Introduction:

      On this page we will give a short biography on each of our main Instructors. We will start with the Grand Masters even though they are not usual Instructors, to give more of a background on us and our School.
Next there is a short bio on the actual School owners, Master Heese and Master Richardson. After that, bios on some of the Black Belts who assist in the every day instruction duties follow.

Grand Master Soung Eui Shin:

      Grandmaster Shin was born March 9, 1942, in Han Nam Hae San Jin, North Korea. During this time, Korea was under Japanese domination lasting until the end of World War II in 1945. In 1946, Shin’s family moved to Seoul, South Korea. When the Korean War began in 1950, his family moved further south. These times were particularly difficult and after 18 months, they returned to Seoul when the war was winding down.

      As a young man, Shin was a mild-mannered and shy person, and he began studying Tae Kwon Do on June 12, 1955, under the instruction of Grandmaster Kang Myung Kiu. Grandmaster Kang lives today in Sacramento, California, where he has been teaching Tae Kwon Do as well as being a Professor of Oriental Philosophy at the University of California. Grandmaster Kang is a direct descendant and student of the Great Grandmaster Hwang Kee, the founder of Moo Duk Kwan.

      Realizing his potential Soung Eui Shin worked very hard attending classes 6 days a week after school. He always attended regardless of weather or illness. His dedication and persistence paid off when at the age of 13; he became Grandmaster Kang’s first black belt just 10 months after he began training. The exam was administered by Moo Duk Kwan’s founder the Great Grandmaster Hwang Kee, at this point, Master Shin began to teach on a regular basis.

      He continued his teachings, instructing for the 728th Military Police Company in 1958, at the Yong Moon High School in 1960, and at the Youg Deung Po main gym as the head instructor.

      In 1965, Master Shin received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Choong Ang University.
After graduation, he entered the Korean Army as a Second Lieutenant. He shortly became First Lieutenant in the Military Police. He began his military teaching at the Military Police Academy ROTC class as a Tae Kwon Do Instructor.
In 1966, he became the head instructor for the 3rd Division of the Korean Army. He left the army in 1969, with the rank of Captain to become a full time Tae Kwon Do Instructor for the Seoul Moo Duk Kwan.
In 1969, he was elected President of the Young Deung Po, an organization of 23 Tae Kwon Do schools.
Master Shin had 800 Black Belt students, including 40 at the rank of 4th Dan or above, when he left Korea Master Shin had 800 Black Belt students, including 40 at the rank of 4th Dan or above, when he left Korea to come to the United States.

      In November of 1974, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee to establish residency and begin teaching Tae Kwon Do. His first school was in the Green Hills area. In 1983, he established his school in the Bellevue area. In 1989, he opened his present facility in Bellevue.

      In 1993, Master Shin became a Grand Master when the World Tae Kwon Do Federation awarded him the rank of 9th Degree Black Belt. He is also certified by the Kuk Ki Won in Seoul, Korea as an International Judge and Master Instructor.

      To date, 40 of Master Shin’s students have started their own schools. The highest-ranking student to start under Master Shin holds the rank of 7th Dan.

      Along with many of his other accomplishments Grandmaster Shin is Pan-American Director of the Moo Duk Hae and President of the United States Tae Kwon Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation.

Grand Master John Pellegrini:

      Combat Hapkido is a style of Hapkido that was developed by Mr. John Pellegrini, of Florida. Grandmaster Pellegrini started his martial arts training at the age of 11 in Italy with Judo, the only art available to him at that time. Later Grandmaster Pellegrini studied some Kung-Fu in a local gym up to the age of 17.

      While in the Army Grandmaster Pellegrini trained in Ju-Jitsu. Upon moving to the US he received his first of many Black Belts in 1971 in the art known as Shotokan Karate. He then moved to New York and switched to Tae Kwon Do and has remained in the Korean arts ever since. Grandmaster Pellegrini has had many different hapkido instructors with his first being JI Sung Song. He is currently a student under Grandmaster Seo In-Sun.

      Over the last 30 plus years Grandmaster Pellegrini has studied and applied many different aspects of martial arts training. After many years of development and study, Grandmaster Pellegrini decided that Hapkido was in his opinion, the most practical method of self-defense. However he did find several areas of study in Hapkido that were not practical in a combat situation (self-defense). Thus the birth of Combat Hapkido.

Master Martin Heese:

      Martin Heese was born in Westphalia, Texas. He graduated in 1975 from Rosebud-Lott H.S. with Honors. He graduated from T. S. T. C. in 1977 with A.A.S. in Electronics Technology. He now works for IKON Office Solutions.
Mr. Heese started his martial arts training in 1981. He trained six days a week and two to three hours a day, receiving his first black belt in 1984. He received his Master Certification from the Kukkiwon in South Korea in 1994. Master Heese received his 5th degree from the Kukkiwon in September 2001.

      Master Heese has competed all over Texas and Tennessee. He placed 4th in 1985 at the U.S.T.U. state championships which was one of the highlights of his fighting career. He has received many Martial Arts honors. Being recognized in Karate International Who’s Who, and being inducted into the World Head of Family Sokeship Council International Hall of fame, are only two of his accomplishments. Master Heese is also a second-degree black belt in Combat Hapkido.

Master Gary Richardson:

      Gary Richardson was born and raised in Missouri. After serving with the United States Army in Viet Nam 1968 – 1969, he finished his education at Missouri Western College and graduated in 1972 with a degree in Physical Education.
Moving to Waco in the fall of 1972, he began coaching and teaching physical education at University Jr. High School. He has taught in Waco I. S. D. for twenty-nine years.
Master Richardson now teaches at Crestview Elementary in Waco as a physical education instructor for grades K through five.

