News

Mr. Bata is celebrating his 90th birthday

On the 17th September 2004, Mr. Tomas J. Bata, a Canadian entrepreneur of Czech origin and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tomas Bata University in Zlin, will celebrate an important living anniversary, his 90th birthday. The only son of the legendary founder of shoe factories in Zlín will celebrate his birthday on 17th September 2004 in Prague, in the Spanish Hall of Prague Castle. President of the Czech Republic, Mr. Václav Klaus, will be present on the celebration.

With his friends from Zlín Mr. Bata will celebrate his birthday at the end of October: on 27th October 2004 he will attend the meeting of Board of Directors of the Tomas Bata University in Zlín, on 29th October 2004 he will be awarded the Zlin Region Prize in the Zlín Municipal Theatre and on 30th October he will take part in the festive opening of the newly reconstructed Zlín skyscraper, the 21st building of former shoe factories.

Tomas J. Bata - personal data

Emigrated to Canada in 1939 and created a new global organisation after the original enterprises in Czechoslovakia were nationalised by the Communists. Became a Canadian citizen in February 1942, and served as Captain in the Canadian Reserve Army and in 1999 was appointed Honourary Colonel. Married with Sonja Ingrid Wettstein, of Zurich, Switzerland. Has one son and three daughters.

Chairman: Bata Shoe Foundation; OECD/ BIAC Committee on Non-Members Economies; Advisory Council, International MBA Program at York University, Toronto; Tomas Bata University Board of Directors, Zlin, Czech Republic.

Hon. Chairman: Bata Limited: Canada-India Business Council (CIBC).

Founder and Hon. Chairman: Junior Achievement of the Czech Republic, Junior Achievement of the Slovak Republic;

Member: Canadian Member Committee of the Council for Security Co-operation in Asia Pacific (CSCAP); Commission on International Trade and Investment Policy, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE); Board of Directors, Junior Achievement International, U.S.A.; Board of Trustees of the Czechoslovak Management Centre, Czech Republic.

Hon. Governor: Trent University, Peterborough, Canada

Some previous functions

Expert Advisor: United Nations Commission on Transnational Corporations, 1985-88.

Chairman: Commission on Multinational Enterprises, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) -1969-71.

Co-Chairman: Canadian Member Committee of the Council for Security Co-operation in Asia Pacific (CSCAP).

Director and Member of Executive Committee: IBM World Trade Corporation, U.S.A.

Director: Canadian Pacific Airlines, Canada.

Honours

• Companion of the Order of Canada
• Doctor of Laws, LLD, York University, Canada
• Doctor of Sciences, h.c., University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic
• Doctor of Sciences, h.c., Technical Faculty, University of Brno, Czech Republic
• Doctor of Laws, h.c., St. Francis Xavier University, Canada
• Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary International
• Holder of the Order of T.G. Masaryk, Czechoslovakia
• Holder of the Double White Cross, Slovakia