The instructors and staff at the Karate Quest Dojo facilities are led by Glenn Finke, who has been training in the martial arts since 1979. He is currently recognized as a Go-Dan (Fifth-Degree Black Belt). Mr. Finke established the Karate Quest Dojo in Warwick in 1996 and then in Port Jervis in 2011. Before that he taught at dojos (training halls) in Vernon, NJ and Middletown, NY. Mr. Finke is currently the chairperson for the Traditional Karate Alliance U.S.A., an organization he formed to facilitate networking and training relationships with other dojo operators like himself. He has also been a member of the Board of Directors for the Goshin-Ryu Karate Association and USA Kobudo. His primary instructors have included Mr. Teruo Chinen, Sensei (Teacher), a world-renowned Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Master Instructor with the rank of Ku-Dan (Ninth-Degree Black Belt) who leads the international organization JUNDOKAN International; Mr. Robert B. Herten, Sensei, a highly-regarded instructor of Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do and Okinawa Kobudo with the rank of Ku-Dan who was Mr. Finke's first primary Kobudo teacher and Mr. John Stellingwerf, Hanshi (Grand Master), Ju-Dan (Tenth-Degree Black Belt) Goshin-Ryu Karate, who was Mr. Finke's first instructor (along with Black Belt Instructors at Mr. Stellingwerf's dojo that included Fred Spatt, James Schmick, Kenneth MacCauley, Walter MacCauley, Michael Pace,Fred Carrell, Lori Baldwin, Peter Henderson, Allison Vagasky, Michael O'Dell, Ellen Mulvihill, Ed Hodas, John McCarthy and Richard Meigh who all had a major influence on Mr. Finke's early training). Mr. Ron Gaeta, Sensei, Roku-Dan (Sixth-Degree Black Belt) Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate-Do and Mr. Edward DiNardo, Sensei, Roku-Dan Goshin-Kagen-Goju Karate have also had a significant influence in Mr. Finke's Martial Arts training. Mr. Finke, in addition to the network of training via the Traditional Karate-Do Alliance U.S.A., currently trains under the tutelage of Mr. Roger Wehrhahn; Shihan (Master Instructor) Roku-Dan who heads the Budo Ka Renmei; in Karate-Do, Kobudo and Iaido (Japanese Swordsmanship). Mr. Finke has also taught seminars at select dojos occasionally. Glenn Finke A.A.U. Grand Champion Black Belt April, 2000 Mr. Finke has had a very successful career as a Karate tournament competitor at the regional, national and international levels. Some highlights include earning silver medals at the AAU National Karate Championships in the years 2000, 2001, 2006 and 2009 in age 19-34 Male Black Belt Kumite (sparring). Mr. Finke has also won many state and regional level Karate Championship in kumite, kata (formal exercises) and kobudo (traditional weapons) in both the AAU and USA-NKF. He's also won over 30 Grand Championship Awards in tournament competition along with hundreds of other trophies and medals. Another highlight was, sponsored by the AAU, representing the United States in international competition at the 1998 WKO Word Karate Championships (where he captured a bronze medal in Adult Black Belt Male Point Kumite). Mr. Finke has also served as a referee and judge in tournaments sanctioned by the AAU and USA-NKF as well as serving as a referee and judge at the 1998 WKO Junior World Karate Championships. He was also the co-promoter for the All-American Karate Championship in Hamburg, NJ 1996-1998. Mr. Finke has taught the martial arts since 1984 and started teaching the martial arts full-time upon graduating from William Paterson College (with a B.S. Degree in Business Administration/Marketing) in 1994. In 1996 he established the Karate Quest Dojo in Warwick, NY and offers martial arts classes to men, women and children ages four and older. Over 1/4 of the student body in his Warwick dojo are graded as Black Belts (the rank of Black Belt in his dojos takes a minimum of four to five years of training in order to be eligible to participate in the promotional examination). He also established the Karate Quest Dojo in Port Jervis, NY in 2011. He resides in Orange County, NY with his Fiancee' Donna and their two children Glenn Jr. and Daisy. In addition to his active martial arts training and teaching he is also and avid weight-lifter and toy collector. The instructors and support staff at the Karate Quest Dojo are all students of Mr. Finke's who are not only graded as Black Belts but in most cases have over ten years training experience. In addition to regular training in the martial arts they also attend special instructor training on a constant basis. This is to ensure that all instructors and support staff are up-to-date how to communicate with and motivate the students at the Karate Quest Dojo facilities. Although each instructor teaches the same structure and curriculum each instructor brings a unique personality and training experience to the table...with the goal to motivate and educate the students at the Karate Quest Dojo.