| David Abney, chief operating officer for UPS, will be the keynote speaker for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Innovation Awards Luncheon.
Abney directs all UPS operations worldwide and a sophisticated global transportation network. He oversees the pick-up and delivery of 15.8 million packages and documents daily to a service area that includes every address in the United States, as well as to over 200 countries and territories.
A native of Greenwood, MS, Abney received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Delta State University. He began his UPS career in 1974 as a part-time employee loading and unloading packages.
Abney has held various positions throughout his UPS career, including division manager in New Jersey and district manager in Utah. He also served as president of SonicAir®, UPS's same-day delivery service. While president of SonicAir, Abney was honored with the Professionalism in Services/Support Management Award by the International Association of Services Management for demonstrating exemplary managerial characteristics.
Prior to his current position, Abney led UPS's logistical and freight operations in Canada, Latin America and the United States. He later headed up the global operations of UPS's freight forwarding and customs brokerage operations. During his tenure, Abney oversaw one of UPS's largest acquisitions in recent history - the Fritz Companies. He later served as president, UPS International.
Abney is a trustee of The UPS Foundation, UPS's charitable arm. He has served on the board of directors of the Air Courier Conference of America and the U.S.-Japan Business Council. Abney serves on the board of directors of Johnson Controls, the Delta State University Alumni Foundation, and the Air Transport Association. He is also a board member of the Southern Center for International Studies and the Coalition of Service Industries. | 
