Alerts Sign-up
Frederick W. Smith, the founder and executive chairman of FedEx Corporation, passed away on June 21, 2025, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 80 years old. Smith's death marks the end of an era for the global transportation and logistics industry that he revolutionized.
Born on August 11, 1944, in Marks, Mississippi, Smith was raised in Memphis. He entered Yale College in 1962 to study economics and conceived the idea for an integrated air-to-ground system for overnight delivery while there. After graduating from Yale in 1966, he served four years in the United States Marine Corps with two tours of duty in Vietnam. He left as a Captain with several decorations including the Silver Star and Bronze Star.
In 1973, Smith launched Federal Express with a fleet of Dassault Falcon jets aiming to transform shipping. Under his leadership as President and CEO, FedEx grew into a multinational corporation employing over 500,000 people globally and connecting more than 220 countries.
