View source for James C. Lewis

'''James Craiger Lewis''' (bornb [[February 4]], [[1922]] in [[Birmingham]]; died [[January 4]], [[2017]] in Birmingham) was a developer and contractor and founder of the [[Lewis Investment Company]].

James, the son of Taylor Bright and Agnes Craiger Lewis, was raised in Birmingham and graduated from [[West End High School]] in [[1940]]. He enrolled at the [[University of Alabama]] to study engineering, but left in [[1942]] to train as a pilot for the U.S. Army Air Force during [[World War II]]. After training he served as a flight instructor and later flew B-29 bombers in the Pacific theater.

Lewis completed his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Alabama in [[1949]] and joined his brother in launching a successful manufacturing business. As an Air Force reservist, he was called back to active duty in the [[Korean War]] and served for two years in the USAF's Strategic Air Command. After his discharge he returned to [[Birmingham]], married the former [[Jennie Lewis|Mary Jennings Hatfield]] in [[1950]], and founded his own development and construction company in [[1954]].

In the late 1960s, Lewis changed his focus from residential land development to commercial construction. As a leader in the construction sector, Lewis served as president of the [[Greater Birmingham Association of Homebuilders]] and the [[Alabama Homebuilders Association]] and as a director of the National Association of Homebuilders. He was inducted into the [[Alabama Homebuilders Hall of Fame]] with the class of [[1990]].

In [[1965]] Lewis was one of the organizers and founding directors of the [[City National Bank of Birmingham]] and its holding company, [[Southland Bankcorp]]. He also served as a trustee of Cumberland College in Lebanon, Tennessee and as a member of the [[Capstone Engineering Society]], the Newcomen Society, and the [[University of Alabama President's Council]].

Lewis died in January [[2017]] and was survived by two children, Elizabeth and [[James H. Lewis|James]] and six grandchildren.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, James C.}}
[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:West End graduates]]
[[Category:US Army personnel]]
[[Category:World War II veterans]]
[[Category:Alabama alumni]]
[[Category:Manufacturers]]
[[Category:Korean War veterans]]
[[Category:Contractors]]
[[Category:Developers]]
[[Category:Aviators]]
[[Category:Alabama Homebuilders Hall of Fame]]