Thomas J. Bata was highly respected as one of the world’s leading shoemakers, operating shoe factories, shoe stores and related enterprises in over 60 countries, and employing over 58,000 people. Mr. Bata was recognized with numerous awards and honours throughout his lifetime, becoming a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1971, receiving the Czech Republic's top decoration in 1991 known as the Tomas Garrigue Masaryk Order, as well as the Retail Council of Canada's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. He also received honorary degrees from several prestigious institutions, including the Prague University of Economics in 1992 and York University in 1998

Highly regarded as one of Trent University's greatest supporters, Mr. Bata enjoyed a long association with Trent from its developmental years up to the present day. He made a significant donation to the University to build the campus library, which was named in his honour when it opened in October, 1969. During the opening ceremonies, Mr. Bata said, “It is my profound hope that this library will offer young people a source of ideas and line of conduct. Education is a process of discrimination, and I hope that the students of Trent University will learn to discriminate wisely and well.” In addition to his support of the Library, Mr. Bata served as a member of Board of Governors from 1963 to 1971 and then as Vice-Chairman of the Board from 1971-1973, before becoming an honorary member of the University’s Board. Mr. Bata made many significant contributions to Trent over the years, including generous donations supporting the For Tomorrow Campaign, and the Building Capacity Campaign.

“Mr. Bata will be missed here at Trent University, as he will around the world,” said Trent University President Bonnie Patterson. “The University community will remember him as a highly effective governor who continued to periodically attend Board meetings as an honorary board member, a great proponent of education and well known philanthropist. The fact that his name lives on in the Thomas J. Bata Library, at the very heart of our Peterborough campus, is testimony to the lasting contributions he made to our institution.” Patterson notes she was honoured to receive an invitation from Mr. Bata to visit the Thomas Bata University in Zlin, Czechoslovakia, named in honour of Mr. Bata’s father. “The generous invitation to visit the Bata University gave me a special opportunity to see how Tom’s vision and leadership had resulted in the creation of a new university that is experiencing exponential growth and development as a result of his vision and leadership.”

Born on September 17, 1914 in Praha, Czechoslovakia, Thomas J. Bata apprenticed in the family shoe business under his father, Thomas, who founded the company on a shoestring in 1894. Mr. Bata came to Canada in 1939 and rebuilt the Bata empire here nearly from scratch.

By the 1990s, Bata shoes sold about 300 millions pairs of footwear a year and had retail stores and factories spread all over the globe. In some parts of the world, the word Bata is synonymous with shoe. Mr. Bata turned the company over to his son, Thomas George Bata, in 2001, but remained closely involved as Honorary Chairman of Bata Limited.

Mr. Bata served as Chairman Bata Shoe Foundation as well as Chairman of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's business and advisory committee on non-members.

Mr. Bata is survived by his wife, Sonja, and his children Tom, Christine, Monica and Rosemarie.

The University extends its sympathies to Mr. Bata’s family and to all those who knew him. Additional details will be shared as they are released.

In honour of Thomas J. Bata, the flag atop the Bata Library will be lowered to the half staff position.