Latest news with #Memphian
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Greatest Memphian of all time': Former mayor reflects on relationship with Fred Smith
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is reflecting on his time spent with FedEx founder Fred Smith, who died on Saturday. Strickland, a two-term mayor of the city, interacted with Smith often and on various projects. 'Such a unique, remarkable person that we've been blessed to have here in Memphis,' Strickland said. 'One of the honors I had as being mayor was getting to interact with Fred on a fairly regular basis.' Strickland says while he's shocked and saddened by his passing, he reflects on the business titan's remarkable impact. 'He is absolutely the greatest Memphian of all time,' Strickland said. 'I mean, think about 30,000 people in this area who work for FedEx. It's the largest private employer in the state. I remember when I would go to Mayor's conferences and we would talk about big employers. Thirty thousand is beyond belief for one city and one area, and he's allowed generations of Memphians to live the American dream.' City leaders offer condolences following Fred Smith's death Smith did so while also giving back. 'From the FedEx Forum to the FedEx Institute at the University of Memphis, every good thing in Memphis for 40 or 50 years involves him or his family or somebody at FedEx,' Strickland said. But his influence includes more than just donations to countless groups. 'And then on just a personal level, advising and mentoring so many people at FedEx and outside of FedEx, I took his advice all the time,' Strickland said. 'I remember I asked his advice on economic development, and he told me, 'Take care of your meds and eds,' meaning you're higher education facilities and you're medical facilities because they're going to be here for you. I put that into practice, and St. Jude wanted to expand, and they needed $25 million to greatly improve the sewer system down there in the Pinch [district]. We signed onto that immediately.' Strickland offers his advice to continue Fred Smith's legacy. 'Strive to be the best you can be, because he did and he achieved greatness. Now we may not be able to achieve or equal his greatness for sure, but we can be inspired to do our best, in our profession, in our education, in our personal lives, and as a community, engaged in our community. He excelled in all those areas,' Strickland said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Memphis airport to be renamed in honor of Fred Smith
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority board approved a measure Thursday morning to rename the Memphis airport in honor of FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith. 'We are honored to be tasked with this well-deserved recognition for him. There are many regulatory, logistical and operational steps involved in renaming an airport, but our staff will immediately begin the process,' the airport board said in a news release. Smith died last Saturday at age 80. He was the founder of global shipping giant FedEx, whose world hub is based at the Memphis airport. The company, which is headquartered in the Memphis area, employs more than 30,000 here. 'I can't really fathom someone who has had more of an impact on a particular airport, in a particular city, than Fred Smith,' said Michael Keeney, Airport Authority chairman. Smith's company was 'absolutely, positively' instrumental into transforming the Memphis airport into one of the busiest in the world. Board member and former Memphis City Councilman Jack Sammons said decades ago, he talked to Smith about having the airport renamed after him, but got some pushback. 'He told me that … naming buildings is for dead people, and said, 'You do what you want to do when I'm gone,'' Sammons said. Years later, and now days after Smith's passing, Sammons introduced the resolution to honor Smith. The resolution to rename the airport after Fred Smith received unanimous approval and has the support of state lawmakers. The next step is to also get FAA approval. Primark to open 1st Tennessee store in Memphis' Wolfchase Galleria Smith was born in Marks, Mississippi, in 1944 and earned his degree from Yale in 1966. After four years of service in the United States Marine Corps, Smith launched FedEx operations in 1973. Memphis Mayor Paul Young said Wednesday on WREG that he supported the airport renaming. Former Mayor Jim Strickland has called Smith 'the greatest Memphian of all time.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Courier-Mail
23-06-2025
- Business
- Courier-Mail
Billionaire with 10 kids dead at 80