      Mr. Richardson began his official martial arts studies in 1980. He received his first black belt in 1985. He received his third degree from Grand Master Shin on November 13, 1992, the same day his son G. W., received his primary black belt. Master Richardson received his Master Certification from the Kukkiwon in South Korea in June of 1996. Mr. Richardson received his 4th degree black belt and Master's certification in Combat Hapkido in January of 2001.

      Among some of Master Richardson’s accomplishments are induction into the World Head of Family Sokeship Council International Hall of Fame in Florida and being ask to write an article for the winter edition of the I.C.H.F. International Newsletter. This newsletter is read all over the world.

      Master Richardson is married to the former Linda Smith of St. Joseph, Missouri and has 3 children Sabrina Albrecht, Melissa Meeks, and G. W. Richardson. He has three grandchildren Brittany and Aaron Meeks, and Austin Albrecht.

Mr. Hays:

      William Hays was born in Waco Texas. Mr. Hays went to Axtell High School where he was Captain of the championship winning Chess team and was an individual Chess Champion as well. After that he was involved with the Honor Society, Beta Club and MENSA. After graduating High School in 1983, he went to M.C.C. for Computer Science and then to T.S.T.I. for Commercial Art and Advertising. Mr. Hays worked as a Greyhound Trainer in Alabama, Wisconsin and Kansas. He has also worked as a Security Supervisor and in the Sheriff's Department where he was a member of S.E.R.T. Currently Mr. Hays raises and trains Greyhounds on the family farm, and owns web based businesses.

      Mr. Hays began his official Martial Arts training with Tae Kwon Do in Waco Texas in 1981. He trained 5 days a week 3 hours a day and would compete in a Tournament every 2nd or 3rd Saturday for over 2 1/2 years. From 1981-1992 Mr. Hays competed in over 150 tournaments in 6 different States, winning 35.
Mr. Hays' favorite competitions have been and remain Full Contact Sparring and competitive Breaking. Since he was 16 years old he's competed solely in the Adult divisions. Mr. Hays is a former State AAU champion in both Forms and Sparring. He received his 1st degree Black Belt in 1987 in Tae Kwon Do. After that he studied other styles of Martial Arts. Mr. Hays holds the rank of Cho Dan Black Belt in five different styles; Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Karate, Ju-Jitsu, and Combat Hapkido.

      Mr. Hays helps with the Instruction of the Adult classes in both Tae Kwon Do and Combat Hapkido and some Junior classes.

      William Hays is the husband of the former Daranda White and is the Father of Kirsten, Katherine and Hannah Hays.

Mr. G.W. Richardson:

      G.W. Richardson was born in Waco, TX. July 11, 1978 to the parents of Gary and Linda Richardson of Hewitt, TX.
G.W. graduated from Midway High School in 1997. He then attended MCC and Sam Houston State University on a baseball scholarship. Then Graduated from Sam Houston State University in 2001 with a degree in Criminal Justice.

      G.W. has an extensive sports background, playing baseball, football, basketball, soccer, golf, and Tae Kwon Do.
He began his Tae Kwon Do training in 1988 with Shin's Martial Arts of West. In December of 1993, G.W. was awarded Shin's Martial Art's first Cho Dan black belt. Currently Mr. Richardson II holds the rank of 3rd degree Black Belt from the Kukkiwon in South Korea.
G.W. is an Instuctor and has competed at both State and National levels. He has qualified at USTU State and competed at the Nationals. G.W. is a two time State Junior A.A.U. Champion. He is also a two time National Junior Champion in Olympic style and Point Sparring.

      Mr. Richardson is currently serving in the United States Air Force.

Mr. Berry:

      Benjamin D. Berry was born on July 25, 1947 in Philadelphia PA. He completed High School in 1965 and then worked for the Philco Corp. for about a year.

      After receiving notice from "Uncle Sam", Mr. Berry went to the induction station to enlist in the Army. He took basic training at Fort Jackson S.C., then A.I.T. at Fort Sill Oklahoma. After training was completed he received orders for Viet Nam. He did a one year tour and was wounded in action, for which he received the Purple Heart. After Viet Nam he was assigned to Fort Hood to finish out his Military Service requirement, where he met his wife. Mr. Berry has worked at M&M Mars for the last 27 years and hopes to retire in 2003.

      At 47 years old, Mr. Berry began his official Martial Arts training at Shin's Martial Arts. He now has a 1st degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, and a 2nd degree Black Belt in Combat Hapkido. Mr. Berry assists and instucts classes in both Tae Kwon Do and Combat Hapkido.

      Mr. Berry is married and has 5 Children, and 6 Grand Children.

Mrs. Hays:

      DaRanda White was born in Waco,Texas. She graduated from LaVega High School and was a member of the Waco Youth Symphony. Ms. White then went to MCC and majored in American Sign Language. Currently she works at M&M Mars.

      Mrs. Hays began her Martial Arts training at Shin's Martial Arts in 1989. She has competed in and won many tournaments. She is a former State Champion in USTU, going on to compete at the Nationals in Atlanta. Currently Mrs. Hays holds the rank of 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She helps out with Class instruction for both Juniors and Adults.

      DaRanda was married to William Hays in 1994 and has two children, Kirsten, Katherine and Hannah Hays.