Tomáš Baťa, Czech businessman, founded Bata Shoes (d. 1932)
Tomáš Baťa (Czech pronunciation: [ˈtomaːʃ ˈbaca]) (3 April 1876 – 12 July 1932) was a Czech entrepreneur and founder of the Bata Shoes company. It became one of the world's biggest multinational retailers, manufacturers, and distributors of footwear and accessories. His successful career was cut short when he died in a plane accident due to bad weather.
His half-brother Jan Antonín Baťa took over the company, expanding it greatly even during the Great Depression. World War II resulted in much destruction of his businesses. After Communist governments were established in Czechoslovakia and other nations of Eastern Europe, they nationalized the Baťa enterprises, taking over the company.
Tomáš's son Thomas J. Bata rebuilt and expanded shoe manufacturing in the company name after moving to Canada in 1939, at the time of the Nazi invasion and annexation of Czechoslovakia.