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Tony Hsieh in 2015. File photo: AFP

Zappos ex-CEO Tony Hsieh’s death ruled ‘accidental’ as house fire investigated

  • The iconic tech entrepreneur died Friday night after a house fire in Connecticut
  • Tony Hsieh, known for his unorthodox management style, was called a ‘visionary’
Agencies

The death of retired Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh was ruled “accidental” and related to complications from smoke inhalation, Connecticut’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said on Monday.

Hsieh died Friday following injuries sustained in a November 18 house fire. He was 46.

Officials in New London, Connecticut, where the fire occurred, said the blaze remained under investigation.

The New London police department said emergency workers arrived at the scene to find dark smoke coming out from the back of the house, and that Hsieh was in a storage area and couldn’t get out. He had been hospitalised after the fire.

Hsieh had led the Las Vegas-based Zappos for 20 years before retiring.

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A Harvard University graduate, Hsieh was a dot-com era success. He joined Zappos in 1999 when it was called ShoeSite.com and led it for two decades. Amazon.com purchased the company for US$1.2 billion in 2009, and Hsieh remained CEO until stepping down in August.

Hsieh’s success selling shoes online stood out because people traditionally preferred to try them on before buying. He was also a popular speaker at tech events due to an unorthodox management style called “holacracy”, which spread decision-making throughout the organisation without considering individual rank.

A tribute to Tony Hsieh outside the Golden Gate hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas. Photo: AP

For example, when Hsieh made a decision to shut down a bridge connecting the company’s parking ramp and office to encourage everyone to use the same entrance, employees were able to overrule him thanks to Holacracy, according to The New York Times.

While Holacracy sounds like a free-for-all, the method is highly regimented: though there are no job titles and employees are able to choose which circles they work in, there is specific software and lingo employees must use to communicate with each other, according to The Times.

“The world has lost a tremendous visionary and an incredible human being,” the online shoe retailer said in a statement. “His spirit will forever be a part of Zappos.”

He stood out as a non-traditionalist even in an industry known for breaking tradition. He lived in a trailer park in downtown Las Vegas that attracted creative people working on the strip. They’d eat communal meals by a big fire pit and a pet alpaca roamed the park.

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Hsieh would make random appearances in the park to play a card game with visitors that forced them to pick priorities in their lives.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak in a tweet remembered Hsieh for the “pivotal role” he played in transforming the downtown area of Las Vegas.

“Kathy and I send our love and condolences to Tony’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

Skateboarder and entrepreneur Tony Hawk added: “Tony Hsieh was a visionary. He was generous with his time and willing to share his invaluable expertise with anyone.”

Amazon’s purchase of the company signalled Jeff Bezos was both impressed and threatened with Zappos’ fast delivery of online orders and customer service reputation.

“The world lost you way too soon,” Bezos said Saturday on Instagram. “Your curiosity, vision, and relentless focus on customers leave an indelible mark.”

Bloomberg, Associated Press, Tribune News Service

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Ex-Zappos CEO’s death deemedaccidental, State Officials Say
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