Shaolin-Do Masters

Grandmasters

The title of “Grandmaster” is given to the one person at a time who has been entrusted to protect the art of Shaolin-Do and lead all of the other masters and students. There can only be one Grandmaster and that title is passed down from one generation to the next. As of today, there have only been three grandmasters in all of Shaolin-Do.

Grandmaster Su Kong Tai Djin
1849 – 1928

More information

Grandmaster Ie Chang Ming
1880 – 1976

More information

Grandmaster Sin Kwang Thé
1943 – present

More information

Gone but never forgotten

Although the following masters have passed away, they have left their mark on Shaolin-Do, their students, and their colleagues. They will forever be remembered for their loyalty, skills, and leadership.

Eldest Master Bill Leonard
10th Degree Black Belt
Versailles, KY
1948 – 2023

Elder Master Gordon Burkett
8th Degree Black Belt
Cynthiana, KY
1957 – 2022

Elder Master Herman Collins
8th Degree Black Belt
Lexington, KY
1952 – 2023

Mike Lasslo
8th Degree Black Belt
Hazard, KY
1955 – 2024

Master Mike Kemper
6th Degree Black Belt
Somerset, KY
1953 – 2021

8th Degree Black Belt — Elder Master

Donnie Barger
Hebron, KY
Started in August 1970
Promoted in March 2016
nkyshaolin-do.com

Eric Bullock
Mt. Vernon, KY
Started in June 1985
Promoted in June 2023
rockcastleshaolindo.com

Eric Burke
Corbin, KY
Started in January 1983
Promoted in June 2023

Ben Collins
Lexington, KY
Started in August 1989
Promoted in June 2023
sinthe.com

Sean Elliot
London, KY
Started in October 1982
Promoted in June 2023

Bob Green
Richmond, KY
Started in May 1968
Promoted in September 2011

Jim Halladay
Erie, PA
Started in August 1972
Promoted in September 2019

John Keller
Boise, ID
Started in September 1980
Promoted in June 2017
idahoshaolin.com

Frank Mingione
Madison, IN
Started in May 1976
Promoted in September 2006

Jim Mooney
Cross Lanes, WV
Promoted in September 2023

Tim Nance
Winchester, KY
Started in October 1973
Promoted in September 2012
smaawky.com

John Price
Louisville, KY
Started in August 1972
Promoted in September 2012
louisvilleshaolindo.com

Tim Ray
Lexington, KY
Started in October 1974
Promoted in September 2019

Rick Reynolds
Lexington, KY
Started in January 1969
Promoted in June 2023

Joe Schaefer
Austin, TX
Started in August 1984
Promoted in September 2019
austinkungfu.com

Eric Smith
Troy, MI
Started in September 1968
Promoted in September 2006

7th Degree Black Belt — Senior Master

Dennis Cook
Fairfield, OH
Started in November 1979
Promoted in May 2021

Chris Dillingham
Mt. Vernon, KY
Started in February 1988
Promoted in September 2015

Don Duncan
Round Rock, TX
Started in December 1992
Promoted in March 2021
texaskungfu.com

Greg Fahey
Hebron, KY
Started in September 1985
Promoted in May 2021

Rick Felice
Erlanger, KY
Started in September 1979
Promoted in May 2021

Scott Frasure
Lexington, KY
Started in July 1976
Promoted in September 2011

Joe Harmon
Blue Ash, OH
Started in January 1992
Promoted in May 2021
cincinnatikungfu.com

David Jones
Lawrenceburg, KY
Started in March 1972
Promoted in June 2023

Tommy Knight
Louisville, KY
Started in March 1982
Promoted in March 2018

Dan Lester
Dry Ridge, KY
Started in September 1986
Promoted in May 2021

Chris Meece
Somerset, KY
Started in October 1983
Promoted in September 2024
somersetkungfu.com

Robert Nantz
Lexington, KY
Promoted in September 2024

Sean O’Brien
Austin, TX
Started in March 1995
Promoted in February 2017

Danny Price
Louisville, KY
Promoted in March 2018

Bev Razor
Louisville, KY
Started in March 1982
Promoted in September 2018

Jeff Rose
Miami, FL
Started in September 1973
Promoted in September 2011

Sheryl Schaefer
Austin, TX
Started in September 1988
Promoted in February 2017
austinkungfu.com

Bill Standafer
Winchester, KY
Started in November 1979
Promoted in September 2019

