Delano E. Lewis, Sr., a native Kansan, received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Kansas in 1960 and a Juris Doctorate Degree from Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, in 1963. Mr. Lewis served ten years in the Federal Government from 1963 until 1973.

He served as an attorney with the Dept. of Justice; as an attorney in the Office of Compliance in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Associate Director of the US Peace Corps in Nigeria and Country Director of US Peace Corps in Uganda; Legislative Assistant to US Senator Edward W. Brooke of Massachusetts and Chief of Staff for Delegate Walter Fauntroy of the District of Columbia.

From 1973 until 1984, Delano Lewis was an executive with the C&P Telephone Company in Washington, DC, a subsidiary of AT&T. From 1984 until 1994, he was an Officer of Bell Atlantic (now Verizon) retiring in 1994 as President and CEO of the District of Columbia operations. In 1994, Mr. Lewis was named President and CEO of National Public Radio in Washington, DC.

In June 1999, President Clinton nominated Delano Lewis as US Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa. The United States Senate confirmed him on November 10th 1999. He assumed his Ambassadorship in Pretoria, South Africa on December 22, 1999 and served until July 13, 2001.

Mr. Lewis has been a recipient of many awards and honorary degrees, most notably, Washingtonian of the Year in 1978. He received a distinguished Alumni Citation from his alma mater, The University of Kansas, in 1994. There are numerous honorary degrees from such institutions as Barry University, Bowie State University, Washburn University, George Washington University, Kent State University, NOVA Southeastern University, Southern Illinois University and Lafayette College.

In September 2006, he assumed the position of Senior Fellow at New Mexico State University where he established The Institute for International Relations. He served as the Director of the Institute. In addition, Mr. Lewis now serves on the board of the American Institutes for Research. Mr. Lewis has served on the Corporate Board of Directors for the following organizations:

• Colgate Palmolive

• Eastman Kodak

• GEICO

• Black Entertainment TV

• Apple Computer

• Halliburton

• JP Morgan Chase

  Mr. Lewis is the author of the book “It All Begins With Self” an Amazon “Best-Seller” in four categories & “No Condition is Permanent”.

Ambassador Lewis is currently the Chairman of Lewis Limited Productions, LLC - Lewis Limited is a global Business Development, Marketing & Management solutions consulting firm whose strategic methodologies and commitment to precise execution provide high-level innovative solutions for its government and commercial clients. Ambassador Lewis heads up the Cultural Diversity & Inclusion practice.