Don't miss out on the headlines from Companies. Followed categories will be added to My News. Fred Smith, the billionaire founder of revolutionary delivery firm FedEx, has died at the age of 80. FedEx started up in 1973 delivering small parcels and documents more quickly than the postal service. Smith oversaw its growth to a behemoth of the industry, relied upon by other companies all over the world. The business now delivers a staggering 17 million parcels every day. His cause of death is yet to be confirmed. Fred Smith, founder of FedEx, has died at 80. Picture: Getty After Smith graduated Yale University, he used a business theory he developed in college to create a delivery system. His approach became known as a 'hub and spokes' system, and was based on co-ordinated air cargo flights centred around a main hub. At the start, FedEx had 14 small aircraft operating out of the Memphis International Airport flying packages to 25 American cities. Smith, worth $5.3 billion ($A8.3 billion) at his death according to Forbes, was also known for his philanthropy. He stepped down as FedEx's CEO in 2022, but remained at the helm as executive chairman. Memphis's former mayor Jim Strickland hailed him as 'the most significant Memphian in history'. FedEx is worth around $54 billion ($A84 billion). Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard Strickland said: 'He benefited our city in every way possible and allowed generations of Memphians to achieve the American dream. 'God bless Fred Smith. My condolences to the Smith family.' He donated millions of dollars to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation - after serving for four years in the Marine Corps himself. In an 2023 interview, he said that all the experience he used to run FedEx came from his experience in the Marines, not what he learned at Yale. Politicians and commercial figures have paid tribute to the legendary businessman. Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn said: Smith leaves behind 10 children. Picture: Getty 'I am deeply saddened by the passing of Fred Smith. 'As the founder of FedEx, his leadership and innovation transformed global commerce, and he will be remembered for his relentless drive, patriotism, and commitment to service. 'His legacy will endure not only through the company he built but through the countless lives he touched. 'Praying for his wife, children, and family.' This story first appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission. Originally published as Billionaire with 10 kids dead at 80
USA Today
22-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
FedEx's Fred Smith had unparalleled impact on Memphis sports including a PGA Tour stop
FedEx founder Fred Smith made his fortune and found his fame as a businessman. But, for all the renown he received by revolutionizing the global shipping industry, Smith's impact on sports in Memphis is equally immeasurable. It's a big reason former Memphis mayor Jim Strickland has described Smith as 'the most significant Memphian in history' on multiple occasions. Smith, who died June 21 at 80, leaves behind an unmatched legacy of involvement, investment and influence on much of what has made Memphis a proud and passionate sports city. 'Every big opportunity that we've had, either Fred Smith or Fred Smith and FedEx, they were always the game changer,' Memphis Tourism president and CEO Kevin Kane told The Commercial Appeal in 2023 when the publication named Smith its Sports Person of the Year. 'They were the reason why things happened.' Memphis is an NBA city thanks to Smith. Memphis is in position to remain an NBA city for the foreseeable future thanks to Smith. "Fred Smith has been a driving force in the Memphis community since day one, and his endless contributions as a civic leader and corporate citizen are a part of an incredible legacy that will be remembered in our community and country forever," Grizzlies owner Robert Pera said in a statement. Memphis (that is, the University of Memphis) is pushing for a Power 4 conference invitation by showing it can invest at the same level as Power 4 schools – thanks to Smith. Ed Scott, who was named Tigers athletic director in June 2024, said in a prepared statement on June 22 that the school and the athletic department are "deeply grateful to Fred Smith and his family for their unwavering support." "Fred was more than a visionary businessman – he was an icon and a servant leader whose impact on the Memphis community is immeasurable," Scott's statement continues. "Without his foresight and extraordinary generosity, neither Memphis Athletics nor the City of Memphis would be what they are today. On a personal note, over the past 11 months, Fred has been both a mentor and a friend to me." Scott also indicated the university looks forward to "honoring (Smith's) remarkable contributions in the days ahead." In 2023, when it seemed like the Tigers' vision of a $220 million renovation project at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium might never come to fruition, Smith came to the rescue. Former Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch, who is now the AD at Missouri, worked closely with Smith during his tenure with the Tigers. 'I am so grateful to have the opportunity to spend time with Mr. Fred Smith," he said in a statement to The Commercial Appeal. "He was the definition of a visionary − he saw things that others didn't see, and he saw them clearly. I am thankful for his impact on Memphis and America. Prayers and blessings to the Smith and FedEx families.' Memphis has established a rich football tradition in the form of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, the Southern Heritage Classic and, currently, as home to the UFL's Memphis Showboats thanks to Smith. Fred Smith made Memphis a key stop on the PGA Tour Memphis is home to one of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoff events (the FedEx St. Jude Championship), which since 2019 has brought dozens of the world's best golfers to TPC Southwind, shining one of the sport's brighter spotlights on Memphis – thanks to Smith. And the list goes on. Jack Sammons, general chairman of the FedEx St. Jude Championship and dear friend of Smith's for more than 30 years, said Smith deserves more credit than he could ever get. 