Ken May
Encyclopedia
Kenneth A. May is a Memphis, Tennessee
native, former CEO
of FedEx Office
, and chairman of the March of Dimes
' board of trustees.
in Memphis
, where he stood out because of his less-affluent social class
. A graduate from the University of Memphis
and the University of Tennessee
, May holds a master's degree
in business administration from the latter.
May's father was a general contractor
who had become the head Federal Housing Administration
inspector in Memphis, Tennessee. May later described his father as a perfectionist
, somebody who believed in craftsmanship
, and whose constancy left an indelible mark on his son. May would later draw upon his father's integrity and diligence while performing as CEO of FedEx Kinko's.
May's wife Tosha gave birth to their daughter Alexa 12 weeks prematurely. The 2 pound (0.90718474 kg) baby was kept in a neonatal intensive care unit
for three months. May and his wife credit March of Dimes
research with their daughter's survival.
, May was elected to their national board in 2004, chaired the annual WalkAmerica fundraiser in Dallas in 2006, and was elected the foundation's chairman of the board of trustee
s on . May also volunteers with the Dallas CEO Roundtable and Young Presidents' Organization
.
May began his career as a part-time supervisor at the United Parcel Service
(UPS) and worked there for three years. Since May had no intention of becoming a UPS truck driver—a prerequisite for full-time work with the company—with his college degree, he instead interviewed with FedEx
's Memphis hub and became a night-shift supervisor. Shipping 162,000 packages his first day, May never intended to stay with the company, expecting to only be there six months.
(CEO) Gary Kusin tried to hire May to become his chief operating officer
(COO), an offer the latter declined. Coincidentally, May would become the CEO of the faltering company in January 2006, after FedEx bought the chain of stores in 2004. During his two-year tenure, May experimented with the chain's formula: changing stores' sizes, formats, and merchandise, as well as implementing "a kind of hub-and-spoke system [where] one large store would handle big print jobs for surrounding small ones." When May took the reins of FedEx Kinko's, the 22,000-employee company had a turnover rate of 50 percent; two years later, in January 2008, turnover was down to 18 percent, and complaints had fallen by 65 percent.
May described his style as "based on being courageous enough to be bold", which included admitting mistakes and caring about people. Priding himself on his personable relationships with the chain's employees, May wrote upwards of 25–50 notes a week congratulating employees on birthdays, promotions, new babies and achievements.
In early 2006, May was the subject of a TIME
article titled "People to Watch In International Business" in which author Jeremy Caplan opined that the 45-year old May "won't reprint his résumé anytime soon." Kenneth May resigned as CEO of FedEx Office effective after a falling out with the corporation over strategic planning
; replacing May was his COO, Brian Philips. After the announcement, FedEx shares fell $1.77, or about 2 percent. Of his resignation, May said, "The time has come for me to resign and refocus my energy on my family, friends and other personal interests."
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
native, former CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of FedEx Office
FedEx Office
FedEx Office is a chain of stores that provide a retail outlet for FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping, as well as printing, copying, and binding services...
, and chairman of the March of Dimes
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
' board of trustees.
Personal life
Born in Cherokee Heights, Tennessee as his parents' middle son, May attended Harding AcademyHarding Academy (Memphis)
- The Early Days—Memphis Christian School:In December 1949, a group of men met to discuss starting a Christian school where the Bible could be studied daily. This dream became reality in the fall of 1952 when Memphis Christian School opened in the education building of the Normal Church of Christ,...
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, where he stood out because of his less-affluent social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
. A graduate from the University of Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
and the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, May holds a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in business administration from the latter.
May's father was a general contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
who had become the head Federal Housing Administration
Federal Housing Administration
The Federal Housing Administration is a United States government agency created as part of the National Housing Act of 1934. It insured loans made by banks and other private lenders for home building and home buying...
inspector in Memphis, Tennessee. May later described his father as a perfectionist
Perfectionism (psychology)
Perfectionism, in psychology, is a belief that a state of completeness and flawlessness can and should be attained. In its pathological form, perfectionism is a belief that work or output that is anything less than perfect is unacceptable...
, somebody who believed in craftsmanship
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
, and whose constancy left an indelible mark on his son. May would later draw upon his father's integrity and diligence while performing as CEO of FedEx Kinko's.
May's wife Tosha gave birth to their daughter Alexa 12 weeks prematurely. The 2 pound (0.90718474 kg) baby was kept in a neonatal intensive care unit
Neonatal intensive care unit
A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit —also called a Special Care Nursery, newborn intensive care unit, intensive care nursery , and special care baby unit —is an intensive care unit specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants.The problem of premature and congenitally ill infants is not a...
for three months. May and his wife credit March of Dimes
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
research with their daughter's survival.
Philanthropy
A "long-time" volunteer for the March of DimesMarch of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
, May was elected to their national board in 2004, chaired the annual WalkAmerica fundraiser in Dallas in 2006, and was elected the foundation's chairman of the board of trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s on . May also volunteers with the Dallas CEO Roundtable and Young Presidents' Organization
Young Presidents' Organization
The Young Presidents’ Organization is a global network of young chief executives. With approximately 18,000 members in more than 100 countries, YPO and its graduate organization, WPO share a founding mission: Better Leaders Through Education and Idea Exchange....
.
UPS
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
(UPS) and worked there for three years. Since May had no intention of becoming a UPS truck driver—a prerequisite for full-time work with the company—with his college degree, he instead interviewed with FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
's Memphis hub and became a night-shift supervisor. Shipping 162,000 packages his first day, May never intended to stay with the company, expecting to only be there six months.
FedEx
After joining FedEx in 1982 as a night-shift supervisor, May received a total of 13 promotions. Over the years, May served the company as the senior vice president of the domestic ground operations division of FedEx Express (where he managed 60,000 employees and oversaw all US operations), as well as senior vice president of their air-ground and freight services division.Kinko's
In 2002, Kinko's chief executive officerChief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
(CEO) Gary Kusin tried to hire May to become his chief operating officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
(COO), an offer the latter declined. Coincidentally, May would become the CEO of the faltering company in January 2006, after FedEx bought the chain of stores in 2004. During his two-year tenure, May experimented with the chain's formula: changing stores' sizes, formats, and merchandise, as well as implementing "a kind of hub-and-spoke system [where] one large store would handle big print jobs for surrounding small ones." When May took the reins of FedEx Kinko's, the 22,000-employee company had a turnover rate of 50 percent; two years later, in January 2008, turnover was down to 18 percent, and complaints had fallen by 65 percent.
May described his style as "based on being courageous enough to be bold", which included admitting mistakes and caring about people. Priding himself on his personable relationships with the chain's employees, May wrote upwards of 25–50 notes a week congratulating employees on birthdays, promotions, new babies and achievements.
In early 2006, May was the subject of a TIME
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
article titled "People to Watch In International Business" in which author Jeremy Caplan opined that the 45-year old May "won't reprint his résumé anytime soon." Kenneth May resigned as CEO of FedEx Office effective after a falling out with the corporation over strategic planning
Strategic planning
Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. In order to determine the direction of the organization, it is necessary to understand its current position and the possible avenues...
; replacing May was his COO, Brian Philips. After the announcement, FedEx shares fell $1.77, or about 2 percent. Of his resignation, May said, "The time has come for me to resign and refocus my energy on my family, friends and other personal interests."