From 19-Year-Old Receptionist to CEO: Ramona Hood's Promotion Makes FedEx History
by Max Garland
Originally published by Commercial Appeal
Before Ramona Hood became CEO of a FedEx company, she was a 19-year-old single mother looking for a regular day job while taking night classes.
"I just wanted a schedule that would be consistent," she recalled.
Hood landed an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift in 1991 as a receptionist for Roberts Express, which later became FedEx Custom Critical. It didn't take long for her to develop that short-term win into a long-term pursuit of leadership, culminating in her latest promotion.
FedEx Custom Critical promoted Hood from vice president of operations, strategy and planning to its president and CEO on Jan. 1, succeeding the retiring Virginia Addicott. Hood is the first African American woman to lead a FedEx operating company.
