Lochtefeld, Tom (1952 – )

Inventive and entrepreneurial surfer-designer from La Jolla, California; architect of the 1990-patented FlowRider standing-wave machine. Lochtefeld was born (1952) in San Diego, California, raised in Pacific Beach, and began surfing at 10. He graduated in 1974 from the University of San Diego law school, worked as a real estate developer, and in 1983 cofounded the Raging Waters theme park chain in California and Utah.

Five years later, along with fellow La Jolla surfer-designer Carl Ekstrom ...