TIACA awards 2021 hall of fame to former Fritz Companies chairman

TIACA announced on Wednesday Lynn Fritz, former chairman and CEO of the Fritz Companies, as the 2021 TIACA Hall of Fame recipient.

Lynn Fritz a visionary of the global logistics industry, believed that as the world became more economically integrated, Fortune 1000 companies would require firms that could help them in all of the functions related to import/export, including transportation, warehousing, and transaction processing. Lynn foresaw that they would look for alternatives, and that companies that could manage all of their international logistics would be extremely well positioned.

Beginning in 1971, the company focused on two complementary objectives: becoming the information processing leader in the industry and targeting large national accounts that would require the use of international logistics services. Fritz companies ultimately added blue-chip companies such as Sears, Boeing, Federal Express, McDonald's, Microsoft, and Polaroid to their portfolio of international logistics clients.

To ensure visibility for his clientele Fritz Companies introduced FLEX - the Fritz Logistics Expediting System, an automation platform that supported his business. FLEX was a complete on-line tracking and management system that controlled all functions, from purchase order to delivery.

The attractiveness of Fritz's services was reflected in its results and subsequent years saw international growth and company expansion. Under his stewardship, Fritz Companies was transformed from a small domestic documentation company to a global organization of 10,000 employees in 120 countries. His enduring contribution redefined a fragmented and limited services industry through the use of technology. In 2001, this successful growth strategy resulted in Fritz Companies being acquired by UPS launching them into the large freight shipment sector.

Lynn didn't stop there, together with his wife Anisya, he created Fritz Institute to assist humanitarian organizations in delivering aid more effectively in the chaos of disasters. Since then, Fritz Institute has been credited with numerous innovations in the effective delivery of disaster relief.

"Lynn Fritz's story is truly one of a visionary. He had a clear vision of the importance our industry would play in the global economy and understood the impact technology would have far ahead of his time." stated Sebastiaan Scholte, chair of TIACA's chairman's council.

"Delighted to join the other very worthy recipients of this award, and for TIACA's recognition of the service and coordination elements around the movement of International Air Cargo." Lynn Fritz

Lynn Fritz will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Executive Summit in San Francisco, CA, March 22-25.