Nelson, Kent Charles
Oz Nelson, chairman and CEO of United Parcel Service from 1989 through 1996, died April 6, 2023. He was 85.
Kent Charles "Oz" Nelson was also a dedicated leader with the Carter Center, United Way and other philanthropic organizations in Atlanta.
Nelson is credited with transforming UPS into a global logistic powerhouse by championing innovative technologies, including real-time package tracking and handheld scanning devices that its drivers still use today. Nelson moved UPS headquarters to Atlanta in 1991.
Rivaling his business acumen was his commitment to giving back to the community, said Douglas Nelson, a longtime friend and the former longtime CEO of the nonprofit Annie Casey Foundation.
"He was a pretty extraordinary man, a great man who was too modest to let anybody recognize him as such," said Nelson, who is no relation to Oz Nelson. "He had a leadership capability both in the business and in the philanthropic sectors that was second to none in my life."
He helped build and later chaired the board of the Casey Foundation, which is dedicated to helping the underserved, and he took leadership roles for well-known nonprofits including the CDC Foundation, the United Way of America and the Carter Center.
At the Carter Center, he stepped in as chairman of the Board of Trustees after President Jimmy Carter stepped away from the position.
Read more about Oz Nelson on ajc.com
