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BiographiesProfessor William L. Montero, Sr.1916 – 1992AJJF Professor 1953 Professor Bill Montero was born in the Territory of Hawaii in 1916. He became interested in judo in the early 1930s and studied at the Shoto Mission in Waipahu and at the Budokai Temple in Palama. Bill became an aggressive and successful judo competitor. In 1935 he approached Professor Henry Seishiro Okazaki to inquire about jujitsu as he had heard that he had opened the doors of learning to all races. Bill became the first student of John Cahill and helped to start the Hui Mikiki dojo. Bill Montero and John Cahill, and their families, became close friends that continued long after they all had moved to the mainland. Bill was promoted by Professor Okazaki to Rank Three (sandan) on August 21, 1943. He received his Nikko Restoration Massage diploma on November 15, 1943 and a Rank One (shodan) certificate from the International Kendo Institute of Hawaii on May 5, 1950. These certificates were signed by Professor Okazaki. Being an officer in the Hawaiian Territorial Guard, Bill often accompanied and assisted Professor Okazaki with the hand-to-hand combat and knife classes he taught to American troops during WWII. In 1948 Bill and his family moved to California and settled in San Jose. In 1949 he opened the Pacific Judo Academy, a successful dojo that taught jujitsu and judo for over 30 years. Professor Montero taught competitive judo on the national level and produced numerous local, state and national judo champions. In 1949 Bill was asked by Ray Law, Bud Estes, Rick Rickerts and John Cahill to join their newly formed organization, The American Judo & Jujitsu Federations. He was awarded an 'Instructor Black Belt Degree' diploma by the A.J.J.F. on May 5, 1949 and promoted to 'Professor Black Belt Degree' on December 6, 1953. During the early years of the A.J.J.F., Professor Montero was very supportive and active in the Federations judo program. In 1958 Professor Montero was commissioned by Santa Clara County (California) to work in their rehabilitation program helping children with walking difficulties. With Nikko Restorative Massage and medical gymnastics, he was able to help many youngsters – some of which became students at the Pacific Judo Academy. Professor Montero, along with John Cahill, Sonny Chang and Markham Spencer, were part of a handful of students that were taught the arts of bokendo by Professor Okazaki in the 1930s. In the 1960s Professor Montero revived the arts of bokendo that had been taught to him by Professor Okazaki and included them into his teaching curriculum at the Pacific Judo Academy. During the 1960s and 1970s, Professor Montero taught bokendo to the crowd control (riot) units of many police departments in Santa Clara County. Professor Montero retired from the Lockheed Missiles & Space Division in 1981 and moved to Colorado Springs, CO. He continued to hold seminars and clinics for his senior black belts in the arts of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu and Nikko Restorative Massage until to the time of his death in 1992. Additional Martial Arts Ranks Obtained by Professor William L. Montero, Sr.:
(list is not complete as some records were lost):
return to topProfessor Bob Krull1936 – 2004Bob started his martial arts training at age 9, in Hawaii. From Hawaii, he and his family returned to San Jose, where he continued his study of the martial arts, this time at the Pacific Judo Academy under Professor William Montero Sr., himself a student of Professor Okazaki. He received a shodan from Professor Montero in Kodenkan Jujutsu in 1958 and a shodan in Judo in 1959, at the age of 23. Bob went on to receive the rank of godan in Kodenkan Jujitsu from Professor Montero in 1989. Bob was an active competitor in judo and competed at a regional and national level. It was also during this period that he subcontracted to Matsuno Segawa, a close-quarter warfare expert, to assist in developing and teaching hand-to-hand combat and survival programs for the US Navy Special Services Division, specifically, to the underwater demolition teams that eventually became the Navy SEALS. In the early 1960s, Bob studied karate under Professor Duke Moore and under the founder of Kyokushin Kaikan Karate, Master Masutatsu (Mas) Oyama and received the rank of shodan. From 1964 to 1972, he was also a reserve police officer with the Fairfax Police Department, where he started the department's pistol-shooting team. Bob hunted all his life and especially enjoyed long-range shots, 1,000 yards or more. On one occasion, he had taken a long-range shot at a deer. By the time the bullet hit the first deer a second had wandered into the line of fire