FedEx founder, Fred Smith, died on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at the age of 80. Starting the idea of FedEx as the topic of a paper in college, Smith made the idea into a multi-billion dollar business.
Early Life
Fred Smith was born on August 11, 1944, in Marks, Mississippi. [1] He went to Yale University to pursue a degree in economics. While attending the university, he came up with the idea of an integrated air-to-ground system that would ensure overnight delivery. After college, he served in the United States Marine Corps for four years. [2]
Federal Express
In 1971, Smith founded Federal Express in Little Rock, Arkansas. Two years later, the company moved to Memphis and had over three hundred employees and fourteen aircrafts. [3] As the company continued to grow, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight came to life.
Retiring
In 2022, Fred Smith retired from being the President and CEO of FedEx to become the founder and executive chairman of FedEx Corporation. [4]
Comments
Current FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam stated:
Frederick W. Smith pioneered express delivery and connected the world, shaping global commerce as we know it. His legacy of innovation, leadership, and philanthropy will continue to inspire future generations. I will miss not only his visionary leadership, but his trusted friendship and counsel. [5]
Notes:
- ^Frederick W. Smith, Visionary Founder of FedEx, Dies at 80 (go back ↩)
- ^Fred Smith, FedEx’s innovative founder, is dead at 80 (go back ↩)
- ^Fred Smith, Founder of FedEx and ‘Source of Inspiration to All,’ Dead at 80 (go back ↩)
- ^Frederick W. Smith, Visionary Founder of FedEx, Dies at 80 (go back ↩)
- ^FedEx names new chairman to replace founder Fred Smith (go back ↩)
