Well-Known Business Leader, Veteran, Philanthropist, Aviation Advocate

The National Business Aviation Association noted the passing on June 21, 2025 of Frederick Wallace Smith, a well-known and respected business leader who founded overnight shipping company FedEx who was a strong advocate for business aviation throughout his pioneering career.

Ed Bolen, President and CEO of NBAA said, “Fred Smith changed the world with his creation of the cargo airline industry, but he always credited business aviation with helping make FedEx the company it is today. NBAA is proud that FedEx has been a member company since 1983, because the company has continually represented the values and professionalism NBAA has promoted since its inception.”

FedEx began operations in 1973, after Smith, a four-year Marine Corp veteran who served two tours in Vietnam and was awarded the Silver Star, founded the company in 1971. The company began deliveries with 14 Dassault Falcon 20 aircraft, one of which is on display at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

Smith was a very prominent promoter of the NBAA’s No Plane No Gain program showcasing business aviation’s value. A statement he made for a business publication is still on display in the lobby at the company’s Memphis, Tennessee, headquarters:

“Business aviation has been an integral part of FedEx’s success since the day we were founded. The military calls it a ‘force multiplier,’ and that’s what business aircraft have been for FedEx. They’ve given us the capability to fight above our weight, and with the enormous global network we have in place today, they allow our people to move around the world in a much more efficient and productive fashion than would have been the case had we not operated with business aircraft!” –Fred Smith

Smith was also an early advocate for SAF (sustainable aviation fuels) as he testified in 2021 in a hearing of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Bolen added, “With class and dignity, Fred Smith created an enduring business and industry that has touched the lives of billions. He made our country and the world better. We will miss him greatly.”

FMI:  nbaa.org/