[Ivan] Everyone knows you on here as “Daniel M”. The big question is, what does the “M” actually stand for?
[Daniel] McDonald
[Ivan] Where are you from?
[Daniel] New Orleans, Louisiana.
[Ivan] How old are you?
[Daniel] I’m 19 years old. That’s right ladies, I’m legal.
[Ivan] People have seen your vids, and they know you rip. It kind of seems like you have a trick skating background. Is it true?
[Daniel] Started off street skating when I was 9 or so. Really got into it during middle school. I made a homemade longboard around that time but didn’t ride it too much seeing as it had street deck wheels on it.
[Ivan] Can you Ollie?
[Daniel] DUH!!!!!!
[Ivan] So how did you get into longboarding?
[Daniel] I was skating around my neighborhood one day years ago and found a rusted old fiberglass deck sitting on the top of a garbage can and took it home. Shaped my first longboard deck around that time. I was probably 11 or so. It was maybe 40 inches long, pointed nose with a waist and a wedge block kicktail. Not a bad start except I had 55mm hard wheels on it haha. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005 I went to live with my aunt in the San Francisco bay area and finished the school year out there. Having hills to skate really got me into it, and I spent a lot of time skating with my brother and friends.
Cindrich Aluminum Longboards – A New Breed of Board
Dave Cindrich is the new breed of board builder. He uses some of the most advanced technology and equipment to craft his creations. Before that, however, his ideas have developed from lots of late nights at the shop, and a love for longboarding. The finished products that Cindrich produces surely turn a head or two. Dave’s boards have received hundreds upon thousands of comments, views, and acclaims from people that have stumbled, and came to a jaw dropping, screeching halt after viewing his product on longboarding based websites.
“…I enjoy thinking about how to do this or that, or what kind of material I could use to make a board that nobody else has or does. I like to take my involvement with cars and engineering and use that to make longboards that everywhere you go people look and say wow, that's cool.”
Peter J Weinrauch: Who are you and where did you come from?
Dave Cindrich: I've grown up in Provo, Utah most of my life. I lived in southern California for two years as a missionary for my church. I now live in Orem, Utah, which is basically the same city as Provo. I got married a few years ago to a girl from Austin Texas, and we have no kids at the moment, only three plants.
[PJ] What is your career? Does this career match up with your educational studies?
[DC] I went to UVSC for a few years, to study manufacturing engineering, but dropped out after the school dropped the program. I've been working for my brother in law for about 14 years building Cobra replicas. If anyone is interested in cars, go have a look at kirkhammotorsports.com … you will like what you see.
Jim Gerson Joins VF Action Sports as President of Reef - Americas
Carlsbad, CA – May 26th, 2009 -
Reef is pleased to announce the appointment of Jim Gerson, currently Vice President of Apparel at The North Face, as President of Reef-Americas. In his new role, Jim will be responsible for developing the product line and brand strategy for the Reef brand worldwide and for the profitability of Reef-Americas beginning June 1st, 2009.
Gerson joined VF in 1986 as part of the Jantzen business and held progressive sales and merchandising roles leading their swimwear division. In 2000, he became Vice President of Swimwear for VF’s Tommy Hilfiger Licensee business. Gerson joined the The North Face as Vice President, Research, Design and Development and Brand Management in April 2001.
As The North Face grew, Jim transitioned to Vice President RD&D Soft Goods in 2005, overseeing all of the apparel business.
"Jim has spearheaded The North Face's dedication to product innovation and has been a key contributor to the tremendous success of The North Face throughout his tenure with the brand," said Stephen Murray, President of VF Action Sports Americas. "His successful background in managing key accounts in sales and leading merchandising initiatives brings to Reef a wide range of knowledge and experience from all angles of the business. I am confident that his expertise will prove to be a great asset to Reef."
Gerson adds, "Reef is a strong brand with a rich heritage and a history for creating outstanding products. I look forward to sharing my product and brand experience to help Reef reach its full potential."
Gerson holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Idaho, with a Marketing emphasis in Management. He will transition to his new position at Reef effective June 1.
Reef is surf. We’re inspired by water, the ocean, by perfect waves and the journey along the way to find them. We are a genuine global surf brand that harvests the best of our lifestyle and shares it through authentic, innovative and fashionable product. At the core of Reef are our exotic roots and the inherent sensuality of the beach. The Reef team supports the freedom to have fun in and out of the water and gives back to the world that inspires us.
About VF
VF Corporation is a global leader in lifestyle apparel with a diverse portfolio of jeanswear, outdoor, action sports, imagewear, sportswear and contemporary apparel brands. Its principal brands include Wrangler
â, Leeâ, Ridersâ, The North Faceâ, Vansâ, Reefâ, Eagle Creekâ, Eastpakâ, JanSportâ, Napapijriâ, Nauticaâ, Kiplingâ, John Varvatosâ, 7 For All MankindÆ, lucyÆ, Ella MossÆ, SplendidÆ, MajesticÆ and Red Kapâ.
VF Corporation's press releases, annual report and other information can be accessed through the Company's home page,
If you've been reading the 'Fish long, you know all about Brian Petrie, the skater in New York City concocting and building boards the way he likes them or, lately, the way stoked skaters he respects and supports tell him they'd like one. Out of all this, great decks, wheels and urban warfare has been the result. Now, our man on the move, big MarkGrimace has a report from his latest interplay with the tat-rat from Gotham...
Mystery Revealed
Catching up with Earthwing's Brian Petrie
Brian Petrie's expanded line of decks, so far...
So Brian, It’s been a while since we talked shop. What's been happening in the world of Earthwing?
First of all, I quit my Job, and just play in the world of Skateboarding now. I have been working on all of the new shapes, testing prototypes, revising prototypes, and now I am detailing the graphics. Most of the last year I have been obsessed with solving problems in Downhill. We produced the 76mm wheel that has gone over well, and have finished testing all of the Mystery Model prototypes and production is under way on that little fella. We could have had it ready long ago, but we pushed to meet goals, and it will be worth the wait. It's really represents the best from Earthwing. A lotta love went into that, and I am proud of everyone that helped out. Special thanks to Conner, and B-Peck. Those dudes are faster than I am, and I trust what they say.
The Slalom forum on Silverfish has long been a lawless land, a veritable oubliette, swallowing novices in the torrential weight of knowledge, smack talk and gear savvy accusations of superiority of the color of one bushing versus another. Long has the ruling class needed a strong, stoked and talented slalom rider to take the reigns and bring them from this dark tunnel and into the light. Many have tried, all have failed and we had no hope. That is until we got word of Zak "TVAR" Maytum: he's stoked to madness, knowledgeable yet humble and very much a strong member of the 'fish. We were luck enough to get an interview to him between races and here is what the slalom savant and new Slalom Forum Mod had to say...
The Zak Maytum Interview
[Silverfish]Introduce yourself why don’t ya?
[ZAK] Well, I’m Zak Maytum. I live in BoulderColorado and I ride slalom 6 days a week. I’m 16 and I just love skateboarding more than anything.
[SF] What got you started in skateboarding?
[ZM] When I was in 5th grade I saw some guys doing it at the skatepark and I though it looked like the coolest thing in the world. I knew I had to do it. Later that week I bought an Airwalk Skateboard from my neighbor for $1. It was awesome.
Interviews 
