Kevin Gurganus(Hanshi) – Chief Instructor
8th Dan – Motobu-ha Shito-ryu, 5th Dan – Ryukyu Kobudo
Hanshi Kevin Gurganus is the founder and chief instructor of Carolina Martial Arts Center. He began training in 1973 and he is a direct student of Hanshi Tola Lewis, Soke Shogo Kuniba, Hanshi Yoshiko Dometrich and Hanshi Lemuel Stroud. Mr. Gurganus is a member of Kuniba Kai International, National Karate Jujitsu Federation and Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai.
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 Spoken Language Facilitator in the Deaf/Hard of Hearing program. He also holds a B.S. in Health and Physical Education.
Mr. Gurganus is a National Champion in the USA-NKF and the AAU. He is a former nationally rated PKL competitor and top rated regionally in forms, weapons and sparring. He is a sought after seminar/clinic instructor and teaches at several events each year!
Bill Harmon(Dai Shihan) – Head Instructor
4th Dan in Shito-Ryu karate-do, 3rd Dan in Ryu Kyu Kobudo and ranking in Hakko Ryu Juijitsu.
Bill Harmon began his martial arts studies in 1996 at CMAC.
He is a member of Kuniba Kai International, 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(Dai Shihan) – Head Instructor
4th Dan in Shito-ryu Karate-do and 1st Dan in Ryukyu Kobudo.
Dave Henshall 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 Shodan 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, Raleigh Martial Arts Center.
Debbera Carson(Shihan) – Head Instructor
4th Dan Shito-ryu Karate-do, 6th Dan Shuri-te Jujitsu, 1st Dan Ryukyu Kobudo.
“I started training with Shihan Kevin Gurganus at CMAC in 1996. 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.” Debbera teaches Spanish at North Carolina State University.
Joe Kelly – Assistant Instructor
1st Dan Shito-ryu Karate-do, 1st Kyu Ryukyu Kobudo.
Marc Mitzner – Assistant Instructor
1st Dan Shito-ryu Karate-do, 1st Kyu Ryukyu Kobudo.
