Chequan Lewis is funny. But he’s funny in the low-key kind of way where his humor is infused with extremely poignant bits of wisdom that if you’re laughing too hard, you’ll completely miss. As the CEO of Pizza Hut (Chief Equity Officer- don’t get him in trouble), Chequan stands as the founding leader in this position, responsible for navigating how Pizza Hut will successfully engage in the business and practice of equity so that its customers, its franchisees, and its staff are all able to benefit from a world where equity stands at the forefront of all things- including commerce.
A proud graduate of Howard University (where he also VERY proudly pledged Alpha Phi Alpha), Chequan was impacted by the professors who held him accountable to how much he truly didn’t know about American History. As he began to see through the lens of some of the civil rights luminaries he had never heard of, Chequan began to “see things more clearly” and dedicated himself to pursuing equitable intention in every position he held. Continuing on to Harvard Law, Chequan spent time as an Associate Counsel in multiple major law firms before discovering that his passion lay in…pizza. Well, more specifically his passion lay in providing pathways and opportunities for equitable thinking to be integrated into all aspects of a company’s corporate structure and culture. Over a strong career at Pizza Hut, Chequan has led a variety of teams, including being responsible for all Pizza Hut Express stores (you know, the ones inside ALL the Targets) in the company’s portfolio. Now, as the company’s Chief Equity Officer, he is able to take his experience from his earliest days in Haltom City through his varied experiences in the worlds in which he’s lived, to work within one of America’s largest brands to create and foster opportunities for the people he serves.
Chequan is deeply intellectual and regularly interrogates his own assumptions and the perspectives he sees around him to discover what’s true and honest, and we dove into everything from dismantling archetypal power structures, to providing opportunities for all voices in a room to be heard, to what’s better than Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts (he’s got some opinions). This is one where you want to sit down with your quill and parchment (Byron says it’s nicer than pen and paper), a warm beverage, and really learn from someone who thinks regularly about how to make the world a place we can all be our authentic selves in.
Curiously Creative
Dallas Business Journal Minority Business Leader
Bush Presidential Center: Democracy Talks
IG: @chequanlewis
Twitter: @chequanlewis
