Tom Rinks
Tom Rinks is the co-founder of Sun Bum, the sunscreen brand he built from a Michigan startup into a $400 million business acquired by SC Johnson. He previously created the Psycho Chihuahua ad campaign and founded multiple design-driven brands.
Tom Rinks's Bio
Tom Rinks grew up in Long Beach, California, and studied art at Hope College in Michigan. After college, he worked as a salesman at Art Van Furniture in Grand Rapids, where he learned the art of selling and customer psychology. In the early 1990s, he launched New Agenda, a t-shirt company that secured university licensing deals and sold over 10,000 shirts in one season.
He later co-founded Rinks Canetti, a brand agency that created the iconic Psycho Chihuahua campaign for Taco Bell in the mid-1990s. Rinks also sued Taco Bell over the campaign, winning a five-year legal battle that taught him resilience. In 2009, he and partner Rene Canetti were asked to rescue a struggling sunscreen startup. Rinks rejected the original concepts and designed Sun Bum from scratch, creating the now-iconic yellow gorilla logo and wood-grain packaging.
The brand launched in 2010, generated $100,000 in year one and $1.1 million in year two, and grew to $70 million in annual sales before being acquired by SC Johnson in 2019 for $400 million. Rinks stepped down as CEO before the exit, bringing in Adam Francis to lead the company. He is also the founder of Made by Dentists and continues to build brands.
Career Timeline
1992 — Founded New Agenda
Started a t-shirt company while working at Art Van Furniture, securing university licensing deals and selling over 10,000 shirts in one season.
1994 — Co-created the Psycho Chihuahua campaign for Taco Bell
At Rinks Canetti, co-created the iconic Psycho Chihuahua advertising campaign for Taco Bell, which became a cultural phenomenon in the mid-1990s.
1995 — Scaled New Agenda with University of Michigan licensing
Secured a major University of Michigan licensing deal and sold more than 10,000 Slam Dance shirts in a single season.
2009 — Designed Sun Bum brand identity
Partnered with Rene Canetti to rescue a struggling sunscreen startup, rejecting original concepts and designing the Sun Bum brand from scratch, including the yellow gorilla logo and wood-grain packaging.
2010 — Launched Sun Bum sunscreen
Officially launched Sun Bum, generating $100,000 in first-year revenue and $1.1 million in year two.
2014 — Moved Sun Bum headquarters to California
Relocated Sun Bum headquarters from Grand Rapids, Michigan to California to better align with the brand's beach lifestyle positioning.
2019 — Sun Bum acquired by SC Johnson for $400 million
Sun Bum was acquired by SC Johnson in a $400 million deal. Rinks stepped down as CEO before the exit and brought in Adam Francis to lead the company.
