Founder Profile
James E. Casey
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is James E. Casey?
James E. Casey is a founder of United Parcel Service, Inc., which was founded in 1907 with Claude Ryan.
- Company founded
- United Parcel Service, Inc.
- Founded
- 1907
- Co-founders
- Claude Ryan
Background
Jim Casey worked as a messenger and delivery boy in Seattle before starting his own business at age 19.
Founding Story
James E. (Jim) Casey co-founded the American Messenger Company in Seattle in 1907 with a $100 loan. The business moved from running messages to delivering parcels for local department stores, took the United Parcel Service name in 1919, and expanded across the United States under his long leadership. Casey is credited with the company's emphasis on service reliability, employee ownership, and operating discipline.
James E. Casey was born in 1888.