WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 23, 2025) – The McCain Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) today remembers the legacy of Fred Smith, founder and executive chairman of FedEx, and close friend to Senator John McCain. The McCain Institute is grateful for Smith and FedEx’s generous support through the years, including sponsoring and participating in the Sedona Forum.
“Fred and John were close friends—this is a tremendous loss for not just our family, but for the world at large,” said Cindy McCain. “Fred’s dedication to serving causes greater than himself, including his years in the United States Marine Corps during Vietnam and extensive philanthropic work, is among many of the reasons his legacy will last for generations. We are sending our thoughts and prayers to his family.”
“Amid this incredible loss, Fred has left us with a true story of determination: a business owner working to keep his dream alive in the face of a massive financial setback, who took what he had left to Las Vegas, hit it big, and won enough to keep his business afloat, ultimately propelling FedEx into a Fortune 500 company—and on Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies List,” said McCain Institute Board of Trustees Member Jack McCain. “The world has lost a great leader.”
“Our hearts go out to the Smith family and all those who were touched by Fred,” said McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas. “His service-driven legacy will live on in the work of the McCain Institute and the many organizations and people he impacted.”
About the McCain Institute at Arizona State University
The McCain Institute is a nonpartisan organization inspired by Senator John McCain and his family’s dedication to public service. We are part of Arizona State University and based in Washington, D.C. Our programs defend democracy, advance human rights and freedom, and empower character-driven leaders. Our unique power to convene leaders across the global political spectrum enables us to make a real impact on the world’s most pressing challenges. Our goal is action, not talk, and like Senator McCain, we are fighting to create a free, safe, and just world for all.
About Arizona State University
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American research university, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.