The East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame is proud to announce the Class of 2024 has been inducted during a gala ceremony held Wednesday evening, January 10, 2024, in front of a full house at the Orange County Convention Center following a day of business at the Surf Expo Trade Show held in the same location.
The Class of 2024 were inducted in five categories through a rigorous four-step process, which began on December 1, 2022 with public application submissions, and includes:
Culture
Tom Warnke, Florida
Industry
Mark Neustadter, New Jersey
Media
Darrell Jones, Florida
Legends
Ricky Carroll, Florida; Bill “Holmesy” Holmes, Florida; Kem McNair, Florida
Surfers
Falina Spires, Florida; Baron Knowlton, Florida; Noah Snyder, North Carolina; David Speir, Florida
Also inducted in the biennial ceremony was Roy Turner, who was selected by the Board of Directors to receive the prestigious Cecil Lear President’s Award, named to honor the Hall of Fame’s co-founder and 20-year President (1996-2016).
The CLPA is awarded to an individual who made a lasting contribution to East Coast Surfing in leadership or mentoring. Turner, Sr. Vice President and Show Director of Surf Expo, has been a supporter of the development and growth of East Coast Surfing – the sport and business – throughout his career, previously as a specialty surf retailer, professional surfing contest producer and president of the retailers’ trade association, and currently as surf industry trade show executive.
“It is an honor to be recognized by your peers with induction into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame,” commented ECSHOF President Gary Germain during the event after party. These 11 inductees in the Class of 2024 will always be remembered for their contributions to the sport on the Right Coast. They join 177 Hall of Famers who have been inducted since 1996.”
About the ECSHOF
The East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame is dedicated to the preservation of the history and heritage of East Coast Surfing by enshrining forever the people who have been responsible for surfing’s development and growth on the US East Coast. The ECSHOF was founded in 1996 by one of surfing’s truly great watermen, Greg Noll, along with East Coast legend, Cecil Lear. Every two years, the ECSHOF conducts a public candidate submission process, followed by a thorough nomination and selection process to determine the next ECSHOF Inductees.
For more information, please visit www.EastCoastSurfingHallofFame.org
