Propeller (2015) · Punk’s Not Dead (2007) · The Mind of the Demon (2009) produced by Steven Van Doren, known for Propeller (2015), Punk’s Not Dead (2007), and The Mind of the Demon (2009). How Much is Steve Van Doren net worth?
Net Worth: $19 Million
Profession: Producer
Perhaps nothing is more timeless and stylish than a pair of Vans on your feet as you walk down Main Street. Steve Van Doren has also ensured that the family name sneaker lives on for decades. Since its inception in 1966, 11-year-old Stephen Van Doren has worked for his father and uncle — Paul and James Van Doren — at the shoe firm.
He spent 25 years under his father’s supervision before passing the torch to his daughter, who now works for him, proving that Vans is truly a family business at heart. Vans shoes became famous among skateboarders in Santa Monica and Venice in the early 1970s, thanks to their sturdy rubber sole construction.
Vans began producing dedicated skate shoes in the mid-1970s, and it hasn’t looked back since. Steve Van Doren was the visionary who created iconic events such as the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing, Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, Vans Triple Crown of Skateboarding, and Vans Warped Tour.
Skate Industry Icon Steve Van Doren Honored
He began his job as a painter at the age of 10, when Paul, his father, hired him with his brother to paint up the walls of their new shoe manufacturing firm Anaheim. He was 12 years old when he became a fast-talking sales agent greeting clients as they arrived in newly-opened stores looking for bespoke shoes.
Vans founded in 1966 by a skateboarder. And the company has carved out a niche for itself in the skate society. Now known as Vans, the skate society is demonstrating its gratitude to Van Doren, with the firm for almost 50 years.
On May 14, the International Skateboard Hall of Fame will present the Award for International Skateboard Hall of Fame Icon to Van Doren. He will honored at a ceremony in Costa Mesa, where nearly 500 skate fans, legends, and company representatives expected to attend.
Before there were child labor laws, Van Doren owned a head start with Vans and recognizes having 50 $1 accounts in his pocket. As a teenager, making money by working weekends giving out fliers for his father’s new firm or spending time inventorying in the stock chambers filled with packs and shoe boxes. “Of course,” he adds, “before there were child labor laws.”
It wasn’t until approximately ten years after the label founded, in the 1970s that skaters took a shine to them. When the shoes were initially release, they cost $4.49 for men and $2.29 for women. Skaters liked wearing Vans because they allowed them to purchase one at a moment, and riders who like to perform tricks preferred to wear one foot out faster than the other.
The shoes evolved as an undercover fave among the increasing crowd of skaters taking to the roads and open swimming pools, but it wasn’t until Vans in the 1982 cult classic film “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” that they unlocked their potential. Actor Sean Penn – playing stoner Jeff Spicoli – wore a black-and-white checkerboard Vans.
The footwear was previously unknown to a broad audience due to its association with a popular 1980s teen comedy. Even the Van Dorens were non-skaters; they welcomed the culture. They sponsored the coming skaters and made trips across the nation to exhibit them.
He Still Accomplishes It Decades Later
Before Christmas, he consumed weeks traveling around the California coast with skate master Tony Alva, passing by at retail shops and barbecuing while handing out shoes. It’s that unique trace that has made him the nickname “Ambassador of Fun.” You can find him behind the grill serving sliders and hot dogs to around 2,000 tourists each day at the major U.S.
Open of Surfing event in Huntington Beach, which Vans sponsors. The firm has experienced its fair share of highs and lows throughout the years. The business pointed for bankruptcy in 1984 and has reached numerous layoffs. However, the brand has had a good decade. VF Corp. purchased it for $400 million in 2004, and it just declared $2 billion in earnings this year.
According to Steve Van Doren net worth, maintaining a unique touch is crucial to the brand’s success. “I like them to sense like it’s not simply a branding; it’s people,” he explained. “It isn’t simply a shoebox with a shoe inside of it.” Van Doren continued: “I want them to feel as if they’re not just dealing with a company; they’re interacting with real people.”
“I was shocked when I found out,” said Van Doren. “I’m on the committee of the International Skateboarding Hall of Fame, and I kept wondering why I wasn’t getting my ballot for the icon award. The other board members went to great lengths to keep my nomination secret until last week. ‘You sure?’ I waited about 10 minutes before it hit me. It was a privilege.”
The Icon Award is the highest award bestowed by the International Skateboarding Hall of Fame. In previous years, the award has gone to Steve Caballero, Tony Hawk, Stacy Peralta, and Rodney Mullen. Van Doren was inducted into the hall of fame to win ten skateboarding titles.
He also helped create Vans’ best-selling shoes, including the Aztec and Snowflake. “They say that you can tell a lot about a company by who they pick for their ambassador,” said Alex Corporan, an area sales manager for Vans California. “I think it’s safe to say that no one could represent the brand better than Steve Van Doren.”
Early Life
Van Doren was born in Anaheim, California. He attended Katella High School and started working at the Vans factory as a teenager to help out his family after his father had suffered a heart attack and needed financial support. He began skating at the age of 13.
Despite starting later than most skaters, he won 10 consecutive championships from 1978-1987. He continued skating competitively until the late 1990s, before retiring completely in 2002. Although Van Doren retired from official competition, he frequently skates today, often collaborating with Tony Alva on product design.
Steve Van Doren Net Worth
In 2010, Van Doren worked as a judge on the MTV reality show Skateboarding. He has traveled across the country with Tony Alva for years, hosting grassroots exhibitions and barbecues at retailers, surf contests, and other events. In 2012, he was awarded a star on the Anaheim Walk of Stars. The Vans retail store in Costa Mesa is also name after him since it open up in 2014.
Personal Life
Van Doren married his wife Michelle in 1988 and has four children: Vanessa, Stephanie, Valerie, and Vincent Steve Jr. They live together in Seal Beach, California, where they were born and raised. He resides there to this day. His two eldest daughters are both pursuing careers as professional skaters.
Career
For years, Van Doren has traveled alongside Tony Alva, hosting grassroots exhibitions and barbecues at retailers, surf contests, and other events. In 2010 Van Doren worked as a judge on the MTV reality show Skateboarding. He has traveled across the country with Tony Alva for years.
Hosting grassroots exhibitions and barbecues at retailers, surf contests, and other events. In 2012 he was awarded a star on the Anaheim Walk of Stars. The Vans retail store in Costa Mesa is also name after him since it open up in 2014.
Steve Van Doren Books
Van Doren has also written three books about improving your skating skills. He released the first, How To Skate Fast And Change Direction, in 1989. His second book was publishe in 1993. The third, title Skateboarding Skills, was release around 1995 or 1996.
Recent years have brought skateboarding back into his life as he has partnered with Tony Alva to release one limited edition pro shoe each year since 2012. They are so limited that only 1-2k pairs are produce, selling out quickly every time.
As of 2019, Steve Van Doren’s net Worth is estimates at 8 million dollars. He has built this fortune primarily through his shoe design company, the Van Doren Rubber Company. The business founded in 1977. And has develop many well-known brands over the years, including Hurley International.
Another big moneymaker for Van Doren is his empire of skateboarding goods. It includes his clothing line with Vans, which he co-founded in 1978. Since 2014 he has also owned a retail store called Skatestore in Costa Mesa, California, that sells rare collectible skateboard decks. He also has a line of premium boards based on his original designs.
