Thomas J. Smrt
Thomas J. Smrt was an American inventor, businessman and entrepreneur who is best known as the inventor of the upside-down aerosol spray paint can. He was previously the owner of Fox Valley Systems, a company that marketed his spray paint applicators, however he sold the company to his sons in 2006. He is also known for breeding rare Shire horses, and for opening the short-lived Shireland theme park.
Early life
Smrt was born in 1928. His father died when he was four years old and he had several different stepfathers growing up. He did not advance past the 8th grade, however he went on to serve in the military and eventually become a successful businessman. Smrt later married and had four children.Inventions
Smrt's most notable invention is the upside-down aerosol spray paint can: a can of spray paint that can be applied while holding the can upside down. This is widely used in municipal and highway applications for outlining parking lots, turn lanes, center lines, crosswalks, etc. They are also commonly used for painting hashmarks and lines on athletic fields. His patents dated back to 1977 and include paint application devices, vacuum sealed packing materials, geodesic domes, and mechanical arms.Charity
Smrt was known for varied charitable donations. On one particular occasion, he called his local police department to ask if they needed anything. When the officer answering the phone mentioned that they needed a new booking camera and some "first response" pocketknives, Smrt purchased the items and had them sent to the station. When one of his employees presented them to the police, he stated "Mr. Smrt would like other industries to follow his lead. So many departments go without some of the things they need. It makes him happy to return favors for all the work the department does."Horse breeding
Smrt owned Fox Valley Farms in Marengo, Illinois, where he bred, showed and sold rare Shire horses. At one time, there were only 50 of this breed left in the world. Smrt took an interest in them, shipped some to his farm and began breeding them. By the mid 1980s, their numbers had increased significantly, to the point that he was able to donate 40 of the horses to the Caisson Unit of the United States Army.Fox Valley Farms was used as a filming location in the 1986 film Nothing in Common, starring Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason. Smrt himself has a small role in the film as "Mr. Egan".
In 2012, Fox Valley Farms closed and all equipment were auctioned off.