Public Affairs Blog

shaun young and older

Who’s Shaun Tomson?

An Attitude of Commitment and Positivity 

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Once you know more about Shaun Tomson, you will want to mark your calendar for April 6.

Tomson, Missouri State University’s 2022 Public Affairs Convocation speaker, is the author of Missouri State’s Common Reader “The Code – The Power of ‘I Will.'”

The impact of personal tragedy plus the success and failure both in and out of the surf, led Shaun to create his 12 line Code.  Now, his Code Method is a simple yet powerful tool and program that is helping others around the world motivate for positive change and positive decision making.

Check out this short video on The Code!

AUTHOR • WORLD CHAMPION SURFER • ENTREPRENEUR • FILM MAKER

Beyond being a best-selling author, Tomson is a former World Surfing Champion, and was named one of the 10 Greatest Surfers of All Time.  An integral part of the “Free Ride” generation, he is still viewed as the prototype blueprint for today’s pro surfer, with legions of fans throughout the world. Among others, Tomson has won the highly coveted International Professional Surfers World Championship and been inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Born in Durban, South Africa, he has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, a Master of Science in Leadership with a focus on social change and has created two popular apparel brands, Instinct and Solitude (co-founded with his wife Carla).  He is a past board member and ambassador for Surfrider Foundation, the world’s largest environmental group dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans, waves and beaches and he received the SIMA Environmentalist of the Year Award in 2002.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONVOCATION MOVIE NIGHT

Tomson is also the co-writer and executive producer of the documentary Bustin’ Down the Door.  Join us for this fantastic precursor to Shaun’s in-person presentation in which the film vividly describes the winter of 1975 in Hawaii —a dramatic moment in history when a group of young surfers sacrificed everything.  Their struggles resulted in a culture revolution and a pro surfing industry that is today worth billions.