A Harvard graduate, Hsieh gained success in the dot com era. He joined Zappos in 1999 when it was called ShoeSite.com and led it for two decades. Amazon.com Inc. purchased the company for US$1.2 billion ($1.61 billion) in 2009 and Hsieh remained as chief executive officer until stepping down in August.
Tony Hsieh, the retired CEO of Zappos.com who revolutionized the online shoe industry and gained notoriety for his company’s unique corporate culture, has died. He was 46.
Puoy Premsrirut, a lawyer for Hsieh, told news outlets that Hsieh had been injured in a house fire while visiting Connecticut. He was with family there when he died Friday night, KLAS-TV reported. A Nov. 18 house fire in which Hsieh is believed to have been injured remains under investigation, according to The Hartford Courant, which cited the New London, Connecticut, fire chief and reported the home that burned is owned by a long-time Zappos employee.
