In April 1964, at only 14 years old, Ron put together a skateboard team that was good enough for a Saturday night live TV show called Surf’s Up (KHJ-TV 9). It was hosted by Stan Richards. They were known as the Randy 720 Skateboard Team. Ron along with his dad (an executive with the Randolph Rubber Co.), and the plant manager, Paul VAN Doren – came up with the first skateboard shoe. Ron complained to his dad that the shoes were wearing down much too fast in the toe and heel. After Randolph Rubber made some very poor business decisions, Paul VAN Doren went on to start Vans.

From 1969-72, Ron worked for Con Surfboards and surfed on the Con Competition team. Ron said there was an interruption during that time for about 6 months for Army boot camp. He spent an additional 6 years in the Army National Guard. Ron received training at a wheel vehicle school and track /tank school during his military service.

From 1973-1977 while attending SDSU, Ron joined the Aztec Surf Team. During the 1974 Western Intercollegiate Surfing Championships, Ron became an ALL-Star surfer and took 10th overall.

Ron has been a team rider for Con, Infinity, Aqua, Walden, and Murphy.

Glenn Paculba interviewed Ron before opening his business, Star Surfing, because of Ron’s prior experience with retail at Con Surfboards, in Santa Monica.

Glenn and Ron met at Bullock’s Dept Store in Mission Valley. They featured Ron’s photography as Artist of the Month. Ron became their longest & best selling artist. Ron handmade the Plexiglas frames. Images were all ocean/beach related.

Since 1994, when Glenn Paculba informed Ron on a plane returning to San Diego from Fiji that he was going to re-establish the PBSC and join the Coalition, Ron told him that he would leave Windansea Surf Club to join him. Ron has been involved in some way with PBSC ever since. Circa 1995/96, Glenn held a club nose riding contest at Tourmaline. Kevin Connelly got the longest single ride while Ron won for most cumulative tip time.

Ron has been a fixture of PBSC since its revitalization and has held most all board positions (Team Captain, VP, Treasurer, and now President (2nd year). Some years Ron held multiple board positions to keep the club going.

For the last 26 years Ron has surfed competitively for PBSC and probably has one of the most consistent finals results and wins in the Coalition of Surf Clubs of any age bracket.

Ron related in 2013, he had a very serious heart attack and near-death occurrence at the OMBAC event during the semi-finals with Josh Hall. When the lifeguards and first responders finally got him to the beach, Ron was purple, no pulse or heart beat, and had actually drowned. Ron had suffered a heart attack while competing. Ron said he awoke in a hospital bed 3 days later. Ron had been placed into a cold induced coma. Ron said 5 days later he received open heart, quad bypass surgery.

Ron went on to win both the Malibu Call to the Wall contest in July and the prestigious Malibu Surfing Association (MSA) Classic Invitational contestsin September. There have only been a handful of distinguished surfers that have won those two incredible events simultaneously!

Ron recently won the 21st Annual Summer Longboard Classic at Tourmaline Canyon this past June (defending winner for the 20th Annual), and just won the Malibu Call to the Wall this past July (also defending winner from 2018).

Ron has been featured in Ocean Magazine (June/July 2013), Channel 10 News (September 2018), the cover of the Union Tribune Sports section September 14, 2018, and a small cameo part in the documentary film “A Line in the Sand” which tells the story of America’s very first surfing park – Tourmaline Canyon.

From approximately 2008 to 2014, Ron became co-publisher and senior photographer of a New Zealand surf publication – SLIDE Magazine. He made several trips to Australia (Noosa) and New Zealand to shoot & surf.

Tim Fields (RIP), a former PBSC president, and real estate attorney, would call Ron Mr. Pacific Beach Surf Club for the many hats Ron wore for the club over the years.

Ron expressed his sincere gratitude for his consideration and nomination. Ron said he is very flattered and would be stoked and honored to have hisname engraved next to the existing Legends and Surf Stars.

Ron has shed an amazing positive and powerful light on the San Diego surfing community. He is well known up and down the California coast for his surfing skills, professionalism, competition savvy, friendliness and respect. He represents San Diego with dignity while competing locally, and abroad. Ron’s interaction with surfers and other surf clubs has encouraged and fostered a positive perception and vibe for those of us here in San Diego.

Ron has surfed competitively with his son Alex as a father and son surf team in Noosa, Australia. What an amazing way to spend time with your son, enjoying and sharing a sport that they both love to do.