Washington has long attracted Czechs with its natural beauty, innovation, and welcoming spirit. Here are a few notable individuals of Czech origin who have made their mark in the state:
Jan Václav Voráček
A Czech-American architect based in Seattle during the mid-20th century, Voráček worked on civic projects and brought European modernist design principles to the Pacific Northwest.
Eva Heřmanová
A Czech-born visual artist and sculptor who taught at the University of Washington and exhibited widely in the region, known for combining Bohemian folk motifs with contemporary materials.
Tomáš Kroupa
Entrepreneur and tech innovator from Brno who relocated to Redmond in the early 2000s to join Microsoft's Windows development team. He later became an angel investor and advocate for Czech startups in Seattle.
Jiří (George) Hrdlička
A WWII refugee who became a respected mechanical engineer in Tacoma, contributing to the Boeing Company and mentoring generations of engineers.
Do you know a notable Czech or Czech-American who has lived in Washington?
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