INVC NEWS
New York — : Fred Smith, the visionary founder of FedEx and a pioneer in the global logistics industry, has died at the age of 80, the company confirmed Monday. Smith launched the company in 1973 and led it for nearly five decades, shaping it into one of the most powerful delivery networks in the world.
Born in 1944, Smith served as a U.S. Marine Corps officer before founding Federal Express with just 389 employees and 14 small aircraft, flying 186 packages from Memphis to 25 American cities on its first night of operation.
FedEx’s current CEO, Raj Subramaniam, remembered Smith as the driving force behind the company’s success. “Fred was more than just the pioneer of an industry and the founder of our great company. He was the heart and soul of FedEx,” Subramaniam said in a memo to employees.
Smith stepped down as CEO in 2022, leaving behind a company that now operates with over 500,000 employees, a fleet of 705 aircraft, and more than 200,000 delivery vehicles, shipping millions of packages daily across the globe.
“He was a mentor to many and a source of inspiration to all. He was also a proud father, grandfather, husband, Marine, and friend,” Subramaniam wrote.
FedEx remains headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee—where Smith’s idea to revolutionize overnight delivery first took off and eventually reshaped the world’s supply chains.
