Shihan Kevin Gurganus

Kevin Gurganus, 6th Dan Shito-ryu Karatedo, began training in 1974 at the age of 12. He is the founder of Carolina Martial Arts Center, a member of the National Karate Jiujitsu Union and the Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai. He is a direct student of Kyoshi Tola Lewis and Kyoshi Yoshiko Dometrich.

He currently serves as Chief Training Officer, Kobudo with National Karate JiuJitsu Union.

Mr. Gurganus is employed in the Durham County Public School System. He works in the Exceptional Childrens program working with children with developmental disabilities. He has worked in the AU(autism) program and presently serves as a Language Facilitator in the HI(hearing impaired) program. He also holds a B.S. in Health and Physical Education.

Mr. Gurganus is an active competitor in the USA-NKF and the AAU. He is known as an all around competitor, competing in kumite, kata, and kobudo(long and short).

Helen Rogers

Helen Rogers, Senpai, 3rd Dan Shito-ryu Karatedo, began karate training under Shihan Gurganus in 1984. She has also trained in camps and seminars under National Karate Jiujitsu Union instructors from a variety of martial arts backgrounds.

Dr. Rogers along with her husband David are clinical psychology practitioners in Durham, NC.

Their four children have all been students at CMAC under the instruction of Shihan Gurganus. David and son Django are 1st Dan Shito-ryu Karatedo.

Deborah Luecken

Deborah Luecken, 3rd Dan Shito Ryu Karatedo, began her training in 1986 in Shudokan karate, in Kennewick, WA, with Renshi Ron Weyer. She has been training at CMAC under Shihan Gurganus since 1992. She also trains in Okinawan weapons. When not working out in karate, she enjoys bicycling and running.

Deborah is an atmospheric scientist at the US Environmental Protection Agency.

James Walker

James R Walker, 2nd Dan Shito-ryu Karatedo, also holds a green belt in Hakko-ryu Jiujitsu, began training in 1992. He has trained exclusively with Shihan Gurganus in Shito-ryu Katatedo in the National Karate Jiujitsu Union. Studied Hakko-ryu Jiujitsu with Hanshi Lemuel Stroud, Shihans Clayton Tucker, LD Tomlinson, and Gurganus since 1993. He has attended numerous camps and seminars in karate and jiujitsu. James currently lives in Asheville, NC and is also doing Yoga.

Bill Harmon

Bill Harmon 2nd Dan in Shito-Ryu karate-do, has ranking in Ryu Kyu Kobudo and Hakko Ryu Juijitsu. He began his martial arts studies in 1996 at CMAC.

He is a member of the National Karate Jiujitsu Union, National Martial Arts Association, Ryu Kyu Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai.

He is an active regional and national competitor in USA-NKF and AAU in kumite, kobudo and kata.

Bill is an independent financial consultant, is married to Cyndi Swanson with a family of five children.

Dave Henshall

Dave Henshall, 2nd Dan in Shito-ryu Karatedo, started training in May of '95 in Chidokwan style karate in NY, for about a year. He has been training in Shito-ryu Karatedo under Shihan Kevin Gurganus since February '97. He began training in kobudo in September of '97, and has earned a rank of Sankyu in Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai under Kyoshi Devorah Dometrich.

He has attended numerous camps and seminars in karate, kobudo, and jiujitsu and has competed in both regional and national NKF tournaments as well as other regional tournaments.

David currently teaches a small group of children in his home dojo.

Debbera Carson

Debbera Carson, 2nd Dan Shito-ryu Karate-do, 1st Dan Shuri-te Jiujitsu, 1st Kyu Ryukyu Kobudo.

I started training with Shihan Kevin Gurganus at CMAC in 1994. I chose CMAC from looking in the yellow pages because the ad said the school taught traditional Okinawan karate and that it was a non-commercial atmosphere. So I just got lucky and ended up in what turned out to be a great martial arts school with a great teacher.

I teach Spanish at North Carolina State University.

Richard Clarke

Richard Clarke, Shodan Shito-ryu.

I first studied Tae Kwon Do in 1975 in order to satisfy the phys ed requirement at U.C. Berkeley. Karate has been a great experience for me, helping me lose a lot of weight, increase my self-esteem and confidence and probably prolong my life. Finally, the CMAC people are a great group which I wouldn't want to lose.

As for myself, I am 52 years old, a computer programmer working remotely from home for a small systems software company in Florida. I have been married for 27 years and have two girls, Alison, 25, and Jessica, 22, both living in Washington D.C.

Navin Mahabir

Navin Mahabir, Shodan Shito-ryu (Nov. 1996)

For many years I've been able to train with a lot of different instructors through seminars, and visit and observe schools all over when I've travelled. Sensei Gurganus' combination of positive attitude, well-roundedness, skill, dedication, ability to continue learning, and ability to apply the martial arts to the real world is unmatched. I've just moved, and trying to find any one instructor or school which equals what I had at Carolina Martial Arts Center is impossible.

In addition to karate at CMAC, I've also studied kobudo. I've attained the rank of San-Kyu in that art under Sensei Dometrich. I was fortunate for a couple of years to be able to train in the Cheng Man-ch'ing school of the Yang style of Tai Chi with Howard Anderson in Durham, the principles from which I've always tried to incorporate into my karate.

Andrea Selch

Andrea Selch, 1st Dan in Shito-ryu Karatedo.

Amira Chapple

Amira Chapple, 1st Dan in Shito-ryu Karatedo.

I started Karate in June of 1987 at another dojo under the instruction of Sensei Gurganus. I followed him when he left to start his own dojo. I finally tested for my black belt in June 2003, after being a brown belt for 13 years (I like to think I hold the record for that!)

My 7 year old daughter Nadia has been taking karate for a little over a year and half and I know she enjoys it as much as I do.

I do not attend classes as regularly as I would like, but I hope to continue to do Karate for the rest of my life.

I work as hairdresser at Wavelengths in Durham on 9th St., www.wavlengthsalon.biz .

Tom Engle

Tom Engle, 1st Dan in Shito-ryu Karatedo.

I first started studying martial arts when I was in high school. I earned a brown belt in Kodokan Judo. I drifted away from that for a bit to get some education and start a family. Then in the early 1980's my son became interested in karate. After watching him take several classes with Shihan Gurganus, it became obvious watching was no fun; I had to start training too. Been at it ever since.

I continue to train because I want to be the best person that I can be, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Karate helps me do this.

I enjoy training with Shihan Gurganus because he teaches traditional arts, but he emphasizes principles over rote memory, and melds together techniques from karate, jujitsu and kobudo (weapons). Because of my job I have been fortunate enough to visit dojos in many places in the US and Europe. Shihan Gurganus without a doubt can explain bunkai (application of technique) and create spontaneous new combinations of basic techniques better than anyone else I have ever witnessed.

Judy Joyner

Judy Joyner, 4th kyu (green belt) in Shito-ryu Karatedo. Judy lives in Durham, NC and began martial arts training in 1997. Her karate training has been exclusively with Shihan Gurganus. She also trains in kobudo under Shihan Gurganus and Kyoshi Yoshiko Dometrich. Judy is an assistant instructor in Carolina Martial Arts Center's beginners children class. Judy is employed at Durham Regional Hospital as a Respiratory Care Practitioner.