Lewis began his career with Long Floor right out of school in 1947. He was hired as the company’s secretary/bookkeeper, but Lewis says that that changed very rapidly. “I had mechanical abilities, so I took on many other tasks,” he explains. At that time, the company was known as J.P. Long Company and Lewis was just one of three employees. Today, Long Floor employs over 75 staff members.
In 1979, Lewis was given the opportunity to purchase the company and did so. He also changed the company’s name to Long Floor Supply Inc. As the business grew, so did Lewis’ responsibilities. “As my character unfolded, I was trusted with many tasks and performed them with enthusiasm,”
Lewis said that after 60 years, his retirement will now give him the time to spend with his wife, four children, and seven grandchildren. He says he has a cottage on Chesapeake Bay and plans to spend a lot of time there fishing, relaxing, and just thinking.
Looking back on his career with Long Floor, Lewis says that he has never asked anyone to do something that he would not do nor had not done. He adds, “In the past, many deals were made on a handshake and while that has changed, I have found that, with few exceptions, people are good and a business can be run on Christian principles. I have faith—both in man and in God.”
