MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority board approved a measure Thursday morning to rename the Memphis airport in honor of FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith.
“We are honored to be tasked with this well-deserved recognition for him. There are many regulatory, logistical and operational steps involved in renaming an airport, but our staff will immediately begin the process,” the airport board said in a news release.
Smith died last Saturday at age 80. He was the founder of global shipping giant FedEx, whose world hub is based at the Memphis airport. The company, which is headquartered in the Memphis area, employs more than 30,000 here…