Randy Lewis

Peace Corps volunteer, Arthur Murray dance instructor, Ernst and Young partner, Fortune 50 senior executive and accidental advocate. Before retiring in 2013, as Senior Vice President he led Walgreens’ logistics division for sixteen years as the chain grew from 1,500 to 8,000 stores with the most advanced logistics network in its industry.

Believing that people with disabilities could do more, he also pioneered a disability employment model in its distribution centers that resulted in ten percent of its workforce consisting of people with disabilities (1,000+ PWDs). This initiative is being rolled out nationwide in Walgreen stores across America. It is changing the lives of thousands and serving as a model for other employers in the U.S. and abroad including large employers such as P&G, Lowe’s, Meijer and Marks & Spencer (UK).

Randy has shared the story across the U.S., Canada and abroad of how steward leadership can both improve performance and benefit the community. He was recognized as Leader of the Year in 2011, for his body of work and outstanding service to and accomplishments in the field of human resources and business by the Human Resources Management Association of Chicago. He received the South Carolina’s highest award to non-citizens, the Order of the Silver Crescent in 2008 for his leadership and contribution to the well-being of its citizenry.

His book, No Greatness Without Goodness, recounts the story of what led him to create the Walgreens Model that has been referred to as the “gold standard of disability hiring” and how he was able garner the support to make it successful.

He remains active in business and serves as a director of Wendy’s. In addition to maintaining an active speaking schedule, he lends his time and experience to the disability hiring movement. Over the past year, he has been developing the NOGWOG Disability Initiative, as an effective, low-cost and sustainable disability hiring model for employers. It a private/public partnership between employers, community providers and government to provide employers the qualified candidates they need and people with disabilities the opportunities they seek.