I remember always wanting to have at least one of my feet in the water. I grew up in Western Washington and an old photograph that often comes to mind is of me standing on the beach at Westport, barefoot and right at the waterline. Family vacations consisted of camping along the Washington coast, most frequently at Westport. In the '60s, no one was really surfing Westport; in fact, the only board sport I remember watching was skimboarding. Those were the days when a skimboard was a round wooden disc (almost always homemade)--it looked like a giant plywood Frisbee, and didn't ride much better than one.
As a kid, I wondered why no one was riding Westport waves, until I went body surfing for the first time. Wetsuits weren't commonplace yet, and that first dip into the numbing water was all the explanation I needed. Over the years, I dragged various things into the water in an attempt to catch a wave. George Greenough I'm not, but an old Army green air mattress turned out to provide the most satisfying ride in those youthful days.
As a teenager, I got certified in Lifesaving and started water skiing, which became my main summer activity during my late teens. Then in my early 20s, I finally got the chance to explore scuba diving--something I'd been interested in for a long time. I got my open water diving certification and did lots of snorkeling.
Finally in 1988, I was introduced to surfing. After spending about five years working in the catalog operations department at Eddie Bauer and then three years at a smaller catalog company, I was hired by a skate/surf clothing company in San Luis Obispo, CA. One of the owners was Ted Rich, who introduced me to the surf spots along the Central Coast of California. Since those great days, I've kept my wetsuit handy whenever travels take me near the coast and if nothing else, I get in a short body surfing session.
I loved the sun and fun of the Central Coast, but unfortunately the company was not meant to last. However, my friendship with Ted did not meet the same fate. After leaving San Luis Obispo, I became the general manager of a small catalog company and then did another four-year stint as a call center manager for Eddie Bauer. But I always stayed in touch with Ted.
In 1995, sensing that there was great potential in this new thing called the Internet, I left Eddie Bauer to start my first web-based business. A few years later, Ted and I began talking about an idea he had which has now evolved into Last Wave Originals. It took a while to make the contacts, develop the product line, research the names, etc., but Last Wave is now a reality. While refining the concept, we both held other jobs to keep food on the table but kept Last Wave as a common goal. Ted's passion for surfing truly has been the gas in this engine.
I'm now embarking on a dream that has been years in the making--starting Last Wave Originals with Ted. We've made great friends, had good times, and only look forward to more adventures...in business and on the waves.