2nd Degree Black Belt
Mr. Phil Walby
“My life is always closely aligned with automobiles. In 1954, appropriately, I was born in Detroit, MI. Tae Kwon Do (TKD) started for me in 1971 at age 16. I reached my 3rd dan black belt in 1978 while a college student. I received an MBA degree from Michigan State University in 1979. I continued TKD as an instructor in the full-contact frenzy of Detroit, MI, while working. One of my TKD students was a two-time national champion in full-contact kickboxing, while another knocked out the Canadian national champion in the first round. In the early 1990’s I moved to San Diego to start an auto repair business. My brother, another partner and I opened 70 locations in 5 states.I took a break from TKD for the next 18 years focusing on work and family. In 1992, my son, Philip, Jr. was born. Sonny is a constant, welcome pleasure.Over the years Sonny and I worked hard, long and continuously on his talents with his preferred sport of baseball. He throws a fastball at 95 mph and was drafted by MLB Baltimore Orioles at age 17. Currently, he is attending San Diego State University on a baseball scholarship. Recently, my brother and I started BRAKE TEAM in Portland, OR. We now have eleven locations in the area and one location in San Diego, CA. Brake Team welcomes all TKD participants. Portland is a wonderful community. Additionally, Portland is fortunate to have, professional instructors in Master C. Brown and Master A. Brown at Kim’s TKD in Sellwood, OR. It is in this environment that I plan long term participation. I am appreciative of all who helped me. Final thanks goes to my family for their support and inspiration in my endeavors.”

2nd Degree Black Belt
Mr. Donald Deaton
"I was born in Los Angeles, California October 14th, 1935. On graduating from Long Beach Polytechnic High School in the spring of 1953 I studied art for a year then, being bored, I volunteered to be drafted. After finishing jump school I served in the 82nd Airborne Division. I received a BA from California State University Long Beach where I was on the editorial staff of Genre, a literary review for the Comparative Literature Department. While working on my graduate degree I was a part time instructor for a Folklore and Mythology class and served for a time on the Academic Senate. During my time at CSULB I learned to tattoo and worked as a tattooist at the Long Beach Pike, an old and picturesque amusement park by the ocean. I was requested to come up to Portland, Oregon and help run the world famous Bert Grimm's Tattoo Shoppe for two years. I have been here ever since, running the oldest tattoo shop in Portland. Early in 1979 I started taking Taekwon=Do from Master Kim. I quit after a year in order to spend more time on my family and business. But, after almost twenty years, I came back to Kim's Taekwon=Do. At that time I was in my early sixties. I have been a member of the Taekwon-Do family ever since, enjoying every moment."

1st Degree Black Belt
Mr. Matt Pillsbury
"I attended my first Taekwon-Do class as a freshman in college, in 1990. Over the years, I trained in Taekwon-Do at several different schools, in different cities. Each time, a change in location or an injury would force a break in training. About 3 years ago, I discovered Kim’s Taekwon-Do at the SW Community Ctr. Master Cynthia Brown welcomed me to the class and I started relearning what I had forgotten, as well as all the new techniques and forms.
Both Masters Brown have been incredibly helpful in preparing me for the black belt test, and I owe them a great deal of gratitude. I’m also very grateful to my wife Amanda, for supporting me and encouraging me to perform to my best potential. I really appreciate the black belts that have helped teach and demonstrate proper technique, especially at the SWCC and Sellwood Studios. Kim’s Taekwon-Do is a family, and one that I’m honored to be a part of. "