
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Biography
Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr. (March 11, 1926 – August 20, 2005) was an American businessman, philanthropist and Chairman of J.C. Lewis Enterprises, Lewis Broadcasting Corporation, J.C. Lewis Investment Company, and Island Investments. He served one term as Mayor of Savannah in the late 1960s as a Republican.
From the 1940s to 2005, Lewis developed a sizable business empire: including automobile dealerships and media outlets throughout the southeast, including both a TV and radio station bearing his initials – WJCL-TV (the Savannah, Georgia market's first all color television station), and WJCL-FM (the market's first stereo FM station), and acquired numerous commercial real estate properties including shopping centers and tracts of mixed use properties throughout the Savannah area. Lewis owned a portion of land on the southern end of Skidaway Island and later developed much of it into Moon River Landing, the final phase of the Landings on Skidaway Island and Green Island, a large barrier island located off the coast of Georgia.
History
Earl life and career
A native of Savannah, J. Curtis Lewis was a prefect at The Woodberry Forest School in Orange, Virginia where he graduated with honors and went on to become an honors graduate (Summa Cum Laude) of the University of Georgia. Lewis was a veteran of the United States Navy, the Coast Guard, and the Merchant Marine.
Lewis then embarked on what would become an incredibly successful business career, building wealth and stature in several arenas, but perhaps mostly so in the fields of automotive sales, television broadcasting, and real estate. assistance. In 1929 the general aviation committee] of the Savannah City Council purchased 730 acres (3 km²) Belmont Tract, belonging to Mr. Lewis' father, J. C. Lewis, as the future site of the Savannah Municipal Airport now known as Hunter Army Airfield.
Lewis started his life by inheriting Georgia’s oldest Ford dealership from his father and built a diversified family empire. He "proved to be a brilliant businessman, opening additional Ford dealerships in Daytona Beach and Melbourne, Fla., adding new brands to his Savannah dealership, and investing in tractor sales, taxi cab businesses, television and radio stations, hotels, life insurance, yacht sales and real estate." [1] (Savannah Morning News, 2012),
His business interests included numerous television and radio stations, along with new and used car dealerships throughout the southeast; and over a dozen other companies including life insurance, finance corporations, and both commercial and residential real estate development firms.
His automotive interests included: the two Ford dealerships in Savannah, Georgia (Georgia's oldest continuously operated Ford Dealership), as well as the city's Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Saab, and Avis Rent A Car franchise(s). He also owned the Ford dealerships in Daytona Beach and Melbourne, Florida. Lewis was a principal partner in CLV-Credit Life Insurance Corporation and owned Owens and Trojan Yacht Sales Group which was located at the JC Lewis Marina located in Thunderbolt, GA.
His media properties included: ABC-22 WJCL-TV and Fox-28 WTGS-TV in Savannah, Georgia, NBC-38 WLTZ-TV in Columbus, Georgia, CBS-19 WLTX-TV in Columbia, South Carolina, and a Country Western format radio station in Savannah, Georgia WJCL-FM, as well as three classic rock formatted stations in Jackson, and Vicksburg, Mississippi WSTZ-FM & WSTZ-AM, and Columbia, South Carolina WNOK. In the mid 70's Lewis acquired the Savannah Business Journal newspaper.
Lewis was instrumental in developing the southside of Savannah, along Abercorn Street and an adjacent area of the city presently known as Habersham Woods, much of which was an outgrowth of his Oakdale tract. He also sold the land that facilitated the construction of Oglethorpe Mall and the subsequent surrounding retail areas.
Mayorship
In 1966 Lewis became the first Republican mayor of a Georgia city since Reconstruction. His entire slate of six Republican aldermanic candidates were elected to City Hall. Although he did not exploit the racial issues, he benefited from a backlash from white voters against Democratic then popular incumbent Malcolm Maclean. Many White segregationists considered that Maclean was too soft on matters dealing with race. After four years in office, Lewis lost his last minute reelection bid to Democratic nominee John Rousakis, who succeeded Lewis in 1970. During his tenure in city hall, he was directly responsible for the construction of Savannah Civic Center (completed in 1974), the Planning of the Harry S. Truman Parkway, and played a pivotal role in the revitalization of the city's River Street - now a magnet for tourists. As mayor he also instituted the Model Cities Program, part of a national effort to erase neglect in blighted neighborhoods, and successfully led efforts to designate Warsaw Island a U.S. Wildlife Refuge in 1969. Construction of the city's sewerage treatment plant was also completed during his term.
In the early 1960s, Lewis, a former YMCA president, donated 8.5 acres (34,000 m2) of land on South Habersham Street and went on to lead the 1964 capital funds campaign. This eventually resulted in the YMCA Family Center on Habersham renamed in 2007, the YMCA JC Lewis, Jr. Family Center - Habersham in Savannah. He subsequently donated the adjacent tract of land for the formation of Memorial Baptist Church and Memorial Day School. Lewis was the primary benefactor in the Grace House and the Magdalene and Phoenix Projects. While serving as Mayor in 1967, he was approached by then Sheriff Wilkes S. MacFeeley about establishing and operating a "One Hundred Club" to provide financial support to the families of Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters killed in the line of duty while protecting their communities. The club was established in 1968, with Mr Lewis serving as the president until 1976.
