The crew at NHS, Inc. recently shared some good news about one of the people who helped shape skateboarding as many know it today.
Cofounder Richard Novak has received the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the Skateboarding Hall of Fame.
Novak is part of the first group of recipients for the award. He joins longtime industry figures George Powell and Steve Van Doren, who were also selected for the honor.
The recognition highlights decades of work that helped build companies, products, and media that became part of skateboarding history.
For more than fifty years Novak has played a major role behind the scenes. Through NHS, Inc. he helped launch well known brands like Santa Cruz Skateboards.
The company also introduced urethane wheels with precision bearings through Road Rider Wheels at a time when equipment was changing quickly and riders were looking for better performance and durability.
Novak also helped create Independent Trucks, which became one of the most recognized truck brands in skateboarding. On the media side he was involved in starting Thrasher Magazine, a publication that documented skateboarding culture and continues to influence new generations.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes people whose work has had a lasting effect on skateboarding culture and business. Novak’s role in building brands, hardware, and media outlets helped shape the landscape for decades and supported countless riders, photographers, filmmakers, and companies along the way.
The official Skateboarding Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on May 15 at 5 PM at the headquarters of Vans in Costa Mesa, California. Tickets for the event are available online for those who want to attend and celebrate the first group of Lifetime Achievement recipients.