Eric Leon Swenson (August 4, 1946 – June 20, 2011) was an American skateboard designer and magazine publisher.
Thrasher is credited with helping to revitalize the popularity of skateboarding during the last two decades of the 20th century.
He also played an instrumental role in helping to elevate skateboarding from a hobby into an internationally recognized sport.
Swenson's hobbies included playing guitar and repairing motorcycles and other vehicles, although he did not skateboard himself.
Swenson shot himself in front of a San Francisco police station on June 20, 2011, reportedly to spare his family from discovering his body.