Frederick W. Smith is chairman, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Corporation. Smith is responsible for providing strategic direction for all of the FedEx Corporation operating companies, including FedEx Express and FedEx Ground. Smith founded Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Express) in 1971, and the company began operations on April 17, 1973. A native of Marks, Mississippi, Smith attended Yale University, where he earned a bachelor's of science degree in economics in 1966. Smith served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam from 1966-1970. Smith has served on the boards of several large public companies and is co-chairman of the U.S. World War II Memorial Project. He is also a director of the Business Roundtable, CATO Institute, Library of Congress James Madison Council and the Mayo Foundation, and he serves as Vice Chairman of the U.S.-China Business Council. Mr. Smith is a financial backer of Alcon Entertainment, a film development, production and financing company. Show less «