Lewis, James B. (James Beliven), 1947-

Born in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. Educated in New Mexico and Texas. Lewis applied his education to a career in government management and finance. Interested in community issues and professional matters as well as politics, Lewis has been an active member of a number of organizations including the NAACP and the National Association of Black Accountants. His career has demonstrated his commimment to efficiency and productivity in government.

Born in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. Educated in New Mexico and Texas. Lewis applied his education to a career in government management and finance. Interested in community issues and professional matters as well as politics, Lewis has been an active member of a number of organizations including the NAACP and the National Association of Black Accountants. His career has demonstrated his commiment to efficiency and productivity in government.

James B. Lewis. Part of the Identified Persons photograph collection, PICT 992-014.

James B. Lewis was born in Roswell, N.M. on November 30, 1947. He attended public school in Albuquerque and Gallup. In 1970 he graduated with a B.S. degree in education from Bishop College in Dallas, Texas. Later he went on to earn a B.S. in business administration from the National College of Business in Albuquerque and an M.A. in public administration from the University of New Mexico.

Lewis applied his education to a career in government management and finance. He worked as a personnel counselor and administrator at the University of Albuquerque, and as an investigator with the Bernalillo County District Attorney's office. In 1982 he was elected treasurer of Bernalillo County. While holding that office he inaugurated many reforms including the use of microcomputers to manage the county's investment portfolios.

Committed to efficiency and productivity in government, Lewis began serving in state government in 1985 when he was appointed New Mexico state treasurer. Elected to that position in 1986, Lewis, a Democrat, received more votes than any other state-wide candidate on the ballot that year. In 1990, Governor Bruce King appointed Lewis as his chief of staff. After Bruce King's defeat in the election of 1994, Lewis served four months as acting director of the Oil, Gas, and Minerals Division of the State Land Office. In April 1995, he was appointed chief clerk of the State Corporation Commission. The next year he left state government to begin serving an appointment as city administrator (city manager) of Rio Rancho, N.M. in February 1996.

Interested in community issues and professional matters as well as politics, Lewis has been an active member of a number of organizations including the NAACP and the National Association of Black Accountants.