Tony Hawk

Tony Hawk, also known as Birdman, is a legendary Pro Skater known for completing the first documented 900 skateboarding stunt in 1999. Furthermore, he is an astute businessman with an extensive portfolio, philanthropist, engaging public speaker and owner of film production company 900 Films. Although he retired from professional skateboarding in 2003, he is still very active in professional skateboarding and has demonstrated his extraordinary skills, performing the 900 at both 43 and 48 years old.

The pioneering skateboarder was born on 1968 in California and from an early age, his parents noticed that he had an abundance of energy and thrived to succeed in multiple things. After conducting a professional evaluation of Tony, he was deemed a gifted child with an IQ of 144. His parents supported and allowed him to skateboard as a means to release his excess energy, which led him to become a professional skateboarder at the age of 14. Winning several skateboarding competitions, Tony was able to purchase his first house by his senior year of high school. He was the National Skateboard Association World Champion for 12 consecutive years and appeared on ESPN’s Homecoming with Rick Reilly to perform a skateboarding demonstration.

Tony’s autobiography HAWK: Occupation: Skateboarder was a New York Times bestseller, and his other book How Did I Get Here? The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO showcases Tony’s fascinating business journey. Tony is sponsored by some of the leading companies including Birdhouse, Vans, Independent, Bones and Nixon. His business portfolio includes a billion-dollar game franchise, a clothing apparel company, Birdhouse Skateboards and Tony Hawk Signature Series sporting goods and toys.

Tony has made numerous appearances in film and television shows including, Gleaming the Cube, Police Academy 4, The New Guy, and Daddy’s Home among others. In 2009 he was invited to Barack Obama’s Father’s Day Celebration and was permitted to skate on the grounds of the White House, becoming the first ever person to do so. During that same year, he was inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame. As a public skatepark advocate, through his Skate Park scheme, Tony has spent millions of dollars to build skateparks in underprivileged areas around the world. A pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding, Tony is highly regarded as a speaker and enjoys a following by media-savvy millennials and corporate veterans alike.