and also went down, the bullet passing through the first one and hit the second. Bob had a 33-year career in the San Francisco office of the Federal Highway Administration, where, in his own words, he 'impersonated an engineer.' With only a high school education, he was not a licensed engineer, but he was well read, self-taught, and mastered the skills of land and aerial surveying, road building and engineering road surfaces. A woodsman since birth, he used to precede the road surveyors into the field to mark camping sites for them. At the end of his career he had earned a community college teaching certificate and had written and produced a widely popular newsletter on technology transfer on the various aspects of highway engineering and safety. In the early 1970s, Bob moved to the ranch in Calistoga where he would live until his death. Professor Gene Edwards, formerly of the AJJF, was teaching jujutsu in Calistoga. The two hit it off and for several years together taught jujutsu and ran their now-famous clinics on self-defense, police techniques, and combative arts at the ranch. It was Bob's introduction to the AJJF and the AJJF's introduction to the teachings of Professor Montero. Also during the 1970s, he taught judo at the Embarcadero YMCA in San Francisco and judo and jujitsu at the Calistoga Jujitsu Academy. During the 1980s Bob was an associate instructor at the Cahill Judo Academy in San Bruno and was assistant coach of the Stanford Judo Team with Coach (Professor) Willy Cahill. He was good friends with Hachiro Okazaki, son of Professor Okazaki. Hachiro would come to California to fish off the coast with Bob and Bob would go to Hawaii to fish with Hachiro. Imagine deep-sea fishing from a canoe 12 miles off shore. . . Few people knew that Bob was also an artist, although some may remember the brass belt buckle he designed and produced for the AJJF. He painted—and sold—several wildlife scenes and was an avid photographer. He played guitar, made his own wine, raised his own sheep, goats and chickens and barbecued and cooked like a professional. Visitors would often be treated to a gourmet dinner consisting only of foods grown on the ranch. Bob was a superbly trained and well rounded martial artist. In addition to his competitive career in judo, he also excelled at kata, winning several AJJF kata tournaments with partner, and now Professor, Bob Hudson. His skill at knife fighting was renowned and his course on innovative weaponry was always an eye-opener to those who watched him remove even more weapons from his person—after being searched by an experienced police officer. And those who took his knife sharpening class learned that there is a difference between a sharp knife and a Krull-sharp knife. During the late 1970s and 1980s Bob co-instructed numerous police defensive tactics and women's self defense courses with his good friend Dave Martin, an AJJF black belt and an officer with the California Highway Patrol. In support of Professor Sig Kufferath, Bob became one of the charter members of the Kilohana Martial Arts Association. In 2001 he became one of the co-founders of the Pacific Jujitsu Alliance, an organization of Danzan Ryu black belts established to preserve and promote the arts of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu as taught by Professor William Montero Sr. Bob lost his good friend Pat Browne, an AJJF professor, in 1996. Bob was often a guest instructor at Professor Browne's Camp Midwest which was held each summer in Illinois. Their method of teaching Danzan Ryu Jujitsu, both on and off the mat, has become somewhat of a legend in the Midwest. At the time of his death Bob held the rank of hachidan and title of professor in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu from the Pacific Jujitsu Alliance and the Northern Arizona Martial Arts Association. He also held the rank of yodan from the Kodenkan Yudanshakai, an Arizona-based Danzan Ryu organization founded by Professor Joe Holck, an Okazaki student. Bob's judo ranks included godan in Kodokan Judo from the United States Judo Federation and the United States Judo Inc. His nidan in judo came from the Kodokan Institute in Japan. He was also a Class 'B' national-level judo referee with USJI and was a certified judo examiner by the USJA. At the 2004 American Judo & Jujitsu Federation convention in Sacramento, Bob was posthumously raised to the AJJF rank of godan. On Sunday, January 4, 2004, Professor Bob Krull of Calistoga, California, passed away, the victim of a rare form of esophageal cancer. He was an extraordinary man who will be missed greatly by those who knew him and even more so by those of us who can call him our friend. Submitted by Professor Bob McKean – June 2008 return