Tony Hawk is the world’s most recognized action sports figure, a legendary skateboarder, and a highly successful entrepreneur and philanthropist. His career, which began at age nine, saw him turn pro by 14 and become the world champion 12 years in a row. He is best known for becoming the first skater to ever complete a 900—the holy grail of vert skating—in 1999, an achievement that cemented his status as a global icon.
Hawk successfully parlayed his elite athletic career into a billion-dollar business empire, which includes Birdhouse Skateboards, Hawk Clothing, and the massively successful Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game franchise. His journey is one of constant evolution; he has authored the New York Times bestseller HAWK—Occupation: Skateboarder and the business-focused How Did I Get Here? The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO. His legendary career was chronicled in the 2022 HBO documentary Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off.
His commitment to the sport extends to philanthropy and digital innovation. In 2002, he founded The Skatepark Project (formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation), which has given over $10 million to fund more than 650 public skatepark projects throughout the United States. He is an intuitive marketer and social media pioneer with a fan base in the millions across all platforms, and he even served as a correspondent for NBC during skateboarding's debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
As a highly sought-after speaker, Hawk's engaging keynotes inspire audiences—from corporate veterans to media-savvy millennials—with practical lessons on resilience, creativity, and finding your passion. He shares candid insights on Embracing Technology and Social Media and the fine line of maintaining Authenticity Above All Else while forging ahead as an "unlikely CEO," providing a renewed perspective on achieving goals and navigating adversity.
