Industry leaders turned out for SIMA’s annual Waterman’s event at The Ranch in Laguna Beach Saturday night.
The Waterman’s gathering, which started 33 years ago, raises money for environmental organizations that protect oceans, beaches and waves.
The late Gotcha co-founder Michael Tomson received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and his cousin Shaun Tomson, Firewire CEO Mark Price, and Joel Cooper, Michael’s Gotcha partner and best friend, gave moving tributes to him. Michael’s son, Oliver, accepted the award on his father’s behalf.
(Editor’s note: Previous SES stories talking to Michael’s former colleagues about his legacy are worth reading: The Genius That Was Michael Tomson and Michael Tomson, Joel Cooper and Making Partnerships Work
Other honorees included Environmentalists of the Year Anne Earhart and Beto Bedolfe of the Marisla Foundation and Waterperson of the Year Italo Ferreira.
Over the years, Waterman’s has raised $9 million for environmental organizations. 2022 grant recipients including 5 Gyres Institute, Assateague Coastal Trust, Clean Ocean Action, Heal the Bay, North Shore Community Land Trust, Ocean Institute, and Orange County Coastkeeper.
We have photos from the evening below.
Dave Gilovich, who just retired from Surfline and who worked with Michael Tomson at Gotcha; Vince de La Pena of Vissla; Kareen McCarty and husband Rob McCarty of Vissla
Vans Americas GM David Tichiaz and Boardriders CEO Arne Arens
Reef President Mike Jensen and wife, Jennifer
Rip Curl Americas President Dylan Slater, Vissla CEO and SIMA Environmental Fund President Paul Naude, and Hugo Tagholm of Surfers Against Sewage
Una Baker and husband Mike Gaffney. The newlyweds dated right after high school in New York, and recently reconnected.
Lance Eddy of Vans and wife, Jennifer
The bidding got competitive for a half day at the Surf Ranch
Drew Dolkas and Ryan Hitzel of Roark
Kris Graff with husband Bob Graff of Wasserman and Carrie Piccolini of O'Neill
Ajai Datta of Boardriders and Boston Titensor of Katin
Ceclia Aguerre with husband, Santiago, who co-founded Reef
Steve Culley and wife, Diem Culley, who is in charge of Rip Curl retail globally
Paige Larsh of the WSL and Julia O'Connell with husband PJ O'Connell of Rip Curl
The auctioneer speaks with Vince Scandone of Audi, who always donates a car for the event
Attorney Bernard Wolfsdorf, Dale Rhodes of Katin and Rod Tomlinson of Surf Expo
Bob Mignogna, Oliver Tomson, Bahara Stapelberg, Summer Vega, Shaheen Sadeghi, Lorin Fleming
Tanya Slater with husband Dylan Slater of Rip Curl and Brad Lancaster and Mike Wallace of Billabong
Surf Expo SVP Roy Turner and SIMA Environmental Fund President Paul Naude
The Tomson family in attendance for Michael Tomson's Lifetime Achievement Award: Michael's cousin, Shaun; Shaun's son, Luke; Michael's cousin Paul; and Michael's son, Oliver
Bahara Stapelberg of Surfaid and Graham Stapelberg fo the WSL
Paul Harvey and Mary Miller of Rip Curl
Devon Cooper, Alexis Rae, and Lost's Joel Cooper, who co-founded Gotcha with Michael Tomson and was his best friend
The setting for the event at The Ranch in Laguna Beach - Photo courtesy of SIMA
Kelly Miller of Visit Huntington Beach and the one and only Peter Townend
Debbie Naude and SIMA Executive Director Vipe Desai
Paul Naude and Karen Sarver of Stokehouse, Berta Dossantos, and Mark Tinkess of O'Neill
Evan Slater of Billabong speaks about Waterperson of the Year Italo Ferreira - Photo courtesy of SIMA
Firewire's Mark Price, at microphone, and Shaun Tomson made moving speeches about Michael Tomson as a person and industry pioneer - Photo courtesy of SIMA
Oliver Tomson accepts the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of his father - Photo courtesy of SIMA
La Jolla Group COO Josh Wellington and Sean Smith of Elastic
Hobie Retail Partner Jake Schwaner and Drew Dolkas of Roark
Environmentalists of the Year Anne Earhart and Beto Bedolfe of Marisla Foundation - Photo courtesy of SIMA
Longtime Waterman's supporters Gary Ward and Carolyn Ward
Gotcha Co-Founder Joel Cooper spoke emotionally about his relationship with Michael - Photo courtesy of SIMA
The fully electric Audi Q4 e-tron GT sold for $72K
