Dedication Yields Success: Lewis Rice
Jr. '74SVC
As Vice President of Global Security and Trademark Protection
for one of the world's leading cosmetic companies, Lewis Rice
Jr.’74SVC knows first hand about being part of a global
society. Lewis is responsible for leading a worldwide team of
security executives in charge of the protection and safety of all
Estée Lauder Companies’ employees and products.
To make themselves marketable after graduation, Lewis says,
students must take advantage of the study
abroad opportunities at St. John’s: “Most companies are now
expanding into global markets, so in order for students to be
successful in any field they have to take advantage of every global
opportunity presented to them. Global experience says to
prospective employers that you have no problem embracing new
cultures and are successful at adapting to change.”
Prior to Estée Lauder, Lewis was a Special Agent with the
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). During his 26-year
career with the DEA, he developed expertise in national program
areas, policy and management. In 1998, he was awarded the
rank of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service of
the DEA by former President William J. Clinton.
However, it was his experiences at St. John’s College of
Professional Studies that made his career in criminal justice
possible. “It was at a St. John’s career fair that I was first
introduced to DEA. The agents came to recruit college
graduates and I felt confident because I knew my undergraduate
courses and professors had prepared me for a job as a special
agent.”
During his career with the DEA, Lewis held numerous assignments
in Kingston, Jamaica; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; and Detroit.
In 1997, he was promoted to Special Agent in Charge of the DEA
office in New York. Outside of DEA Headquarters in
Washington, D.C., New York has the largest DEA Office, with a
staff of more than 800 employees and an operational budget of more
than 50 million dollars. Lewis was responsible for the
management of all DEA’s investigative, administrative, training and
drug prevention programs for the State of New York.
Described by St. John’s in one of its publications as an
“exceptional alumnus,” Lewis is held up to present and future
students as an example that hard work and dedication yields
success. He demonstrates this dedication when he says, “
Criminal Justice is an extremely rewarding career because your
job is to help people. There's always a good feeling
associated with helping people, for no other reason than it’s the
right thing to do.”