Later years and death
In the 1970s and 80s Lewis owned & operated a group of hotels including, the Howard Johnson's in Hardeeville, SC, the Downtowner Motor Inn, that later became the Ramada Inn in Downtown Savannah and the Ramada Inn in Melbourne, FL. All three hotels were new concepts for their day of which Lewis constructed, as a nod to his native Savannah, Lewis strayed from the Downtowner corporate concept and added the locally inspired Savannah wrought iron railings to fit the locale. The Savannah Ramada Inn was later sold to Savannah College of Art and Design in 1987 and converted into the school's first dormitory enabling much of the school's subsequent growth. The adjacent property on Oglethorpe Street still bearing the original JC Lewis signage, the site of second JC Lewis Motor Company location, was also sold to SCAD to become the school's gymnasium - ClubSCAD.
Lewis died at Candler Hospital early Saturday, aged 79. He suffered for leukemia for several years. He remained active in the community serving as a director on numerous civic and business boards throughout the southeast until his death.
Private life and philanthropy
Lewis had a family with Nancy Nelson, including six children and 11 grandchildren. He was an avid yachtsman, amateur radio operator (FCC EXTRA Class), family man, and Sunday School Teacher (Deacon). The businessman and former mayor was one of Georgia's leading figures in the 20th century and one of the south's most generous philanthropists.
Lewis is remembered as an exceedingly generous man who was never too busy to listen to other’s needs. Lewis was the primary benefactor and sustained numerous organizations over the years throughout the Coastal Empire by donating over the course of his lifetime over 100 million dollars in cash and assets (Journal of American Philanthropy, September, 2005) to various charitable groups; including the Union Mission, which provides shelter for men, women, and families, short and long term housing assistance, health and dental care, behavioral counseling, substance abuse programs, life skills training, job training; and employment assistance to the underprivileged population of the Coastal Empire, and to the First Baptist Church of Savannah on Chippewa Square (where he was a member for 66 years; on its campus are the Lewis Fellowship Hall and Mahogany Altar); Lewis donated the land and buildings for the Skidaway Island Baptist Church, The Savannah Baptist Center, The JC Lewis Health Center (which has become a National Model program for healthcare for the indigent saving hospitals millions in impoverished care costs annually: undisclosed sum), The JC Lewis Promotion Center (undisclosed sum), and The JC Lewis Behavioral Health Center, and the Chatham County Republican Party headquarters on Abercorn Street.
Lewis also donated the land for numerous other nonprofit groups throughout the Savannah area including the Congregation Agudath Achimand the B'nai B'rith Jacob Synagogue's apartment complex, The Episcopal Church of Oakdale, Georgia, The Skidaway Island Community Center, New Hope African Baptist Church of Savannah, The Word of God building & (Alzheimer's Association Coastal Georgia Region), and a portion of the land for The Savannah Jewish Educational Alliance (JEA).
Lewis was also a major benefactor of the Savannah Country Day School’s Lewis Leadership Center and Savannah Christian Preparatory School’s Nancy N Lewis and JC Lewis Fine Arts Hall as well as the 50 million dollar Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion at St. Josephs / Candler Hospital System; the 62,000 sq ft cancer center is the Savannah region's only National Cancer Institute selected facility. Lewis endowed over one million dollars in 2003 to the JC and Nancy Lewis Christian Missions Endowment Fund of Woodberry Forest School in Orange, Virginia.
Lewis established the German Heritage society's scholarship fund with members of the Society contributing to further the education of German students in the United States and American students in Germany.
Honors
A member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. Active on the Board of the Kiwanis Club; on the Bethesda Orphanage, on the Board of Directors; the Georgia Baptist Children's Home; Woodberry Forest School Board of Trustees; the President of the YMCA of the Coastal Empire; the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; the United Community Appeal or United Way; The Savannah Country Day School, Chairman Board of Trustees; Citizens and Southern Bank or Bank of America, Board of Directors; Savannah Foods (Imperial Sugar), Board of Directors; Association of the United States Army, President, Coastal Empire Chapter; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Savannah, GA Lodge 183; American Legion, Post 184; the United States Navy League; and The Salvation Army as well as The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum Foundation as an Honorary Director. In 1957 he served as Chairman of The Georgia Automobile Dealers Association; and many more.
His awards, A Brotherhood Award from Agudath Achim Synagogue, the President's Award from Savannah State College, Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Georgia; Union Mission, Golden Heart Award; Community Service Award from the Georgia Municipal Association; United States Army Award for patriotic civilian service while serving as President of the Association of the United States Army, Coastal Empire Chapter; Salvation Army, "Others" Award; Savannah Exchange Club, Golden Deeds Award; the Rotary Club, Paul Harris Fellow and Honorary Member; The Oglethorpe Leadership Award by The Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce; a two-time recipient of The Ben Franklin Quality Dealer Award sponsored by The Saturday Evening Post magazine now sponsored by TIME Magazine; and also an inductee in the U.S. Business Hall of Fame by Junior Achievement.
The local Chatham County Republican Party named their annual award in his honor, the J.C. Lewis Award.
In 2005, the 62,000 sq ft freestanding cancer treatment & research center of St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital was renamed to honor Lewis. St. Josephs/Candler Press Release.
In 2003, S. 1671, White House Archives was passed: A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service, located at 10701 Abercorn Street in Savannah, Georgia, as the “J.C. Lewis, Jr., Post Office Building.”
Curtis Lewis received the YMCA Honors Major Contributors.