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of
Progressive. Lewis became chief executive officer of a company which had 40 employees at that time. He subsequently grew the business and, by the 1960s, Progressive had over 100 employees and $ 6 million in annual revenue. Lewis focused on insuring high-risk drivers — where premiums were greater —
210:
using an innovative pricing system and consumer-friendly service offering competitor quote matching and instant claims service. He also brought in a slew of young, enthusiastic workers and devolved decision-making downward, fostering a relaxed yet disciplined and creative corporate culture.
407:. Lewis pleaded guilty to three charges and paid a substantial fine, though under New Zealand law he was not required to serve time in jail or prison. According to his lawyer, Marie Dyhrberg, Lewis used the marijuana on the advice of his doctor for pain relief after the partial
380:. Although Lewis often gave substantial gifts to artistic and educational organizations, he also had a reputation for — often forcefully — insisting that such organizations be financially accountable and financially sound; in 2002, Lewis said he would no longer give to Case or
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neighborhood or to any
Cleveland Charities due to poor civic and organizational leadership and management. While he did restrict Cleveland giving, he did not follow through completely on that threat.
233:
in 1974 at
Progressive's office in Mayfield Village. Lewis's personal and corporate contemporary art collection is well known — the corporate collection is displayed at Progressive Insurance offices.
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After college, Lewis joined
Progressive Insurance as an underwriting trainee. In 1965, he and his mother borrowed $ 2.5 million, pledging their majority stake as collateral, and completed a
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Lewis frequently donated money to charities and liberal political groups. He was a patron of the arts, even going so far as to display Andy Warhol's 10-part series of China's
Chairman
360:(The Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center, a hotel and conference center that will be the cornerstone of Oberlin's Green Arts District; $ 5 million gift out of a total cost of $ 32 million.)
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As of 2010, Progressive had grown to 27,250 employees, with sales of $ 15.0 billion and had become the third-largest auto insurance company in the
439:. Since 1985, his ex-wife Toby, who had worked at the Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art, took over the expansive Progressive art collection.
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In 1955, Lewis married Toby Devan. They amicably divorced in 1981. They had three children: Ivy, Jonathan and Adam Joseph. He had homes in
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Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Dan
Gilbert, Peter B. Lewis join 'Giving Pledge' to donate some of fortunes" By Michael K. McIntyre
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in 1955 after completing a senior thesis titled "The
Financially Irresponsible Motorist -a Problem in Practical Politics."
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Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Peter Lewis is praised at his funeral for his drive, creativity and generosity" By Steven Litt
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American Policy
Roundtable: "Peter B. Lewis: This lone ranger has nothing to hide from the Plain Dealer" by Steven Litt
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with Jack Green in 1937 — was grooming Lewis to work at the company when he died at age 48 while Lewis was a junior at
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733:"Peter B. Lewis donates $ 5 million to the Cleveland Institute of Art, his biggest hometown donation in a decade"
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Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Insurance executive Peter B. Lewis dies at age 80", by Steven Litt
November 23, 2013
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designed science library, $ 60 million; the Lewis-Sigler
Institute for Integrative Genomics, $ 55 million;
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Peter B. Lewis Building, another Frank Gehry design, $ 36.9 million, out of $ 61.7 total building cost)
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and was one of the main financial backers of the campaign to legalize the use of marijuana for
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Cleveland Jewish News: "Bronfman, other Jewish philanthropists, sign Giving Pledge"
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In September 2013, he married his long-time companion, Janet Rosel of Cleveland.
809:"Peter Lewis is praised at his funeral for his drive, creativity and generosity"
449:, on November 23, 2013, twelve days after his 80th birthday. He was interred at
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promising to give at least half his wealth to charity. Lewis made donations to:
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861:"Peter B. Lewis, Philanthropist Who Led Progressive Auto Insurance, Dies at 80"
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Capital Research Center: Peter B. Lewis: "“Aviator” of the Left?" by John Gizzi
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use in the United States. In January 2000, Lewis was arrested and charged in
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80:
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Crains Cleveland: "Peter Lewis -Chairman, Progressive Corp" By ARIELLE KASS
671:"Oberlin Names New Hotel and Conference Center in Honor of Peter B. Lewis"
326:-sponsored MDMA/PTSD Research in the US, Switzerland and Israel $ 750,000
576:"The Financially Irresponsible Motorist -a Problem in Practical Politics"
365:
329:
881:"FPO chief explains tragic ending" by Daniel Chang and Gail Meadows
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Lewis was an advocate of taxing and regulating the use and sale of
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420:
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757:"Eccentric billionaire has high profile at home" by Josie Clarke
312:
611:"Peter B. Lewis Building at Weatherhead School of Management"
457:. His net worth at the time of his death was $ 1.25 billion.
221:
of Progressive, though he remained as chairman of the board.
376:(resigned January 19, 2005), and served on the board of the
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also known as the Regulate, Control & Tax Cannabis Act (
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Menorah Park (Peter B. Lewis Aquatic & Therapy Center)
435:; he also traveled around the world on his motor yacht,
702:"Peter B. Lewis: This lone ranger has nothing to hide"
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Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
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161:(November 11, 1933 – November 23, 2013) was an
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372:, former chairman of the board of directors at the
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645:"A pot-loving billionaire joins the Giving Pledge"
309:matching his $ 10 and $ 2.5 million, respectively)
273:, $ 101 million. Total $ 233 million to date.)
