ABOUT OUR INSTRUCTORS
At A Glance, Alphabetically by Last Name
Click on an instructor's name for detailed information.

• Rick Brewer
• Chief Instructor, Central Illinois Shotokan Karate Association (CISKA)
• 6th dan black belt, American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA)
• Shihankai (Council of Masters) Member, American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA)


• James Hartman
• Technical Chairman and Senior Instructor, Central Illinois Shotokan Karate Association (CISKA)
• State, Regional, and National Champion
• 5th dan, American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA)


• Carl Hartter
• Chief Instructor and President, Central Illinois Karate Association (CIKA)
• Former AJKA National Champion - Kumite
• Shihankai (Council of Masters) Member, American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA)
• 6th dan, American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA)


• Randall Hassell
• Senior Editor, Tamashii Press
• Chief Instructor, American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA)
• President, American JKA Karate Association (AJKA)
• Founding Fellow, International Karate Society (IKS)


• Chuck Kerrigan
• Chairman and Chief Instructor, Traditional Karate-Do Association (TKA)
• Shihankai (Council of Masters) Member, American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA)
• 6th dan, American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA)


• Edmond Otis
• Chairman and North American Chief Instructor, American JKA Karate Association-International (AJKA-I)
• Director of Martial Arts, University of California at Riverside
• Chairman, Panamerican Region of WUKO
• Chairman, Shihankai (Council of Masters), American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA)


• Leslie Safar
• Technical Director of the American JKA Karate Association-International (AJKA-I)
• Chief Instructor of AJKA Europe
• 9th dan black belt


• Elmar T. Schmeisser, Ph.D.
• Master Instructor, American Teachers Association of the Martial Arts
• 6th dan black belt, Shin-kyu Shotokan Karate-do


• Stan Schmidt
• The Highest-Ranking, non-Japanese, JKA Master
• First non-Japanese to earn 7th dan black belt, Japan Karate Association (JKA)
• Chief Instructor, South Africa JKA
• Founding Fellow, International Karate Society (IKS)


• James Yabe
• Technical Director, American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA)
• One of the most senior U.S. students of Hidetaka Nishiyama
• Grand Champion of the 1st All America Karate Tournament in 1961