FedEx carries on the spirit of “visionary founder” Frederick W. Smith
On 11th August, the Memphis community and FedEx team members worldwide came together to honor the legacy of the late FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith. In a dual tribute, the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority celebrated the renaming of the Memphis International Airport in his honor, coinciding with the inaugural FedEx FWS Day of Service.
The renaming serves as a lasting tribute to Smith, who passed away in June 2025, and recognizes his unparalleled contributions to the aviation industry, the global economy, and the city of Memphis. Simultaneously, the day of service honors his profound civic pride and philosophy of community leadership by committing to do good in the communities where team members live and work.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Smith chose Memphis as the home for Federal Express in 1973, citing its strategic geographic location and reliable weather. Over the subsequent five decades, Smith deeply invested in the city’s future, ensuring the partnership between the airport, the city of Memphis, and FedEx helped shape the region into a critical hub for global commerce and economic development. As a visible tribute to this shared history, FedEx today unveiled a new mural along Plough Boulevard. The artwork features a portrait of Smith composed of the iconic FedEx purple aircraft tails – a fitting gateway image for travelers arriving and departing the city he helped champion.
“Moving forward, every plane, person, and package that passes through Frederick W. Smith International Airport will carry the spirit of our visionary founder and the pride of a city that connects the world,” said Raj Subramaniam, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Corporation.
Memphis was more than just a headquarters to Smith; it was his hometown, and he fiercely championed its civic and economic prosperity. Today, FedEx delivers over 18 million packages a day around the world. Of those, the Memphis World Hub — located at the newly dedicated airport — sorts more than 2.4 million packages daily.
The event concluded with a ceremonial landing of Flight 1944, a FedEx 777 painted in the company’s original purple and orange livery. The flight number honors the year Smith was born. It made the first ceremonial landing at the newly renamed Frederick W. Smith Airport. The aircraft is named Rosie after one of Smith’s granddaughters who was born shortly before his passing. This naming continues the longstanding tradition of naming aircraft after employees’ children.
“On behalf of the entire Smith family, thank you,” said Richard W. Smith, chief operating officer, International, and chief executive officer, Airline, FedEx. ” We are immensely proud to be a part of the Memphis story, and we are so excited for the future we will continue to build together in his memory.”
The FWS Day of Service also is a part of Purple Week, the company’s global, enterprise-wide celebration grounded in its “People-Service-Profit” (PSP) culture values. The week recognizes not just what the FedEx team achieves, but how they make it happen together. This week, there are more than 120 FedEx Cares volunteer and community impact events happening around the world, part of the company’s global community engagement program. Moving forward, this annual day of service will honor the late founder’s legacy by ensuring FedEx continues to take care of its communities and each other for generations to come.