847:Forbes: The World's Billionaires: Peter Lewis
193:. He graduated with an A.B. in politics from
8:
445:Lewis died of a heart attack at his home in
889:, The Cleveland Free Times, March 10, 2004
859:Fitzsimmons, Emma G. (November 24, 2013).
18:
759:, The New Zealand Herald, August 31, 2000
225:Philanthropy and political contributions
465:
354:with contributions totaling $ 2,038,700
737:Cleveland Plain Dealer (Cleveland.com)
592:
581:
928:21st-century American philanthropists
887:"Who owns Cleveland?" by Thomas Kelly
828:. Associated Press. November 23, 2013
289:(Donated $ 3,000,000 to MPP in 2007.)
7:
958:Cleveland Heights High School alumni
953:20th-century American businesspeople
165:businessman who was the chairman of
963:People from Cleveland Heights, Ohio
700:Litt, Steven (September 29, 2002).
254:In September 2012 Lewis signed the
647:. Fortune Magazine. Archived from
562:Progressive Insurance: Our History
14:
807:Litt, Peter (November 26, 2013).
613:. Case Western Reserve University
883:, The Miami Herald, May 25, 2003
772:Cleveland Clinic: Peter B. Lewis
281:Weatherhead School of Management
245:Weatherhead School of Management
124:Toby Devan (1955-1981; divorced)
277:Case Western Reserve University
249:Case Western Reserve University
731:Litt, Steven (July 10, 2012).
574:Lewis, Peter Benjamin (1955).
313:American Civil Liberties Union
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933:Businesspeople from Cleveland
191:Cleveland Heights High School
167:Progressive Insurance Company
115:Progressive Insurance Company
948:Burials at Mayfield Cemetery
217:. In 2000, Lewis retired as
938:Princeton University alumni
923:American cannabis activists
826:"Peter B. Lewis dead at 80"
675:Oberlin College News Center
347:of $ 159,005 on 10/15/2010)
247:Peter B. Lewis Building at
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968:21st-century American Jews
352:Washington Initiative 502
271:Lewis Center for the Arts
774:retrieved March 23, 2013
564:retrieved March 23, 2013
339:Support of California's
287:Marijuana Policy Project
173:Early life and education
943:Progressive Corporation
913:American art collectors
482:retrieved July 23, 2012
455:Cleveland Heights, Ohio
378:Cleveland Museum of Art
299:America Coming Together
706:Cleveland Plain Dealer
591:Cite journal requires
447:Coconut Grove, Florida
251:
177:Lewis was raised in a
69:Coconut Grove, Florida
918:American billionaires
293:The Guggenheim Museum
239:
187:Progressive Insurance
712:on 23 September 2015
411:of his leg in 1998.
370:Princeton University
319:The Democratic Party
263:Princeton University
195:Princeton University
159:Peter Benjamin Lewis
91:Princeton University
33:Peter Benjamin Lewis
16:American businessman
142:--Adam Joseph Lewis
865:The New York Times
651:on 28 October 2012
633:September 20, 2012
533:September 29, 2002
529:2015-09-23 at the
497:September 24, 2012
478:2012-01-31 at the
403:for possession of
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126:Janet Rosel (2013)
786:November 26, 2013
643:Loomis, Carol J.
451:Mayfield Cemetery
386:University Circle
374:Guggenheim Museum
183:Cleveland Heights
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61:November 23, 2013
43:November 11, 1933
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813:The Plain Dealer
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207:leveraged buyout
140:--Jonathan Lewis
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531:Wayback Machine
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433:Aspen, Colorado
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358:Oberlin College
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87:Alma mater
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47:Cleveland, Ohio
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875:External links
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849:September 2013
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341:Proposition 19
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65:(aged 80)
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429:New York City
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415:Personal life
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215:United States
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830:. Retrieved
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714:. Retrieved
710:the original
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683:. Retrieved
679:the original
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649:the original
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615:. Retrieved
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584:cite journal
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552:May 24, 2010
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364:Lewis was a
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350:Support for
315:$ 15 million
307:George Soros
253:
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212:
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176:
158:
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150:Joseph Lewis
134:
63:(2013-11-23)
908:2013 deaths
903:1933 births
742:12 February
716:12 February
437:Lone Ranger
401:New Zealand
267:Frank Gehry
241:Frank Gehry
152:Helen Lewis
138:--Ivy Lewis
135:with Devan:
105:Businessman
77:Nationality
897:Categories
655:25 October
617:2013-11-24
461:References
409:amputation
303:MoveOn.org
231:Mao Zedong
181:family in
102:Occupation
39:1933-11-11
832:March 20,
818:March 20,
425:Cleveland
405:marijuana
393:marijuana
382:Cleveland
147:Parent(s)
121:Spouse(s)
527:Archived
476:Archived
345:Donation
335:Traction
163:American
131:Children
81:American
685:13 June
397:medical
366:trustee
113:CEO of
431:, and
305:(with
201:Career
179:Jewish
71:, U.S.
421:Miami
279:(The
834:2016
820:2016
744:2018
718:2018
687:2014
657:2012
597:help
301:and
95:A.B.
58:Died
51:U.S.
29:Born
823:;
453:in
384:'s
368:of
265:(A
243:'s
219:CEO
899::
863:.
811:.
764:^
735:.
704:.
673:.
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582:{{
538:^
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37:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
