Most influential books in the life of Bob McKnight – Chief Executive Officer of the international surfing empire Quiksilver. Check out the thought provoking titles on this surfing businessman’s reading list:
Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi
“What makes something special is not just what you have to gain, but what you feel there is to lose.” – Agassi
Get your copy of Open by Andre Agassi here!
Winning by Jack Welch
“Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be.” – Jack Welch
Get your copy of Winning by Jack Welch here!
A Short Bio of Bob McKnight – Quiksilver President and CEO: A young Bob McKnight growing up visiting his family’s vacation house in Newport Beach, CA set a series of events in motion that would forever change the surf industry. From learning to surf at a young age, making short surf films, and attending the University of Southern California’s Business School evolved a man destined to make an impact on surfers around the world. It was perhaps a chance encounter in Bali during the year of 1974 that Bob would meet Jeff Hakman and from there an invitation to the North Shore ensued. Fortunately for Bob, Jeff happened to know a man named Alan Green that was designing the first shorts for surfers over in Australia and in 1976 Alan sold them the rights to Quiksilver in America. This company was built from the ground up through a grass-roots methodology that is still used to this day. Quiksilver hit the market hard, featuring bright colored fitted surf trunks. It was McKnight’s pursuit to create a brand that fit his lifestyle: surf, tennis, snow, golf, volleyball and diving that made his mark in the surf industry and rung the bell of the fashion industry. Quiksilver continues to stay on top of the game:
- Trading publicly on the NYSE
- Creating 18 diverse brands for diverse markets
- Manufacturing snowboard boots, bindings and boards
- Distributing surf, skate, and snow fashion throughout the United States and Europe
Bob Mcknight also backs the Quiksilver foundation, a non-profit organization committed to protecting and enhancing the quality of Boardriders’ communities throughout the world in the support of environmental, educational, cultural and scientific projects. Bob continues to contribute to the surf industry through sponsoring youth surf contests, environmental studies and professional surfing all over the world. In July of 2005 he was honored as an inductee into the Surfers Hall of Fame. His commitment to his business and charitable endeavors are as solid as his daily surf sessions. (Bio obtained from multiple sources including the Surfers Hall of Fame)
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