91st Anniversary of Death of Tomáš Baťa
11. July 2023Tomas Bata University in Zlín is commemorating the 91st anniversary of tragic death of Tomáš Baťa (after whom the University has been named), a legendary Czech entrepreneur and the founder of the Bata Shoes Company. Baťa was one of the world’s largest multinational retailers, manufacturers and distributors of footwear and the man behind the town’s rapid growth. He died in a plane crash on 12 July 1932.
Baťa’s achievements went way beyond shoe production. Serving as the Mayor of Zlín from 1923 to 1932, this philanthropist accomplished a great deal for the town’s educational system, introducing reforms in the public schools and experimental types of learning. He built seven new schools between 1924 and 1932. Baťa also made Zlín into a modern town, constructing large, residential suburbs between 1918 and 1932 and redoing the historical centre in 1929.
At TBU, we are successfully building on Baťa’s business principles, the development of chemical research, various ways of communication, promotion and advertising, film production, teaching methods and healthcare.