15th Anniversary of Death of Thomas J. Bata
31. August 2023This Friday, 1 September 2023, will mark the 15th anniversary of death of Thomas J. Bata (17 September 1014, Prague – 1 September 2008, Toronto), Czech-Canadian entrepreneur and son of the founder of the Bata shoe company. Thomas J. Bata was instrumental in the establishment process of the University; he gave his consent to the higher education institution bearing the name of his father, and served as the first Chairman of its Board of Governors.
Thomas J. Bata was born in Prague in 1914. He spent his childhood and youth in Zlín, where, under the guidance of his father, he was gradually becoming familiar with the operation and management of the shoe company. Already as a young man, he began travelling around the world as part of the company’s activities. In 1939, due to the German occupation, he left his home country and settled in Canada, from where he managed the company’s business in the following years.
In 1989, Thomas J. Bata came back to Czechoslovakia and to Zlín (at that time called Gottwaldov), and two years later, he restarted the Bata business activities related to the production and sale of shoes.
Since he had returned to Zlín, he strived to support the development of the town. “His dedication and efforts were irreplaceable in the establishment process of the University,” said Prof. Petr Sáha, first Rector of TBU. The University’s name – inspired by the personality of Tomas Bata – was selected in a survey conducted among TBU staff and students in 1999.
Unsurprisingly, Thomas J. Bata was one of the main guests attending the inauguration ceremony of the University and its first Rector, which took place on 16 May 2001. His legendary quote “Europe isn’t our target. We need to educate graduates for the global market!” dates back to this very day. As a world-renowned personality, Thomas Bata was asked to sit on the TBU Board of Governors, and he was even elected as its Chairman. During the next eight years he was always ready to lend a helping hand and offer valuable advice, and he provided overwhelming support to the University. He attended all the major events put on by TBU.
On 1 September 2008, when the sad news spread about the passing of Thomas J. Bata, the University decided to hold an event in memory of Mr. Bata entitled ‘Remembering Thomas Bata’. “We wanted to share our memories of Mr. Bata as we knew him: always smiling and full of enthusiasm for life. We wanted to make it clear that he was a joyful and optimistic person,” said Ing. Andrea Kadlčíková, Director of Marketing and Communications. Members of the Bata family, close colleagues and people who knew Thomas J. Bata personally attended the event held on 16 September 2008.
After the death of Thomas J. Bata, the University expressed their strong ties to the Bata family by appointing his wife Sonja as a member of the Board of Governors, and later their grandson Thomas Archer Bata, who is still a member of the Board.