Tribute to our Founder, Dorsey Truitt

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of a legend, our founder and Patrick’s father, Dorsey Truitt. Dorsey peacefully left this world on April 12, 2023 at the age of 90.

Dorsey was a true pioneer, business mastermind, comedian, and daredevil. He served in the Navy. He was a race-car driver for 20 years, starting with midgets at age 23. He raised four amazing kids on his own (Sam, Patrick, Debby & Dawn). He retired from racing and bought Holiday House Hotel in Ocean City, Maryland in 1974. It was then that he got interested in skateboards and founded the worlds first skateboard distribution company, Atlantic Skates. He went on to build a pioneering skateboard empire, and helped many of today’s industry leaders get their start. In addition to selling every brand of skate equipment on the planet for decades, Dorsey made Kryptonics decks in the 1980s, purchased Brand-X in 1986, and founded Toxic in 1988. In his later years, he and his wife Penny continued to run and live above Atlantic Skates in Ocean City, Maryland. Dorsey brought joy and humor to everyone he came in contact with.

Dorsey was born at 12:10am New Years Day in 1933 and he always has said, everybody parties on his birthday. And he’d want everyone to be happy today, because he lived a long, joyful and exciting life.