Rusty Preisendorfer’s passion for shaping began in junior high, repairing a beat-up surfboard before he even started surfing. Influenced by legends like Dick Brewer and Skip Frye, he honed his craft in the ’70s, launching Music Surfboards and shaping for top riders including Rabbit Bartholomew and Peter Townend. By the mid-’80s, Rusty had founded Rusty Surfboards, becoming one of the most sought-after shapers in the world, with his boards ridden by more than half of the Top 16 surfers. He later expanded into apparel, turning his name into a global brand recognized by a single letter: R.