Press Release:
Fernando Aguerre to Receive Dick Baker Memorial Award
– Award to be presented at Surf Summit 15 –
ALISO VIEJO, CALIF. (March 21, 2012) – The Dick Baker Memorial Award will be given to Fernando Aguerre in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, during the annual surf industry leadership conference, Surf Summit 15.
The conference is presented by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) and the Board Retailers Association (BRA). The award will be presented to Aguerre by the Baker Family during the Closing Ceremonies of Surf Summit 15 on May 18, 2012.
“The Dick Baker Memorial Award Committee is so honored to have Fernando as the 2012 recipient,” said Una Baker, Dick Baker Memorial Award Committee Chairwoman.
“Fernando truly exemplifies the most admirable personal and professional characteristics that Dick possessed. From his endless devotion and love for his beautiful teenage triplets, sweetheart Florencia and family, to his dedication and professional guidance in the surf industry, he has a zest for life and knows how to embrace everyday to the fullest. Fernando was like a brother to Dick and today is awonderful father figure to Ryan and Jack. Like Dick, Fernando is a man of great integrity and can make anything he believes in happen.”
The Dick Baker Memorial Award Committee chaired by Baker’s late wife, Una Baker, is comprised of Baker’s surf peers, family and friends, including: Baker’s sons Ryan and Jack Baker; Shaun Tomson, World Champion Surfer; Bob Graff, CEO of Graffy, Inc.; Bob Mignogna, International Surfing Association Director General; CJ Olivares, Consultant for GrindMedia and Sean Smith, SIMA Executive Director.
The committee reviewed nominations and selected Aguerre as a recipient who exemplifies many of Baker’s outstanding qualities including: a loving and dedicated parent, courage, compassion, a natural willingness to mentor others with integrity and respect for peers and competitors, and a dedication to advancing the sport of surfing with a passion.
As a selfless, passionate and courageous man, Aguerre has conquered in the business world as a pioneer in the surf industry and has prevailed both as a father and with others in making the world a better place.
Aguerre was born and raised in the coastal city of Mar del Plata, Argentina where, along with his brother and lifelong friend, Santiago, he got involved with surfing, a passion that would shape both of their lives, as well as the future of surfing in Argentina and the rest of the world. In the 1980s, Fernando and his brother co-founded Reef, a sandal andsurfwear company, which grew to be one of the leading surf brands in the world.
He served as CEO of Reef until 2003, and in 2005 the brothers sold the company to VF Corporation. Fernando has also served as president of the International Surfing Association since 1994, and has grown the ISA into a global organization recognized by the IOC, with members in 69 countries.
In addition to Aguerre’s long-term presidency at the ISA, he co-founded the Pan American Surfing Association (PASA) in 1992, serves on the Senior Advisory Board of Directors for SIMA and was the President of the SIMA Humanitarian Fund for eight years. As the President of the SIMA Humanitarian Fund, Aguerre lead the charge in raising more than $1.58 million dollars for global medical relief, urban youth outreach,injury prevention and assistance, and health education and awareness.
Fernando actively participates as a member of several other humanitarian and environmental surfing-based organizations, always as an unpaid volunteer insearch of his dream of a better world. He’s the proud father of 15-year-oldtriplets, Jakue, Kaila and Tiare, and continues to surf daily near his home in La Jolla, California.
“Like Bobby Marley used to sing: Good friends we had, oh good friends we’ve lost along the way,” said Aguerre.
“Dick is gone, but hismemory and always positive energy is very alive in our hearts. There is not one day that goes by that I don’t remember Dick – his inspirational way of thinking out of the box, always caring for everybody, and calling me at 8:05 in the morning to start a plot for something better or to build something that did not exist at the time. He’d say, ‘Hey Juan (not Fernando), what do you think ifwe…?’ I miss those calls. I’m totally honored and humbled by this award that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
Please see page 2 for more on SIMA and Dick Baker…
Aguerre is the second annual Dick Baker Memorial Award recipient. The first award was given to CJ Olivares of GrindMedia. Previously presented during Surfing America’s PacSun USA Surf Team banquet, this year the Dick Baker Memorial Award is being presented at SurfSummit for the first time and will continue to reside at the annual Surf Summit conference.
For more information about SIMA’s Guiding Light, Dick Baker, please visit: https://www.sima.com/news-information/news-detail/id/58.aspx.
For more information about Surf Summit 15 and conference registration please visit: https://www.sima.com/surfsummit.aspx. Surf Summit 15 is made possible by presenting sponsor Surf Expo and supporting sponsor Walter Wilhelm and Associates.
The deadline to register is April 2, 2012. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to SIMA and BRA members.
About SIMA
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is the official working trade association of more than 300 surf industry suppliers. Founded in 1989, SIMA is a non-profit organizationthat serves to promote awareness of the surf industry and participation in the sport of surfing through public relations efforts and a variety of services, educational programs and research.
In addition, SIMA actively supports oceanic environmental efforts through its 501(c)(3) charitable environmental foundation, the SIMA Environmental Fund. In the past 22 years, SIMA’s Environmental Fund has raised more than $5.8 million for environmental groups seeking to protect the world’s oceans, beaches and waves.
The SIMA Humanitarian Fund, also a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, was established to award grants to various surf or boardsport related social and humanitarian non-profit organizations whose efforts are focused on improving the quality of life, health and/or welfare of people.
Liquid Nation Ball serves as the annual fundraising event for the SIMA Humanitarian Fund, and since 2004 has raised and donated more than $1.58 million to surf-related non-profit humanitarian organizations. For more information regarding SIMA, please visit www.sima.com. Follow SIMA at Twitter.com/SIMA_SURF.
