Watertown native leads FedEx’s historic vaccine distribution plan

BOSTON — The first FedEx truck rolled out of Pfizer’s Kalamazoo, Michigan plant Sunday stocked with perhaps FedEx’s most precious cargo ever.

“It gave us goosebumps. It really talked to the purpose -and really why this company was founded in 1973,” said Don Colleran.

Colleran, who grew up in Watertown, is the President and CEO of FedEx Express. He has the massive task of being one of the people overseeing the company’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.

He said their very first shipment flew out of their Memphis headquarters and landed at Logan International Airport early Monday morning.

“I had a chance to talk to the pilots that flew that first flight, folks at the ramp in Boston, talked to the courier that shipped the first shipment in the United States at 5:53 in the morning. It happened to be in Boston, you couldn’t imagine how proud I was,” he said.

Previous: ‘We’re preparing’: FedEx gearing up to ship COVID-19 vaccines under leadership of Mass. native

Colleran said he tracked that first shipment of vaccines in real-time and said he got emotional when it arrived at the Boston Medical Center.

“I talked to the courier in Boston, Christine, and she made the first delivery in the network. She said to me, Don, it reinforces who we are, it’s what we do.

She reached out and the hospital wasn’t even open, she has a relationship with the people at the hospital. She went out of the way and texted them and they opened up and they were the first to receive anywhere in the country.”

RELATED: Boston Medical Center receives first shipment of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine

Colleran called the historic delivery FedEx’s Super Bowl. It’s a game that could mean the difference between life or death.

“This is what happens when FedEx strong meets Boston Strong and it all comes together in a very symbiotic way. So it’s a big day at FedEx, I couldn’t be prouder of our organization, not only in Boston, of course having a little hometown pride, but around the world,” Colleran said.

Colleran added that shipping the Covid-19 vaccines is FedEx’s top priority, even during the peak of the busy holiday season.

Watertown native leads FedEx’s historic vaccine distribution plan

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