FedEx Founder Fred Smith Dead At 80

FedEx founder Fred Smith has died at the age of 80, the company confirmed to the Associated Press on Sunday (June 22).

Smith revolutionized the delivery industry, launching his Memphis-based company in 1973 and initially providing a service that delivered small parcels and documents quicker than the U.S. Postal Service before growth as a global transportation and logistics company averaging 17 million shipments per business day. The Mississippi native stepped down from his role as CEO and president in 2022 at the age of 77, having been succeeded by Raj Subramaniam, but retaining the role of executive chairman.

“FedEx has changed the world by connecting people and possibilities for the last 50 years,” Smith said at the time via the Associated Press, announcing his intention to focus on global issues such as sustainability, innovation and public policy.

Smith, a Yale graduate and Marine veteran, was one of Memphis' best-known and prominent citizens, despite typically avoiding public spotlight.

“Memphis has lost its most important citizen, Fred Smith,” said U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee, crediting Smith's contributions to the University of Memphis and the city's zoo. “FedEx is the engine of our economy, and Fred Smith was its visionary founder. But more than that, he was a dedicated citizen who cared deeply about our city.”

Smith also had ties to sports having purchased a minority share of the Washington Commanders in 2003, which he owned until the team's complete sale in 2021, and was the father of former Atlanta Falcons head coach and current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. No cause of death was reported as of Sunday morning.