Will Howard, an early Oakley employee who went on to take his garage start-up Dragon Alliance to global heights, passed away this week after a battle with cancer.

Howard led Dragon to prominence in the highly competitive eyewear industry.

He developed a reputation for loyalty and mentorship that helped guide the founders of other start-ups such as Stance, along with inspiring the career and life paths of many others.

Employee No. 8 at Oakley, Howard struck out on his own to start Dragon in 1993 out of his garage, beginning with sunglasses and then expanding to goggles.

Along the way, he built an enviable team of surfers and snowboarders that included Rob Machado, Mick Fanning, Jamie Lynn, Donavon Frankenreiter, Shane Dorian, and many more.

For more details on his life and impact, visit our sister site Shop Eat Surf.