Jeff Bezos, Kenneth Cole, Ivanka Trump & More Remember Tony Hsieh

After the death of Tony Hsieh, the legendary former CEO of Zappos.com, influential leaders from every industry paid tribute.

Below are quotes from people closest to Hsieh on how they will remember the visionary.

Jeff Bezos
Founder and CEO, Amazon

“The world lost you way too soon, @downtowntony. Your curiosity, vision and relentless focus on customers leave an indelible mark. You will be missed by so many.”

Kenneth Cole
Founder and Designer, Kenneth Cole

“I was always inspired by my friend Tony Hsieh. He had a unique ability to reimagine how business could be done, how to connect people in the process — and on how to make a meaningful and sustainable difference. He is leaving his footprints on the shoe industry he transformed, on Las Vegas … and on countless people he touched along the way.”

Blake Krueger
CEO and Chairman of Wolverine World Wide Inc.

“Tony’s impact and legacy as a leader and visionary will resonate for years to come. His innovation helped shepherd the industry into the digital era, and he cared deeply about his employees and customers. It was an honor for Wolverine Worldwide and all our brands to partner with Tony, and we will truly miss the fresh perspective he brought to the footwear and apparel space. He will be missed.”

Tarek Hassan
CEO of Concepts

“Tony was a true visionary and was always ahead of his time. From his beginnings in LinkExchange to creating Zappos — an amazing customer-centric company with a huge focus on employee culture — he pioneered the shoe e-commerce industry and took it to another level. Tony’s unique leadership style was truly remarkable and admired by many companies in various different business sectors. He discovered the key to drive passion in employees and loyalty from millions of satisfied customers. Tony’s motto was always to deliver happiness and he always did that. His legacy will live on and we should continue to celebrate his life. And Tony was truly one of the greatest entrepreneurs, leaders and philanthropist in our lifetime. I was blessed to have had the opportunity to work with Tony and experience the way he sees our industry. As an entrepreneur myself, I admired and trusted his vision on the footwear industry. We shared a common interest in running a business while focusing on improving and giving back to the community it is in. Tony was not only a great leader but he was also an incredible human being.”

Ivanka Trump
Advisor to the President of the United States

“Tony was a deeply original thinker always challenging me to reject conformity and follow my heart. Tony was driven by the mission of delivering happiness and brought joy to all who knew him.”

Andrew Yang
Entrepreneur and former presidential candidate

“Tony Hsieh touched so many lives and inspired so many entrepreneurs. His impact and legacy will go on and on. I met his family in Las Vegas – and am thinking of them today.

Dave Powers
President and CEO, Deckers Brands

“Tony was a true trailblazer with his focus on customer service, innovation and culture. He was instrumental in proving that customers could trust and enjoy buying footwear online. He set the oath for us and the industry. Tony and his focus on company culture and community has been a an inspiration for Deckers and his Zappos team is a pleasure to work with. We are saddened by his passing but grateful for all his contributions to the works and the industry. He will be sorely missed.”

Chris Hufnagel
Global Brand President, Merrell

“Tony was a true visionary that revolutionized the online buying experience not only for Zappos, but for countless e-commerce sites. His approach to customer service and outlook on life has been the basis of inspiration for many individuals, as well as small and large businesses alike. The world will forever remember him as the man that continued to deliver happiness to all those he encountered.”

Debbie Scott
Sales and marketing manager, Adidas

“It was never all about Tony. He was never front and center with us because he believed in his team and had confidence that his vision and work was being done. When I did meet him it was shocking how unassuming he was; he was mostly interested in making sure we had a chance to meet his llama and get enough food at the event he was hosting. It stuck with me. He is a great example of how someone can live authentically.”

The Adidas Zappos Team

“What is most amazing about Tony is how he influenced people at Zappos and was able to truly build a unique, fun, and engaging culture. It’s like no other. People at Zappos always reference their core values because they believe in Tony and the values and were proud to put them in action every day. Authentic, caring, genuine, positive and impactful are all words we use to describe the Zappos culture and team. This is a direct reflection of Tony and his leadership. He will be missed by all of us, but we know his beliefs and passion will continue.”

Bob Philion
President and CEO, Puma North America

“Tony and the Zappos brand were clearly early adopters in the space. His vision paved the way for brands like Puma to develop strong consumer relationships without stores which wasn’t the norm at the time. His impact and contribution to dot-com retailing is only outpaced by what he meant to those who worked with him and shared his passion for the Las Vegas community. Tony left way too early, but his legacy will live on in many ways.”

Tony Hawk
Pro Skater

“Tony Hsieh was a visionary. He was generous with his time and willing to share his invaluable expertise with anyone. And he was very, very cool.”

Faryl Robin Morse
Founder and designer, Faryl Robin

“I met Tony Hsieh for the first time not long after starting Faryl Robin. We were both attending a CEO conference where Tony was speaking. When Tony went on stage, he spoke so thoughtfully and generously that it stopped me in my tracks. I made a point to stop and thank him for his message. He happily took the time to have a real conversation about his learnings and kindness. He told me he had instituted a Zappos office shared library of books so I sent him a book on kindness, generosity and giving back — qualities that were meaningful to him. The next time I saw Tony several years later he instantly remembered me, the conversation and the book I sent. That was the kind of person he was. To say he was genius would be an understatement, he was able of change an entire industry.”

More from Footwear News

• Ivanka Trump Wears Timeless Camel Coat and Knee-High Boots Returning to the White House After Thanksgiving

• Las Vegas Honors Downtown Legend Tony Hsieh

• Tony Hsieh Changed the World: Here Are 7 of His Revolutionary Ideas

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