Professional Skateboarding Legend & Entrepreneur
Tony Hawk: Biography at a Glance
- Tony Hawk is widely regarded as the best skateboarder in the world and is notably the first person to ever land a 900 in the X-Games.
- He has launched several successful businesses including clothing, shoe, and bicycle lines, and has been the face of The Tony Hawk video game series which is one of the most popular game franchises in history.
- The HBO documentary Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off chronicles Hawk’s life and iconic career and his relationship with the sport he’s been synonymous with for decades.
- Tony is the author of the bestselling book Hawk: Occupation: Skateboarder and How Did I Get Here?: The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO.
- He also co-hosts a podcast with Jason Ellis called Hawk vs. Wolf, which gives an in-depth look at skateboarding, music, and the behind-the-scenes of what life is like as a superstar athlete.
- Tony founded The Skatepark Project (formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation), which aims to promote and help finance public skate parks in low-income areas.
Videos
Biography
The most recognized action sports figure in the world, Tony Hawk was just nine years old when his brother changed his life by giving him a blue fiberglass Bahne skateboard. By 14 he’d turned pro, and by 16 he was widely considered the best skateboarder on earth. He was the world champion for 12 years in a row and is a 16-time X Games medalist. He became the first skater to ever complete a 900, the holy grail of vert skating. Shortly thereafter, he teamed up with Activision to launch Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, now a billion-dollar video game franchise. He has created a Tony Hawk brand that includes Birdhouse Skateboards, Hawk Clothing, and the Tony Hawk Signature Series sporting goods and toys. His speaking engagements draw huge crowds, inspiring everyone from media-savvy millennials to corporate veterans. Tony served as a correspondent at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games for NBC when skateboarding became an Olympic sport for the first time.
An intuitive marketer with social networking, Tony’s fan base numbers in the millions on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram. He recently launched a new podcast co-hosted by Jason Ellis called Hawk vs. Wolf. Tony authored the New York Times bestseller HAWK: Occupation: Skateboarder, and How Did I Get Here? The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO, which covers the business side of his career.
In 2022, a biographical documentary film by award-winning director Sam Jones titled Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off debuted on HBO. The film gives an in-depth look at Tony’s legendary career and personal life. Tony also oversees his own film, television, and commercial production company, 900 Films.
Tony founded The Skatepark Project (formerly the Tony Hawk Foundation), which has given away over $10 million to help fund over 650 public skatepark projects throughout the United States that serve over six million visitors a year.
Topics
Until the Wheels Fall Off: A Conversation with Tony Hawk
For Tony Hawk, it wasn't enough to skate for two decades, invent more than eighty tricks, and win more than twice as many professional contests as any other skater. It wasn't enough to knock himself unconscious more than ten times, fracture several ribs, break his elbow, knock out his teeth twice, compress the vertebrae in his back, pop his bursa sack, get more than fifty stitches laced into his shins, rip apart the cartilage in his knee, bruise his tailbone, sprain his ankles, and tear his ligaments too many times to count. No. He had to land the 900. And after thirteen years of failed attempts, he nailed it. It had never been done before.
It wasn't an easy ride to the top of the skating game. In this conversation, Tony provides audiences with a wide-ranging, definitive look at his life and iconic career and shares the behind-the-scenes of competitions, demos, movies, and the less-than-glamorous demands of being a skateboarder. Tony leaves audiences inspired to relentlessly pursue greatness, overcome obstacles, and bring an innovative mindset to everything they do.
How Did I Get Here?: The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO
Tony Hawk is the man who put skateboarding on the map. Now the most famous skateboarder in the world is sharing the business secrets to his success! Moving easily between the ramp and the boardroom, Tony currently runs one of the most acclaimed action sports companies, a clothing line, and video game series bearing his name that has sold over $1 billion worldwide, making it the best-selling action sports game franchise in game history. He has secured endorsement deals with major brands and achieved worldwide acclaim.
In this conversation filled with Tony's typical modesty and humor, he tells the amazing story behind his unprecedented transition from skateboarder to CEO, and the secrets behind his lasting appeal. You'll find out how authenticity has served him well in all his achievements. You'll also understand how his story has shaped many of his fundamental values, including his incredible desire to win and his strong sense of realism.