'You take him out of the equation and the sports scene in Memphis – the highlight would be Babe Howard's Olympic (USA Stadium) or something. AutoZone Park would never have been built. Hell, The Peabody might never have been remodeled," Sammons told The Commercial Appeal June 22. "You start by the (Mississippi) river and go all the way to Collierville, you wouldn't get very far without saying, 'Yep, without Fred, that wouldn't be there,' just over and over." FedEx has been a title sponsor of Memphis' PGA Tour event since 1986, just 13 years after Smith oversaw the company's first flights take off from the Bluff City. Since then, it has become the title sponsor of the FedExCup (since 2007). In a prepared statement issued on June 22, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan called Smith 'the visionary of FedEx who led every day with tremendous character and values.' 'Fred and his company made significant contributions to the growth and popularity of PGA TOUR golf, and the TOUR continues to benefit from his and FedEx's influence, which will be felt for generations to come,' Monahan said. Smith's fingerprints are forever tattooed on Memphis' sports scene. Perhaps, however, none more prominently so than the Grizzlies. When the franchise's owner, Michael Heisley, decided to move it out of Vancouver in 2001, several cities were in the running for its ultimate destination. New Orleans (pre-Pelicans) and Anaheim were contenders. So, too, was Louisville. Memphis – which had long desired to be home to a major league sports organization only to come up short – emerged. Despite being the smallest market among the final four contenders, Smith's role in the negotiations was the difference. 'Heisley said the turning point in choosing Memphis over Louisville was the involvement of Memphis-based FedEx Corp., which will pay him for naming rights to the new arena,' The Commercial Appeal reported in 2001, when the deal came to fruition. FedEx paid a reported $92 million in the naming rights deal. In 2023, when the Grizzlies' immediate future in Memphis appeared, at least, a bit shaky, Smith stepped up again. The franchise's FedExForum lease agreement was soon due to expire, and officials were reluctant to renew without a major renovation project to update the downtown facility. Smith brokered a deal with local and state lawmakers that resulted in $230 million worth of state money being earmarked for FedExForum renovations. Smith's son, Richard Smith (president and CEO of airline and international at FedEx), said his father always believed deeply in the power of sports on community. "Look at your great cities in the U.S., look at your thriving cities, and they all have vibrant sports and entertainment," Richard Smith told The Commercial Appeal in 2023. "That's one of the great factors, the quality of life factors, that contributes to a great city. We think that's very important as far as being able to attract people to Memphis and to get them to want to stay in our headquarter city." Reach sports writer Jason Munz at follow him @munzly on X, and sign up for the Memphis Basketball Insider text group.
Extra.ie
22-06-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
Billionaire FedEx founder dies aged 80, leaving behind legacy and 10 children
Fred Smith, the billionaire entrepreneur who transformed the global delivery industry by founding FedEx, has died at the age of 80. Smith launched FedEx in 1973 with a groundbreaking idea: a faster, more efficient way to deliver small parcels and documents than the traditional postal service. Starting with just 14 aircraft operating out of Memphis International Airport, the company serviced 25 U.S. cities in its early days. His innovative 'hub and spokes' model, coordinating air cargo flights around a central hub, quickly became a cornerstone of modern logistics. Under Smith's leadership, FedEx grew into a global powerhouse, now delivering an astonishing 17 million parcels every day. His cause of death has not yet been confirmed. Under Smith's leadership, FedEx grew into a global powerhouse, now delivering an astonishing 17 million parcels every day. A Yale University graduate, Smith famously drew on a business theory he developed during his college years to create the foundation for FedEx. Worth an estimated $5.3 billion at the time of his death, according to Forbes, Smith was also a dedicated philanthropist. He donated millions to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, supporting the families of those who served. Though he stepped down as CEO in 2022, Smith remained deeply involved with the company as executive chairman. Fred Smith. Pic: Getty His passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from political and business leaders alike. Memphis's former mayor Jim Strickland called him 'the most significant Memphian in history,' adding: 'He benefited our city in every way possible and allowed generations of Memphians to achieve the American dream. God bless Fred Smith. My condolences to the Smith family.' Smith is survived by his wife and 10 children.
