Fred Smith, founder of the US parcel delivery giant Federal Express, has died at the age of 80, the company has announced.
Mr Smith founded the firm in 1973 having previously served in the US Marine Corps. He ran the company as CEO until 2022.
“Fred was more than just the pioneer of an industry and the founder of our great company. He was the heart and soul of FedEx,” current boss Raj Subramaniam wrote in a memo to staff.
Born in 1944, Mr Smith started FedEx with 389 staff and 14 small planes that carried 186 packages from Memphis to 25 cities within the US.
“He was a mentor to many and a source of inspiration to all. He was also a proud father, grandfather, husband, Marine, and friend,” Mr Subramaniam said.
FedEx now has more than 500,000 employees across the globe and delivers millions of packages a day.
Its operations involve 705 aircraft and 200,000 vehicles, according to its website.