Chequan Lewis is the Chief Operating Officer for Pizza Hut U.S.. He leads the business’s operational focus on delivering world-class food and service to Pizza Hut’s customers while elevating the everyday experiences of the restaurant teams who serve them. Chequan previously held other leadership roles within the company since joining in 2016. Most recently, he served as Chief Equity Officer, where he championed, promoted, and guided the company’s equity and inclusion vision, strategy, and initiatives across Pizza Hut’s footprint as a franchisor, employer, and community pillar. Prior to that, he was Senior Director of Express, and before that was Director of Legal.
Chequan has previously held other leadership roles in the company since joining in 2016. Most recently, he served as Chief Equity Officer, where he championed, promoted and guided the company’s equity and inclusion vision, strategy and initiatives across Pizza Hut’s footprint as a franchiser, employer, and community pillar. Prior to that, he was Senior Director of Express, leading the team responsible for the license of ~1,500 locations in airports, stadiums, military bases, Target stores, movie theaters, transportation centers, colleges/universities, and other venues. Before that, he served as Director of Legal, leading the company’s legal efforts in franchising issues.
A Harvard Law School graduate, Chequan is a former business litigator at Baker Botts LLP. Before becoming an attorney, Chequan graduated from Howard University and worked in business management with McMaster-Carr Supply Company.
Chequan is committed to civic engagement. Among a number of policy-focused experiences, he has worked with the Office of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to analyze economic revitalization efforts in southern Dallas and previously served as chairman of the City of Dallas’s South Dallas-Fair Park Opportunity Fund. In his capacity as chairman, he led the city board’s efforts to invest municipal funds, via grants and loans, in a historically-marginalized area of Dallas. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for both the Dallas Zoo and City Square and on the Board of Advisors for the SMU Dedman School of Law Robert B. Rowling Center for Business Law & Leadership.
Chequan is a Presidential Leadership Scholar and a recipient of the Dallas Business Journal’s Minority Business Leader Award. He is also an alumnus of the Latino Center for Leadership Development Leadership Academy and the Dallas Mayor’s Star Council. Chequan is also a contributor to the Dallas Morning News, focusing on sociopolitical issues. Chequan resides in Oak Cliff with his wife, Whitney, and their children, Carter and Claire.