Fred Smith’s Company Now Hosts Over 500,000 Employees and 700 Planes

FedEx announced on June 22 that its founder and former executive chairman, Fred Smith, has died at 80 years old. The Marine Corps veteran’s creation stands strong today, having grown more than 50 times since its establishment in 1971.

Smith founded Federal Express in 1971. Operations officially began in 1973, with a modest fleet of 14 Dassault Falcon 20 jets and 389 employees. The fleet delivered 186 packages to 25 U.S. cities out of Memphis.

Today, FedEx handles around 17 million shipments per day, thanks to a network of over 705 aircraft, 200,000 delivery vehicles, and more than 500,000 employees worldwide.

Throughout his five-decade career, Smith shaped not only the FedEx brand but the entire logistics industry. He developed the company’s “People-Service-Profit” culture, emphasizing employee well-being as the foundation for business success. Under his leadership, FedEx evolved from a US overnight courier to a global logistics powerhouse with ties to more than 220 countries.

Smith served two tours as a Marine during the Vietnam War before launching FedEx. He remained closely involved with national security discussions throughout his life, with former President George Bush twice asking Smith to serve as Secretary of Defense. Both times, Smith turned him down for family commitments.

Smith stepped down as CEO in 2022 but continued serving as executive chairman, focusing on board leadership and long-term strategy, including sustainability and public policy.

"Fred was more than just the pioneer of an industry and the founder of our great company,” read a message from company CEO Raj Subramaniam. “He was the heart and soul of FedEx – its PSP culture, values, integrity, and spirit.”

FMI: www.fedex.com