FedEx Ground VP dies
Bram Johnson, a key member of FedEx Ground’s executive team, died at the age of 59 on Friday of natural causes while hiking with friends in Spain.
Johnson was one of two executive vice presidents at FedEx Ground, based in Moon Township, and a direct report to president and CEO Daniel Sullivan. As the company’s first vice president of marketing, he helped to found Roadway Package System, the predecessor to FedEx Ground.
“He was a pioneer in our industry,” Sullivan said. “He helped me found this company back in the early days of 1984.”
Johnson was born on Feb. 24, 1947 in Worcester, Mass., to Ferdinand and Alice Johnson. He attended Northeastern University in Boston, receiving a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1970 and went on to earn an MBA from the Harvard School of Business two years later.
He then served as vice president of marketing for Autotrain Corp. and senior associate and product manager for Charles River Associates before joining RPS as vice president of marketing in 1984. In 2000, he was named corporate vice president of strategic development for FedEx Ground’s parent company, FedEx Corp., based in Memphis, Tenn. Johnson returned to FedEx Ground in 2004 as an executive vice president.
In this role, he was responsible for FedEx Ground’s strategic planning. Sullivan described Johnson as someone who would often walk into a meeting with a big smile and a dozen jelly doughnuts to share with the group.
“He had a very high intellect and a wonderful personality,” Sullivan said. “He was a unique individual that raised the level of our environment for the positive.”
A Sewickley resident, he is survived by his wife, Robin Hummel-Johnson, son, Jason Jackson of Wellington, Fla., and sister, Leandra MacDonald of Peterborough, N.H. The memorial service and reception will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, at St. Andrews United Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made in Bram Johnson’s name to the Allegheny Land Trust, Robin Hill Park, 949 Thorn Run Road, Moon Township, PA 15108-2828.
