About Us -- My Instructors Master Dan Jones 9th Dan Isshin-Ryu Karate (Black Dragon Dojo) 2nd Generation Black Belt Under Grandmaster Shimabuku Master Jones was promoted to Ku-Dan, 9th degree Black Belt on June 16, 2001 by Master Allen Wheeler (10th-Dan) and the Okinawan Karate-Do Union (OKU). In 1978, while attending Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois, Dan joined Master Smith's first class, it consisted of only six students. Soon Dan became Master Smith's senior student and on October 11, 1979 Dan would become Joe's first student to earn a Black Belt and the only student ever to earn his Black Belt in only one year. Dan was a full-time Police Officer for fourteen years. Most of that time was spent with the Addison Police Department on the West Side of Chicago. In 1997 he was hired as the Practical Training Manager, a curriculum developer and control tactics instructor for the Police Training Institute at the University of Illinois. In February of 2001 Mr. Jones was offered and accepted a position with Nims Associates Inc. Nims Associates is a company that provides computer technology support and development to Fortune 500 companies. In 1997 Master Jones was named "Executive of the Year" by the O.K.U. and in 1999 he was inducted into the World Karate Union Hall of Fame. In 2002 Master Jones' book "Karate - The Isshinryu Way" was released by National Paperback Books. In the widely acclaimed book Jones provides examples of his philosophy utilizing incidents from his years on the street as a police officer, law enforcement trainer and karate instructor. Back To About Us Page     Top of Page Home | About Us | What's New | Classes | Products | Articles | Links | Contact Us | Site Index Guardian Dragon Dojo 602 S. Ridgeway Ave. • Champaign, IL 61821 217-355-5676 sholy@guardiandragon.com www.GuardianDragon.com Webmaster Site Development: Guardian Dragon Web