to topProfessor Bob McKeanProfessor McKean began his training in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu in 1969 and obtained the rank of Shodan in 1973 though the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation. In 1974 Bob became a student of Professor William (Bill) Montero Sr. at the Pacific Judo Academy in San Jose, California. During his eighteen years under the personal instruction of Professor Montero, himself a black belt under Professor Henry Okazaki, Bob was awarded the rank of yodan in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu, graduated from the Kodenkan Jujitsu Police Course and received the title of Senior Black Belt Bokendo Instructor.Bob currently holds the Danzan Ryu Jujitsu rank of shichidan from the Kilohana Martial Arts Association, rokudan and title of professor from the Pacific Jujitsu Alliance, godan from the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation, yodan from the Kodenkan Yudanshakai and sandan from the American Jujitsu Institute. In addition he is ranked as nidan in judo and rokudan in jujitsu through the United States Judo Association and was recognized in 1995 as a USJA Master Jujitsu Rank Examiner. Bob holds the rank of shodan in Shotokan Karate-Do under Shihan Ken Funakoshi, godan in Goshin-Jutsu through the Shudokan Martial Arts Association under Professor Walter Todd, shodan in Daito Ryu Aikijutsu under Sensei Yonezawa and black belt ranks in Nihon Ryu Jujitsu, Karate-do and Kobudo through the Kokusai Budoin. After a twenty-seven year law enforcement career with the Milpitas Police Department Bob retired at the rank of lieutenant in 2001. Some of his assignments included patrol supervisor, street crimes unit, community relations, traffic unit supervisor, internal affairs, SWAT team member, firearms and defensive tactics instructor. During his career he attended numerous police defensive tactics instructor courses taught by some of the leading law enforcement instructors in the field that included Bob Koga, Dick Min, Jordan Roth, Don Cameron, John Peters, Mike Nakamura, George Williams, Darren Levin and Jim Wagner. Bob obtain police instructor certifications for straight baton, PR-24, expandable baton, riot baton, tactical handcuffing, carotid restraints and police self defense. Bob was a 1985 graduate of the F.B.I. Defensive Tactics Instructor Course and was recognized as a Police Defensive Tactics Instructor by the Kokusai Budo Renmei in Japan. He taught police defensive tactics for over twenty years for his department, a regional police academy and for numerous law enforcement agencies in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Illinois and Massachusetts. Bob has been an active supporter of many martial arts organizations. He is a Charter Member of the Kilohana Martial Arts Association, Silver Patron Life Member of the United States Judo Association, and a forty year member of the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation. In 2001 Professor Bob McKean and Professor Bob Krull co-founded the Pacific Jujitsu Alliance, an organization of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu black belts established to preserve and promote the arts of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu as taught by Professor William Montero Sr. Bob currently lives in southern Oregon where he continues to pass on the teachings of Professor Okazaki and Professor Montero through classes at the Medford Judo Academy and through clinics for the Pacific Jujitsu Alliance, Kilohana Martial Arts Association and the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation. January 9, 2010 return to topSensei Chris NicholasSensei Nicholas began studying martial arts in 1990 at West Coast Tae Kwon Do in Newark, CA. Six months later he began his training in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu under Professor Bob McKean. He continued with Tae Kwon Do for seven years earning a 2nd Degree Black Belt from Master Ev Pepper while also training in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu. Chris has also cross trained in Kempo Karate (Tracy Style for 2 years), Kodokan Judo at San Jose State University (2 years), Krav Maga (3 years), Brazilian Jujitsu (3 years), and Kodenkan Bokendo.Sensei Nicholas has been a full time police officer since 1995 and is certified as a law enforcement arrest & control tactics Instructor in both the F.B.I. and Krav Maga law enforcement methods of police defensive tactics. He is currently assigned to the traffic division as a motor officer and is one of his department’s firearms and arrest & control instructors. Chris is one of the original students of the K.I.T.W. combat knife fighting course developed by the late Professor Bob