As a part of Black History Month, the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics invited Shannon Brown, senior vice president of FedEx Express, to speak Thursday.

Brown started his career at the company more than 40 years ago in Memphis, Tenn., as a package handler. Since then he has moved along within the company holding 13 different positions. He now oversees global operations of 160,000 employees.

Shannon Brown

During his time at the company FedEx has been ranked on Fortune magazine’s list of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” and Black Enterprise magazine’s “40 Best Companies for Diversity.”

From package handler to senior VP, Brown talked about his experience with the company as well as offering insight as to how the company became so successful.

Brown kept the conversation light, starting with his time at the bottom of the food chain while attending the University of Memphis, then Memphis State. He laughed when mentioning Kansas’ defeat of Memphis in the 2008 NCAA Championship game.

“We’re still trying to get over that,” Brown said.

Brown described his movement within the company as a whirlwind that took him all over the country and around the world. As a boy starting from the housing projects of Memphis, he never thought he would get to see the world.

“It amazes me that I’ve been able to spend so much time outside of the country,” Brown said. “How did a guy like me end up with a job like this?”

In keeping with the Black History Month theme, Brown talked of his work to improve diversity within the company.

In 1992 he helped form the diversity program at FedEx and has since used it to help foster a strong network of employees with varying backgrounds. Brown wants employees of any race, gender or orientation to feel comfortable as a part of the company.

“You have to show them they can go anywhere in this company,” Brown said. “If you look at my team, you won’t find a more diverse team in American business.”

As a wrap-up to his session, and in reference to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Brown was asked what his dream is.

“What I really, really want, before I leave this planet, is to create something where our kids believe they can do anything they want.”