Wayne Wilson
Richmond, KY
Started in March 1986
Promoted in December 2023

6th Degree Black Belt — Master

Ben Bender
Austin, TX
Promoted in August 2021

Bill Bivins
Lexington, KY
Started in March 1973
Promoted in March 2012

Rosie Bivins
Lexington, KY
Started in November 1976
Promoted in March 2012

Jeff Blackburn
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2024

Kristi Branson
Round Rock, TX
Promoted in February 2023

David Brantley
New Philadelphia, OH
Promoted in September 2022

Nick Brummer
Dry Ridge, KY
Started in February 1997
Promoted in March 2018

Andra Collins
Lexington, KY
Promoted in May 2021

Jerome Cook
Hamilton, OH
Started in November 1979
Promoted in September 2018

Kim Eastman
County Cork, Ireland
Promoted in May 2019

Don Enzweiler
Versailles, KY
Started in September 1970
Promoted in May 2021

Jason Hammond
Austin, TX
Promoted in August 2021
southaustinkungfu.com

Ryan Howard
San Antonio, TX
Promoted in August 2019
southtexaskungfu.com

Rick Kells
Erlanger, KY
Promoted in March 2016

Kenny Kidd
Whitley City, KY
Promoted in September 2018

Jason Knapp
Parkersburg, WV
Promoted in March 2023
shaolinmatc.com

Keith Krummen
Florence, KY
Started in March 1992
Promoted in September 2018

George Lingenfelter
Austin, TX
Promoted in August 2021

Corey Machado
Austin, TX
Promoted in August 2021

Katy Moeggenberg
Blue Ash, OH
Promoted in May 2021

Jamie Mooney
Nitro, WV
Started in January 1981
Promoted in September 2012

Anh-Thu Nguyen
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2023

Annie Nguyen
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2024

Michael Perrin
Reno, NV
Promoted in June 2023

Rob Petry
Charleston, WV
Promoted in September 2013

Dave Randolph
Louisville, KY
Started in November 1989
Promoted in March 2011

Curtis Richardson
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2023

Robert Ryan
Austin, TX
Promoted in August 2024

Michael Sandham
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2024
lakewaykungfu.com

Jason Scott
Corbin, KY
Promoted in December 2023

Matt Southard
Austin, TX
Started in June 1992
Promoted in February 2017

Maiky Tran
Austin, TX
Promoted in August 2024

Lesa Walker
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2023

Warren Yetman
Pensacola, FL
Promoted in August 2024
pnsflshaolin.com

Sarah Yoffe
Seattle, WA
Promoted June 2024
shaolinseattle.com

5th Degree Black Belt — Associate Master

John Ahrens
Promoted in September 2016

Evette Alvarado
Austin, TX
Promoted in March 2021

Rick Barrera
San Antonio, TX
Promoted in February 2020
shaolinwestsa.com

Elmer Belmonte
Las Vegas, NV
Promoted in June 2017

Sarah Belmonte
Las Vegas, NV
Promoted in June 2017

Jason Black
Blue Ash, OH
Promoted in December 2019

Mark Bongard
St. Augustine, FL
Promoted in September 2020

Lou Bright
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2016

Cassie Bullock
Mt. Vernon, KY
Promoted in March 2021
rockcastleshaolindo.com

Chad Carpenter
Hebron, KY
Promoted in September 2019

Bill Caudill
Somerset, KY
Started in January 1969
Promoted in September 2023

David Cornett, III
Corbin, KY
Promoted in September 2016

Barbara Elzey
Winchester, KY
Promoted in March 2017

Gabriele Fivecoait
Corbin, KY
Promoted in September 2016

Mariah Fowler
Round Rock, TX
Promoted in August 2017

Shawn Frazee
Whitley City, KY
Promoted in March 2022

Mike Hall
Cincinnati, OH
Started in June 1992
Promoted in September 2011

Nathan Harmon
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2019

Paul Hawbecker
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2020

John Hedgespeth
Louisville, KY
Promoted in December 2020

Craig Henley
Boise, ID
Promoted in June 2017

Tom Hughes
Dry Ridge, KY
Promoted in September 2021

Kelly Hunter
Lexington, KY
Started in March 1983
Promoted in March 2022

Kevin Knight
Asheville, NC
Promoted in February 2020

Hank Knight
Louisville, KY
Promoted in December 2020

Russ Lesko
Caldwell, ID
Promoted in June 2017
csckungfu.com

Darin Marple
Austin, TX
Promoted in March 2021

Jonathan Martin
Hebron, KY
Promoted in March 2019

Lonnie McCoy
Lexington, KY
Promoted in September 2015

Kirk Olsen
Eerie, PA
Started in August 1989
Promoted in September 2021

Aaron Maxie
Boise, ID
Promoted in June 2017

Jake Parker
Dry Ridge, KY
Promoted in September 2021

Kathy Pendleton
Austin, TX
Promoted in March 2021

James Peters
Corbin, KY
Promoted in September 2016

Janice Pierce
Austin, TX
Promoted in March 2021

David Price
Louisville, KY

Robert Russell
Boise, ID
Promoted in June 2017

Dan Santel
Blue Ash, OH
Promoted in December 2019

Cody Shackelford
Lexington, KY
Started May 1991
Promoted in March 2009

Megan Smith
Parkersburg, WV
Promoted in June 2017

Shawn Smith
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2016

Daniel Staite
Round Rock, TX
Promoted in August 2017

Rob Stevens
Austin, TX
Promoted in August 2017

Rusty Toth
Austin, TX
Promoted in February 2016

John Wells
Mt. Vernon, KY
Promoted in September 2017

Lenard Swain
Round Rock, TX
Promoted in February 2016