Krull and Professor Bob McKean in 1993. Chris has participated as a student, basic instructor and advanced instructor in these courses for the past 15 years. In 2008 Chris was promoted to the title of Master Combat Knife Instructor by Professor Bob McKean and Master Don Richardson. Chris balances his martial arts training by studying Master Okazaki’s method of restorative massage. He began the basic study of massage with Jill McKean and received additional training from Professor’s Bob Krull and Bob McKean. Chris is continuing his study of massage with Master Don Richardson. Sensei Nicholas holds the rank of yodan (4th degree black belt) and his wife Kathleen the rank of sandan (3rd degree black belt) in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu under Professor Bob McKean. Chris is a charter member and one of the senior black belts of the Pacific Jujitsu Alliance, a member of Jujitsu America and an allied member of the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation. Chris is sensei of the Pacific Self Defense Academy and is currently teaching Danzan Ryu Jujitsu at the Esteller Martial Art Kajukenbo School in San Leandro, CA. November 2008 return to topSensei Michael D. TuckerI began my martial arts training in Tae Kwon Do during the second week of January 1989 under Kwang Jang Nim Tony Thompson and Bu Kwang Jang Nim Ev Pepper at West Coast TKD. While training there, I met Professor Robert J. McKean in 1990, and began to study Kodenkan Danzan Ryu Jujitsu from him. In 1992 I received my Red Belt in TKD from West Coast. After that I focused my training on Jujitsu where I received my Shodan rank in 1994. I received my most recent Jujitsu rank of Godan in March of 2009. I have had the honor of so far promoting 8 Black Belts. Also under Professor McKean, I am studying Kodenkan Bokendo and hold a Master Level Instructor rank.I began studying Combat Knife Fighting under the late Prof. Robert F. Krull in 1994 and received my Master Combat Knife Instructor certificate in August 2008. I am a proud member and “Plank Holder” of the Concrete Warrior Knife Society (Member No. 3). I continue to study knife fighting under Prof. McKean and Master Don Richards. Professor McKean introduced me to Sensei Cary Takagawa in 1992, and I received the USJA Judo rank of Shodan from Takagawa Sensei in 1995. I am currently a USJA Silver Patron Life Member, No. 9576. While studying judo, I trained with then USJA president Phil Porter, and assisted in the creation of the USJA Jujitsu Manual. I started training in Krav Maga in 1997 and received the rank of Green Belt from Mr. Darren Levine in 1999. I am a signing founder of the Pacific Jujitsu Alliance, and personally witnessed the signing of the Kilohana Martial Arts Association Charter. In 2000 I met the late Professor Imi Okazaki Mullens and her husband, and we became very close friends. Prof. Imi visit and taught at my dojo numerous times, and am most proud to say she and I were on a first name basis. She shared with me many intimate stories about life in the Okazaki household, which gave me a much more personal connection to Danzan Ryu Jujitsu. I have also had the pleasure of training with late Professor’s Walter Todd and Pat Browne. I received my Jujitsu Sensei title in 1999 and am currently head of the Danzan Ryu Jujitsu Jujitsu program at Self Defense Institute in Fremont, CA. I grew up in a military family (around the world) and currently run a small tech business in Silicon Valley. I list my hobbies as classic automobiles, world religions, fine tequilas and of course the study of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu. MARTIAL ARTS RANKS: Pacific Training Institute, Danzan Ryu Jujitsu, Prof. Robert J. McKean Shodan, January 22, 1994 Nidan, June 7, 1996 Sandan, June 5, 1999 Yodan , April 1, 2006 Godan, March 28, 2009 Hosinsul, Yodan, June 6, 1999 United States Judo Association, Coach Phil Porter, Sensei Ben Bergworf Nidan, Jujitsu, May 1, 1995 North Valley Judo Jujitsu, Sensei Cary Takagawa Shodan, Judo, September 23, 1995 Shudokan Martial Arts Association, Prof. Walter Todd Shodan, December 1, 1994 West Coast Tae Kwon Do, Kwang Jang Nim Tony Thompson Red Belt, July 16, 1992 Krav Maga, Mr. Darren Levine Green Belt, May 24, 1999 TITLES: Pacific Training Institute Sensei, Jujitsu, June 5, 1999 Concrete Warrior Knife Society, Prof. Robert Krull, Senior Master Don Richards Master Combat Knife Instructor, Aug 17, 2008 Pacific Training Institute Master Level Bokendo Instructor, February 9, 2009 California Karate Academy, Master Jim Mathers Shodan, Jujitsu, April 1, 1994 Shudokan Martial Arts Association, Prof. Walter Todd Sensei, Jujitsu, December 1, 1994 Submitted by Michael D. Tucker – September 2009 return to top |