Bruce Katz was the founder of the Rockport Shoe Company, where he pioneered walking shoes.
Katz’s grandfather had founded the Hubbard Show Company and passed his love for good footwear down to Katz and his father. In 1971, Katz and his father founded the Rockport Shoe Company, using principles he learned as an Engineering Physics major at Cornell University. They created RocSports, a lightweight shoe designed expressly for walking with a light orthotic. The walking shoe was a new concept that exploded in popularity. Katz was a promoter of walking for exercise, encouraging consumers to take up fitness walking. After selling the Rockport Show Company to Reebok in 1986, Katz became an internet pioneer, investing in early internet service providers. He co-founded the Republic of Tea and established the Katz Family Foundation in support of environmental and educational causes.
Tributes to Bruce Katz
Full obituary: San Francisco Chronicle
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