FedEx founder Fred Smith passes away

4stringAg

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9:55p, 6/21/25

AG

https://www.actionnews5.com/2025/06/22/fedex-founder-fred-smith-has-passed-away-80-years-old/

I lived in the Memphis area for a few years and had the pleasure of hearing him speak at a couple of local business forums and his knowledge of history and the business landscape were incredible. He had moved on from the CEO role but that's a huge loss for FedEx.

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FDXAg

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1:41p, 6/22/25

Heineken-Ashi

Joined: Jul 15, 2022

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1:49p, 6/22/25

Probably the most opportune "username checks out" with the first reply.

Prayers for Fred and his family

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themissinglink

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2:05p, 6/22/25

AG

RIP to a legend.

Quote:
Faced with the imminent collapse of his company, Smith made a decision that would go down as one of the boldest moves in business history. He took that last $5,000 out of the bank and flew to Las Vegas, where he headed straight for the blackjack tables. This was no ordinary trip for a weekend of gambling. It was literally a last attempt to save FedEx.

The stakes could not have been higher, and the future of FedEx was hanging in the balance of his performance at the tables. Smith was a skilled poker player, and fortune favored the bold that night. When Smith finally walked away from the table, he had turned his $5,000 into $27,000, just enough to cover the open fuel bill and keep FedEx afloat for another week.

https://respromos.com/fedex-fred-smith-las-vegas/#:~:text=He%20took%20that%20last%20$5%2C000,logistics%20empire%20we%20know%20today.

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