PIONEERS: REGINALD F. LEWIS AND THE MAKING OF A BILLION DOLLAR EMPIRE Premieres 2/16

Pioneers: Reginald F. Lewis and the Making of a Billion Dollar Empire, premiering on local PBS stations WLIW21, THIRTEEN and NJTV as part of our celebration of Black History Month beginning Friday, February 16 at 8pm on WLIW21.

Pioneers: Reginald F. Lewis and the Making of a Billion Dollar EMPIRE chronicles the life and legacy of business pioneer, philanthropist and titan Reginald F. Lewis. A Harvard Law School graduate, Lewis rose to prominence as a lawyer, financier, and leader of the global food company TLC Beatrice International. Lewis was the first African American ever to close an overseas billion dollar leveraged buyout deal. He acquired an unprecedented global conglomerate of 64 companies in 31 countries, and paved the way for future entrepreneurs and black leaders through his life's work until his untimely death at age 50.

Narrated by Broadway, film and television start Norm Lewis, the documentary explores the life and legacy of Reginald F. Lewis, a business pioneer, philanthropist and titan who rose to prominence as a lawyer and financier, becoming the first African American to close an overseas billion dollar leveraged buyout deal. The film reveals the story of the man who paved the way for Jay-Z, Sheila Johnson, Ken Chenault & many other modern-day moguls

Watch a teaser clip here!

WNET is America's flagship PBS station and parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21. WNET also operates NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its broadcast channels, three cable services (THIRTEEN PBSKids, Create and World) and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings. WNET's groundbreaking series for children and young adults include Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase as well as Mission US, the award-winning interactive history game. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Theater Close-Up, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the daily multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. In addition, WNET produces online-only programming including the award-winning series about gender identity, First Person, and an intergenerational look at tech and pop culture, The Chatterbox with Kevin and Grandma Lill. In 2015, THIRTEEN launched Passport, an online streaming service which allows members to see new and archival THIRTEEN and PBS programming anytime, anywhere: www.thirteen.org/passport.

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