Revered surf board builder Rich Wilken was inducted to the International Surf Board Builders Hall of Fame in Huntington Beach on Saturday, Oct. 21.
Born and raised in Pacific Palisades, the 71-year-old started his surfboard company, Wilken Surfboards, a year after graduating from Palisades High School in 1964.
The young man’s talents were soon recognized by surfers up and down the California coast, giving rise to Wilken’s business and earning him a legacy as one of surf history’s most innovative board builders.
Wilken would later go on to pursue a career in architecture and drawing, working on local projects such as designing the signage for beloved former Village delicatessen Mort’s Deli and drafting the building plans for Palisades Lutheran Church.
—GABRIELLA BOCK
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