Meet Tom Horton | Community Volunteer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tom Horton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tom, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind The South Bay Boardrider’s success is who I have surrounded myself with on the Board of Directors and key volunteer Director positions to lead initiatives/events. If you surround yourself with the right people, who have the right skill sets, common passion and commitment, and are willing to accept that majority vote wins for key decisions, your chances of success are much greater. Especially, in a volunteer-based organization where no one receives compensation other than those providing a specific service to produce and/or promote an event.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a Co-Founder and President of The South Bay Boardrider’s Club, a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 2009, I am most proud of my ability to lead a group of volunteers through times that can be disruptive and cause angst due to differences of opinion in Board meetings and outside of those meetings. I’ve been called “The Voice of Calm”. All big decisions are made by majority vote, and I do not make unilateral decisions even when I am very passionate about what I believe is the right decision.

Initially, I was Secretary on the Board, and had no ambition to be the President, nor did I think I was the right guy for that position because I was not well known in the surf community at large. Ultimately, I was nudged into that position by other Board members, and it turns out I’ve done fine in that role.

Additionally, I am adept at connecting dots between organizations and individuals that can lead to mutually beneficial results for all stakeholders.

Finally, I am not afraid to come up with ideas, big and small, and enroll others to get behind them. For instance, The Catalina Classic Commemorative Statue took 7 years to complete and cost over $400,000. Another example is the movie, Miracle Mile, about the South Bay’s impact on surf culture and surf industry in the 50’s and 60’s. It is currently in the investor/donor fundraising stage utilizing a sizzle reel we had made. I am certain neither of these projects would have happened anytime soon or possible never if I had not rallied people to get behind them.

My “real job” that provides me an income, is being Senior Director, Market Access at Caris Life Sciences. My responsibility is to gain medical policy coverage for our precision medicine laboratory services with health plans, and negotiate contracts once coverage is achieved. Relationship building, creative strategies, self-initiative, persistence, and focus on doing what matters has led to a successful career in this field.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Assuming we are talking about the summertime, my itinerary is below.

In the morning, I would take them out surfing, or teach him/her to surf if needed, paddleboarding (prone or SUP) if there was no surf, and follow that up with riding bikes to breakfast at Martha’s on 22nd Street in Hermosa. After breakfast we would ride our bikes north on the Strand to El Porto or further depending on their physical ability and energy level. When we return home we would then change into bathing suits, grab beach chairs, towels, sunscreen, reading material, beverages and snacks and head to the beach at 30th St in Hermosa for some good summer relaxation and conversation.

AFter the beach we would return home, shower, go up on my roof deck for a beverage and look at the ocean before hopping on bikes and riding to Fox and Farrow for dinner and drinks. After dinner, we’d go to the Lighthouse or Saint Rocke to listen to live music.

Other stops during the week would include The Comedy Magic Club, Cosm, SOFI Stadium tour, and LA concert venues for entertainment. For other meals we would go to Tower12, Riviera Cantina, Zane’s, Izakaya, Atta Girl, Ryla, Playa Hermosa, Bottle Inn, and get sandwiches at Boccatos for lunches.

Other activities during the week would include beach volleyball, surf fishing, walks on the beach and Strand. We’d pretty much stay in the bubble of the South Bay instead of driving the 405.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My wife of 33 years, Darci Horton, is my best support system and greatest fan. When I am upset, worried, doubtful, etc., she will shake me loose and restore my confidence, a sense of security, and peace of mind that all is well.

When I was 28 years old, a close friend, Kim Brandon, persisted for 6 months to encourage me to take the Landmark Education course, The Forum. That course changed the trajectory of my life, had the greatest impact, and in a following seminar, years later, I met my wife, Darci. Prior to taking the course I would blame what’s not working in my life on my parents or how I was raised, and I thought of myself as a simpleton with not much to be expected in my life other than trudging along, trying to make ends meet. I rarely shared my opinions and had never said the words, “I love you”, to anyone including my parents and sister. I never saw myself as being a leader or being the creator of anything new. I saw myself as a follower and worker bee, and keeping my opinions to myself. I was the nice guy avoiding any possibility of conflict.

What I got out of The Forum is realizing my life circumstances have everything to do with my choices: past, present and future. My parents nor anyone else are to blame for what’s not working in my life, nor is my IQ, physical appearance, or anything else. A great quote I heard during that course was, “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off”. I came out of that course believing anything is possible in my life and it is up to me, no one else, to make it happen as long as I maintain integrity, communication, enroll others in what I am up to, and clean up any perpetrations from the past

One of the homework assignments in the course was to tell your parents and others close to you that you love them if you have never done so before. I laugh now at my reaction to that assignment but it scared the crap out of me at the time. Needless to say, when I told my mom and sister I loved them, it elevated and expanded our level of communication dramatically. They had been just as uncomfortable saying “I love you” as I was.

Its easy to sucked back into my old way of being, and I need to remind myself constantly of what I learned in that course to get me back on track.

Website: https://www.southbayboardriders.org

Instagram: @southbayboardriders

Image Credits
Steve Gaffney
Dennis White
Ken Pagliaro
Wright Adaza