Fedex’s women leaders highlighted in new book
‘True Grit’ has been available since October
Seventeen of Fedex’s women leaders shared their unique roadmaps to success for a book co-authored by a company executive and a businesswoman known for sharing inspirational stories about women.
“True Grit - Stories from Fedex female leaders” became available for purchase in October. Fedex is donating net proceeds for the book to Dress for Success, a not-for-profit providing professional clothing, a support network and development tools for women to achieve economic independence.
The book features stories of Fedex women leaders’ paths to “extraordinary success,” said co-author Edie Hand, whose “Women of True Grit” series includes books and podcasts. Hand said her interview with Lisa Lisson, president of Fedex Express Canada, particularly moved her.
“(Lisson’s husband) had gone through a tough period before he passed,” Hand said. “She raised her children as a young woman and also became a top executive at one of the world’s largest companies.”
Other women executives at Fedex interviewed include Chief Sales Officer Jill Brannon and Fedex Custom Critical CEO Ramona Hood, who started as a receptionist before becoming the first Black woman to lead a Fedex operating company.
“I learned so much from each of these women,” Hand said. “… As an outsider looking in the window, I was amazed at what (Chairman and CEO) Fred Smith had done, that he had surrounded himself with all of these extraordinary people.”
Women represent 23% of Fedex management employees globally, according to Fedex’s 2020 Global Citizenship Report. Hand said she proposed the idea for the book to her friend, Fedex executive Dan Mullally, who liked the idea and its connection to the “Women of True Grit” series. He connected her with Jane Amaba, vice president of finance at Fedex Services.
“Jane Amaba had wanted to be a part
of writing a book,” Hand said. “This was a good opportunity for all of us. It was a win-win. I could have never gotten to these women all over the world, and she orchestrated that.”
The book project kicked off on International Women's Day in March, Amaba said, just before the COVID-19 pandemic upended normal life in the United States. Amaba and Hand sent a list of questions to the subjects, asking them to “really focus on the ones that are meaningful for you.” The original plan was to follow up on these answers with in-person conversations.
“Quickly thereafter in March, things changed, and everything went to remote,” Amaba said. “So, it was probably more of a time challenge to find time for the ladies to answer the questions and for us to find time on their calendars while everyone was leading through the COVID crisis.”
Being busy executives at a global shipping giant, Hand said there was a limited window to interview some of the women. The conversations occurred through video conferencing platform Zoom due to the pandemic. Hand said she looked to get the most out of small, 30-to-45-minute time slots by revealing her own story and challenges to the subjects, getting them more comfortable and candid in the process.
“Through all of the interviews I think I learned something new and impressive about every single one,” Amaba said.
Hand said she hopes readers can take away from the book that “they can do hard things and turn them into beautiful situations.” More women are breaking barriers and leading major companies, she added.
Hand said she is working with Fedex to make the book available in bookstores “hopefully in 2021.” The book is available for order on Fedex's company store website for $15 and is also at the Novel bookstore in Memphis, a Fedex spokesperson said.
Max Garland covers Fedex, logistics and health care for The Commercial Appeal. Reach him at max.garland@commercialappeal.com or 901-529-2651.