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Mayo Clinic remembers Frederick W. Smith, former board member and founder of FedEx
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Frederick W. Smith, former Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees member and founder of FedEx, passed away on June 21.
Frederick Wallace Smith, former member of Mayo Clinic's Board of Trustees and the founder of FedEx, passed away on Saturday, June 21.
"Mr. Smith was a true pioneer, driven by a desire to change the world and improve the lives of those around him," says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic. "He was a tireless advocate for innovation and a humble, capable leader. He will be remembered for his insight, curiosity, intelligence, and humor."
Mr. Smith was born on Aug. 11, 1944, in Marks, Mississippi. While studying economics at Yale University, he worked as a charter pilot and developed his transformative vision for overnight delivery. In 1966, Mr. Smith joined the United States Marine Corps, completing two tours in Vietnam. He received two Purple Hearts for his service.
In the early 1970s, Mr. Smith founded Federal Express, later known as FedEx, which pioneered express delivery. Despite the company's initial struggles, Mr. Smith took Federal Express public in 1978 and eventually expanded its reach to more than 220 countries and territories. He championed a people-first philosophy, including a commitment to treating employees fairly.
Mr. Smith served on Mayo Clinic's Board of Trustees from 1998 to 2006, contributing his deep knowledge of public policy and astute counsel. A bold, forward-thinking entrepreneur, he was dedicated to continuous improvement, even if that meant making mistakes. As he famously said, "Fear of failure must never be a reason not to try something."
Mr. Smith's legacy at Mayo Clinic includes the Windland Smith Rice Comprehensive Sudden Cardiac Death Program, named for his late daughter who had long QT syndrome, a genetic heart rhythm disorder. Established in 2006, the program's ongoing efforts reflect Mr. Smith's compassion, generosity and desire to help others.
"His partnership has enabled us to move the needle faster, farther, across Mayo's three shields for his family's disease. Out of his tragic loss, he created a program that has saved countless lives," says Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., the Windland Smith Rice Cardiovascular Genomics Research Professor at Mayo Clinic. "He was so understated and humble, yet so incredibly influential."
After stepping down as CEO of FedEx in 2022, Mr. Smith continued as the executive chairman of the company's board of directors. Throughout his career, he also served on the boards of several other large companies and charitable organizations. Beyond his many professional accomplishments, he was a husband, father of 10, grandfather, great grandfather and lifelong philanthropist.
"He was an amazing man," says Dr. Ackerman. "There are very few on this planet like Mr. Smith."
