As far as surf reports and forecasts go, the pack can be broken into two groups -- Surfline and everyone else. But, prior to this year, their brand, long established as the online standard to which other sites are held, was one-dimensional. This past July, however, that all changed, when Surfline’s CEO Jonno Wells orchestrated the acquisition of the surfing quarterly, Water Magazine, and turned Internet guru Surfline into a bona fide media conglomerate. The move immediately established a fresh and new brand dynamic for Surfline. Then, as if to prove to his competitors that he was serious, Wells went out and swooped up one of the brightest surf journalists in the game, former head ed of team TransWorld SURF, Joel Patterson to take over as Editor-in-Chief. Sweet. As if keeping up with the Joneses wasn’t hard enough already. This will go down as one of the stronger moves of 2007 for two reasons -- the efficiency and effectiveness of Wells’ strike and the players he put into position afterwards. 

A-List BFF: Sean Collins. If you head up a surf website whose motto is “Know before you go,” is there anyone you’d rather work down the hall from? 

Big Corpo Connection: In 2005 Surfline partnered with TransWorld Media enabling the largest crossover reach in Action Sports. 

Arch Rival: Primedia. They control Action Sports Group (ASG). And ASG controls the competition – WaveWatch, SURFER and Surfing. 

Master of This Domain: He’s the CEO of Surfline.

California Roots: Grew up in Newport and his office has a view of the Huntington Beach Pier. Must be rough.