Latest news with #PatrickLewis
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
SEMCOG grant paves way for Monroe road project
MONROE, MI — The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments recently awarded more than $10.7 million to 10 projects across Southeast Michigan. "SEMCOG's Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) — one of our most impactful programs — enables us to provide direct funding into communities to improve safety for all road users, connect our regional trails and greenways, and improve access to key destinations like schools, parks, and jobs," said Amy O'Leary, executive director of SEMCOG. Monroe was one of the 10 recipients, receiving $861,832 for a 0.8-mile combination of new bike lanes, sidewalks, and shared-lane markings, connecting Monroe Street with Monroe Charter Township. The section of road that the project addresses is the LaPlaisance Road corridor between Bolles Harbor and Jones Avenue. "This section was chosen not only because of its poor road condition, but also because it gave the city an opportunity to fix the challenging intersection at Jones and LaPlaisance," said Patrick Lewis, Monroe's director of engineering and public services. "These improvements helped make the project a strong candidate for federal funding." According to Lewis, completing this stretch of Jones Avenue will connect to the city's existing network of bike and pedestrian paths. It will include bike lanes on the road and five-foot sidewalks on both sides between Monroe Street and LaPlaisance Road. In addition to the grant from SEMCOG, the city will use more than $600,000 in federal funds and more than $1 million in local funds to complete the project. "From the start, the city emphasized the need to fix the complex intersection at Jones, LaPlaisance, and Navarre," Lewis said. "The new design will improve traffic flow, make it easier for trucks to navigate, and naturally slow vehicles to safer speeds. All of this supports the goal of making the area safer and more accessible for people walking, biking, or using mobility devices." The Jones Avenue project is likely to be built in 2026. "Because the project includes changes to the roadway layout, it needs to go through an in-depth review process required for federally funded projects," Lewis said. "That process affects the overall schedule." The project marks the first phase of a long-term effort to connect transportation users in the City of Monroe to Lake Erie at Bolles Harbor. — You can reach Connor Veenstra at cveenstra@ This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe road project offers new lanes for those without cars
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Great-grandson of John Lewis founder quits as Oak Furnitureland's financial boss less than year into job after he was told to be in the office three days a week
The great-grandson of the John Lewis founder has resigned from Oak Furnitureland less than a year into his role over the company's hybrid working policy. John Patrick Lewis, whose great-grandfather John Lewis founded the department store chain in 1864, joined the retailer last July as chief financial officer. But the 59-year-old quit this month after he was required to be in for three days a week at the firm's head office at an industrial estate on the outskirts of Swindon. The demands on Mr Lewis are understood to have become unsustainable and he wanted to be closer to his family in South East England, reported The Times. While he is set to continue with other non-executive board positions he already held, Mr Lewis will not be taking on any further executive position at other firms. Mr Lewis's salary has never been revealed and was not listed in Companies House filings. But it comes four years after he received a £1.5million payoff from John Lewis when he left in 2021, having been the last remaining family member of the business. Mr Lewis's great-grandfather John Lewis opened the department store's first outlet as a small drapery called 'John Lewis & Co' on London's Oxford Street in 1864. John Spedan Lewis – John's son and Patrick's great uncle - took over in 1914 and created the Partnership in 1929 which gave the workers ownership of the business. Oak Furnitureland chief executive Alex Fisher said of the outgoing Mr Lewis: 'He has been a key part of the leadership team and a real champion of our business. 'We're grateful for the impact he's made during his time at Oak Furnitureland and wish him the very best as he takes more time to focus on his non-executive commitments and his family.' Mr Fisher added that Grayham Dibb-Fuller, who is the new interim chief financial officer, will bring 'extensive retail and consumer experience, which will be invaluable as we continue to focus on delivering the next phase of growth'. Before joining Oak Furnitureland, Mr Lewis spent more than 26 years with John Lewis and had been touted as a possible new chairman before Sharon White was appointed in 2019. He stepped down as the department store chain's finance director in December 2020 before exiting in June the following year and received a £1.5million payoff. This included a payment for loss of office and contributions towards legal fees as well as cash in lieu of salary, car, pension and other benefits for the remainder of his contractual notice period. Mr Lewis had joined John Lewis in 1994, having previously worked for Procter & Gamble and consultancy Bain & Company. As for Oak Furnitureland, the retailer has struggled since it was rescued from collapse in June 2020 in a pre-pack administration deal, which is a fast-track system for rescuing struggling firms. The chain, which opened its first store in 2010, was bought by US hedge fund Davidson Kempner Capital Management for an undisclosed fee after being pushed to the brink by the pandemic. Its latest accounts with Companies House show revenue fell by 17 per cent from £284million to £236million in the 12 months to June 2024, which it blamed on 'a weak furniture market'. The firm also said profit margins were impacted by 'reduced volumes driven a soft market and external inflationary factors, such as Red Sea disruption, which have impacted freight rates'. However, the company also cited its 'diverse product pipeline and focus on enhancing the online and showroom estate' as operating losses fell from £15.4million to £12.4million. Bosses then said in an update this March that they were entering new financial year on a 'much firmer footing' after like-for-like sales rose 9 per cent in the 16 weeks to December 22, 2024.
Times
16-06-2025
- Business
- Times
John Lewis scion quits job over hybrid working demands
A scion of the John Lewis founding family has resigned from Oak Furnitureland less than a year into his role over hybrid working demands. Patrick Lewis, the great-grandson of John Spedan Lewis, the founder of the department store chain, stepped down as chief financial officer this month having joined the retailer last July. Oak Furnitureland required staff to be in the Swindon-based head office three days a week, but it is understood the demands became unsustainable and Lewis wanted to be closer to his family, who live in the southeast of England. Lewis, 59, has not taken on another executive role elsewhere but will continue with a number of non-executive board positions he already held. His last executive role was at John Lewis Partnership, where he was chief financial officer between 2015 and 2020. He is the last remaining family member of John Lewis. Oak Furnitureland, which has struggled since it was bought in a pre-pack deal in 2020, has appointed Grayham Dibb-Fuller as interim chief financial officer. Alex Fisher, chief executive of Oak Furnitureland, said Dibb-Fuller brought 'extensive retail and consumer experience, which will be invaluable as we continue to focus on delivering the next phase of growth'. The change in leadership comes as Oak Furnitureland continues to navigate a difficult trading environment. Revenue fell by 17 per cent to £236 million in the 12 months to the end of June last year, which it blamed on 'a weak furniture market'. It added that 'despite improving gross margins, overall profit margins have remained under pressure due to reduced volumes driven by a soft market and external inflationary factors, such as Red Sea disruption, which have impacted freight rates'. Pre-tax losses narrowed from £31.9 million to £17.1 million, which it said was 'driven by the diverse product pipeline and focus on enhancing the online and showroom estate'. Losses are understood to have narrowed further in the latest financial year. The company, owned by Davidson Kempner Capital Management, the New York-based investment management company, secured an extra £10 million in funding and £47.8 million in a debt-for-equity swap in June last year. Fisher said he 'was encouraged by the company's performance during the past ten months and the clear progress that we're making against our strategic plan since we last reported our financial results'. He thanked Lewis for his time at the company: 'He has been a key part of the leadership team and a real champion of our business. We're grateful for the impact he's made during his time at Oak Furnitureland and wish him the very best as he takes more time to focus on his non-executive commitments and his family.'
