Accomplished Filipina: Loida Nicolas Lewis
Being born into an entrepreneuring family most likely paved the way to her success.
Loida Nicolas-Lewis is the first Filipino and the first woman to be inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame this year. She is the CEO and chair of TLC Beatrice LLC and TLC Beatrice China and Philippines, a successful multinational corporation of food companies based in many countries.
Lewis assumed the leadership in 1994 when her African American billionaire husband, Reginald Lewis passed away. She turned the company around to cut costs and sell non-performing assets and in 1996 the TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc. passed the $2 billion sales mark. Working Woman magazine has hailed her as one of the top businesswomen in the country.
Her other accomplisments?
A lawyer. She was the first Asian woman to pass the New York State bar exam without having studied law in the U.S. She graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Law and is eligible to practice in both the Philippines and New York. In 1979, she won a discrimination suit against the US Citizenship and Immgrations Services (then Immigration and Naturalization Service) and ended up serving the INS as General Attorney until 1990.
A sociocivic leader. She is the National Chairwoman of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, the largest advocacy group for Filipino Americans in the United States.
She is also an author of the book How to Get a Green Card which I am sure is very popular among our fellowmen.
Finally, if we probably ask her what her greatest accomplishment is? She is mom to two daughters.
Listen to a podcast from the SFGate Chronicle’s Pinoy Pod and hear Loida Lewis talk about Hillary Clinton, Harry Potter and how she successfully sued the INS.
Way to go, Ms. Lewis! Yan ang Pinay!
Tags: Loida Nicolas Lewis, filipina, billionaire, entrepreneur, Asian Hall of Fame, woman
6 Comments
Truly a super-Pinay! Genuine source of pride for our nation. Pati character niya, exemplary.
yes, we Sorsoguenos are proud of her…she is an epitome of an intelligent, beautiful and courageous woman…. truly a Bicolana!
While Loida Lewis is an American success, we must be careful on who we want to call our role models. Many Filipinas have succeeded in America and who stand up for our values as compared to Ms. Lewis who doesn’t stand up for out values. We can look at Miss America, Angela Perez Baraquio and Michelle Malkin just to name only two who really respresent our values of pro-life, conservatism, and Christianity. Lewis is pupet to Hillary Clinton whose agenda rides on how many abortions America has a year.
Well.. this is for robert ayala… when we make our role model, we make it base on specific accomplishment.. nobody is perfect after all… Loida is a proof that education sells.. and for that, she is our role model.. as to her belief, or where he stand for in the pro-life advocacy, that is another things…. To robet ayala… stop being a pinoy…in a sense of having that crab mentally… but start being pinoy… in a sense of being in Hospitality…. regards
It is an honor to be a student of your school!
im Glenia Elnar daughter of Lino Nicolas and son of Lutgarda Nicolas also konwn as “danday”. We need some help we’re lack of money now.My father is sick and im still studying,thanks for your consideration, I hope you response.