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Biographies
  Jeff Cholewinski is a sixteen-year veteran of the Glenview Police Department; for the past ten years he is the Lead Instructor for the Use of Force and Tactics program. He is also a member of a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team instructing unarmed combatives, owner of a police training company, Lead Instructor at Trident Special Operations LLC, Instructor College of Lake County Criminal Justice Institute, USTJF Defensive Tactics Instructor, and a continuing student of the art.
gamalinda Luke R Gamalinda Sensei has a background in Lama Kung Fu, Kali, Shotokan Karate and Taiho Jutsu. He began his formal martial arts training in 1981 and received his Yondan in Taiho Jutsu from Charles Plaines Shihan. He began his career as a state law enforcement officer in 1985. He is also a Control and Arrest Tactics Instructor for state and local departments.  Mr. Gamalinda was awarded a Hachidan in Taiho Jutsu (ITJF) and was the Vice President of the USTJF from 2006-2012.
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Steven J. Kaplan Sensei began his martial arts training in 1966, with a basic course in self-defense taught by Larry Lent, Shihan.  Mr. Lent was a product of the S.A.C. martial arts program in Japan.  Following the basic self-defense course, Mr. Kaplan was trained in Taiho-Jutsu, first in the short course, and then the complete system.  He continued training with Lent Shihan in Nippon Goshindo Kenpo JuJutsu, and the style's founder, Naraki Hara.  Prior to Lent's passing and Hara's retiring, Kaplan earned a Nidan in Taiho Jutsu and a Nidan in Nippon Goshindo Kenpo JuJutsu.  He then studied Goshin-do Kempo Karate with the late Pete Siringano, Sr., and Nippon Goshindo Kempo under Joseph Riccobono, Kyoshi.  Steve has studied and teaches JoJutsu, and knife fighting.

Kaplan Sensei has taught martial arts at colleges, student centers, in dojos open to the public, police and military personnel, and privately.  Additionally, he was Assistant Instructor in JuJutsu under Lent Shihan at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in NY.  Kaplan Sensei holds Sandan from the USTJF, and Sandan from the Nippon Goshindo Kempo Federation.  Mr. Kaplan is the Florida State Director and the International Training Coordinator for the USTJF.

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Alvin Linsy Sensei, a native of Chicago IL, has been training in themartial arts since 1966. He is a 10th Degree Grand Master of TaihoJutsu, a 7th Degree black belt of Goju Ryu and a 5th Degree black beltin Shotokan Karate. He also holds black belts in Sanuces Ryu Jutsu,Judo and Ti-Chi. He has trained under Grand Master Bernard Gilbert, Grand Master Charles Plaines, Grand Master Preston Baker, DinnesPurdue, Pat and Lionel Jones. He is CEO of the International TaihoJutsu Federation and President of the United States Taiho JutsuFederation. Mr. Linzy is the Director of the Far Eastern Arts Center inChicago and is a licensed State Judge and Referee.

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Charles Ropiequet Sensei has studied and participated in martial arts since childhood. His experience includes boxing, judo, Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate, Isshinryu Karate, Shorei Ryu Karate, Shotokan Karate and Taiho Jutsu. He received a Shodan in Shotokan Karate and a Nidan in Taiho Jutsu from Charles Plaines Shihan. He also holds a Yan Dan in Goju Ryu Karate which he was awarded by Shihan Vassie Naidoo of the Seiwakai Goju Ryu international organization in 2006. Mr. Ropiequet was a Shotokan instructor in Shihan Plaines' Far Eastern Arts dojo and also had his own successful Goju Ryu dojo for several years from 2001 to 2006. In 2012 Mr. Ropiequet was promoted to Hanshi, 8th Dan in Taiho Jutsu by the late Grand Master Bernard Gilbert. He is the International Representative for the USTJF in Colombia where he both promotes and teaches Taiho Jutsu in the city of Cali, Colombia. Additionally, he is the Vice-President of the International Taiho Jutsu Federation (ITJF) Over the years, Sensei Ropiequet has participated and taught in several seminars in both Colombia and the United States. Aside from his work in Taiho Jutsu he currently runs a private language service specializing in Spanish/English translations, interpretations and transcriptions working with his wife of over 30 years, Socorro.

schwartz Bob Schwartz recently retired from Abbott Laboratories, helped organize and instructs the Abbott Martial Arts Club where he teaches Wu Shu ("Kung Fu") and Tai Chi Chuan.  In addition, he teaches Tai Chi Chuan at the College of Lake County (CLC) and Far Eastern Arts.  He also teaches "self defense for women" at Abbott and is an instructor in a similar (but more intense) program at Far Eastern Arts.  Bob has studied Wu Shu for more than 30 years, primarily Tai Mantis and Tai Chi Chuan (Shi Fu Wong Lam Ling), and Taiho Jutsu for more than 20 years with Charles Plaines, Shihan and Luke R. Gamalinda, Sensei.  Dr. Schwartz received his Shodan in Taiho Jutsu from the USTJF and is the National Training Coordinator for the USTJF
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David O. Shipley Sensei has studied martial arts since 1977. Trained under Shojiro Sugiyama, Hidetaka Nishiyama and Charles L. Plaines, Sr., his martial arts experience includes: Shotokan Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi Chuan, Tai Mantis Kung Fu, and Taiho Jutsu. He received his Yondan in Shotokan and a Sandan in Taiho Jutsu from Plaines Shihan. Mr. Shipley holds an MBA in Public Non-profit Management and Human Resource Management.  He is an ASEP Certified Leader Level Coach, a USAKF Certified Referee and the Illinois State Representative for the Gospel Martial Arts Union. Mr. Shipley was awarded a Kudan in Taiho Jutsu (ITJF) and was the General Secretary of the USTJF from 2002-2012.

 

James Tansey Sensei began his study of the martial arts in 1983 with Ji Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do.  He acquired the rank of Chodan in 1989 and Yidan in 1991. His study of Taiho Jutsu began in 1991 at the Far Eastern Arts Dojo under the instruction of Charles Plaines, Sr. In 1995 Plaines Shihan promoted Mr. Tansey to the rank of Shodan in Taiho Jutsu. Jim received his Nidan from Mr. Plaines in 1999 and his Sandan in 2006. He is the Treasurer for the USTJF.

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Brian Yarc Sensei has been studying martial arts since 1986. He received his Nidan in Taiho Jutsu from Charles Plaines Shihan and a Shodan from the Aikido Schools of Ueshiba. He also holds rank in Judo, Shotokan Karate and Jeet Kune Do Concepts. Yarc Sensei is a Police officer in the state of Illinois and is also a member of the NIPAS Emergency Services Team, which is a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team. He is a Police Department Defensive Tactics and Firearms instructor, and is also certified as a Physical Fitness Specialist through the Cooper Institute and a Gang Interdiction Officer.
 
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