Distinguished Members

International Bushido Society Distinguished Members

In every group of people regardless of why they are gathered, there will always be those who stand out. Those who distinguish their self or stand out in a crowd. In a group of over 2500 members, there are always going to be more than a few. It would be impossible to highlight all who fit in this category but it is important that at least some of the important members be selected to have their short biographies available. The below listed people are but a few of the extraordinary group of martial students and IBS members in this humble group.

In writing the information for this web site Hanshi Reynolds have found that this section has been the most difficult to do. Sensei as martial arts teacher continually work to have its students strive to follow sometimes difficult virtues in today’s complicated world. One of those virtues is humility. Sensei tell his students they should be humble and then ask them to write about the things that make them distinguished in a large gathering of very distinguished individuals. With that said, it is no wonder to Hanshi Reynolds that it has been much more difficult to get a response from those he have asked to do this. Hanshi think many of them would rather endure a hard full contact workout than wrote about themselves.

The following is a very small number of outstanding people who comprise and reflect the larger. Hanshi Reynolds thanks to those who, like every other task he gave them, have been diligent in responding to this difficult request.

   RICHARD NOBEL REYNOLDS

Rick Reynolds was born in 1949 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After high school he joined the army and served in the paratroops and Rangers as a sniper in Vietnam. After the army he went to the University of New Mexico and the University of Albuquerque and then joined the Albuquerque Police Department. Rick spent 24 years in various law enforcement agencies in different capacities. Rick has one adult daughter and 3 grand children who live in Texas. Rick piloted hot air balloons for many years and has held two world records for flight, loves the out doors and spends time at his railroad caboose in the mountains outside Albuquerque when he can. Rick has traveled much of the world and continues to do so whenever he can.

In 1994 he was struck by lightning (the 2nd of 3 times over the years) and took 6 years to recover enough to continue his life. While he still suffers from the effects of his injuries, he is very active in many things. Rick is a self taught artist and usually does pencil sketches to relax. He also loves photography and has many hundreds of photos of his life and adventures. Rick’s passion is teaching, and always active, he is learning to dance at age 70. Rick has restored a 1952 army truck and is now working on a matching trailer.

Rick’s martial arts studies started at age 10, in Judo, and continued when he began studying Tangsudo while serving in Vietnam. He has studied many different martial arts over 60 years and holds black belts in several different styles. In 1999 Rick founded the INTERNATIONAL BUSHIDO SOCIETY and his own system of real combat called WHITE WIND WEN WU and has students in many US states and countries all over the world. The headquarters for both groups is in Albuquerque where he teaches both ancient martial arts and modern weapons training. He has been inducted into WHO’S WHO IN AMERICAN MARTIAL ARTS, and the WORLD KENPO HALL OF FAME . In 2010 he received his Red Belt Masters status. Then, in April 2019 he was awarded a highest title of Meijin in martial arts . For more information on Rick, see the other tabs in this web site.

   LARRY YOUNG

Larry was born in 1953 in Winfield, Kansas. He has a Masters of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri. Larry is a retired Engineer for Sandia National Laboratories since 2016. Larry is married and has 4 adult children, 10 grand children and 1 great grandson. He spends his free time playing with his grandchildren and touring with his wife in a travel trailer.

Larry’s martial arts studies began in 1988. He holds black belt rank in 3 martial arts and is currently a 5th Degree Black Belt in White Wind Wen Wu. He is also a member of KOKUSAI SIN JUTSU KENPO KAI YUDANSHA SEIEINOKAI . Larry is a Charter Member of Both White Wind Wen Wu and IBS and was one of the 4 original founding members of both groups. Larry has several awards and titles in IBS and White Wind Wen Wu and is the President of the Council of Senior Elders. Larry holds the Fire and Bear Crest or Mon in White Wind Wen Wu.

   MIKE KLEINFELD

Mike was born in 1956 in Denver, Colorado and went to high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He worked a variety of jobs before settling down in law enforcement in 1989. Mike is a true craftsman regardless of his job. He worked as a country Paramedic, Chef, and furniture maker, refining his skills in all three. Mike is married and has 3 step children. Mike lived in the country outside Albuquerque where he had dogs and cats and a hybrid wolf. He continues to love to cook and when he’s not doing that or spending his retirement on his sail boat, he is building pipe organs in his wood shop for people all over the U. S. If that isn’t enough to keep him busy in his spare time, he is also a sail plane (Glider) pilot and also flies remote controlled air planes and helicopters. All of this of course is when he isn’t perfecting his martial arts or enjoying his retirement as a Detective for the Major Crime Team (CSI), Albuquerque Police Department. Mike began his career in Law Enforcement in 1989. Besides that assignment, Mike is also a certified Police Instructor, Taser Instructor and Armorer and has a 3 inch notebook full of other certifications.

Mikes martial arts training began in 1986 and he was awarded his first of three Black Belts, in Okinawan Kempo. He became a member of the IBS and a student of White Wind Wen Wu in 2002 and is currently a 5th Degree Black Belt. He is also a member of KOKUSAI SIN JUTSU KENPO KAI YUDANSHA SEIEINOKAI . Mike serves as a member of the IBS Palace Guard (Security) and has numerous other awards and titles. He has been awarded the White Wind Wen Wu Crest or Mon of the Leopard, as well as the crest for Loyalty. Mike is an assistant instructor in White Wind Wen Wu, unarmed self defense, and as mentioned, is a Taser instructor. With Mike’s many skills, he is an invaluable member of the IBS. He has since moved to Washington state where he has taken a job at a Marina where he lives on his sailboat.

   SHERRY DANIEL

Sherry was born in 1939 in Burden, Kansas. She was awarded a Master’s degree in Mathematics in 1965 at the Oklahoma State University. She has been retired from Sandia National Labs for 35 years.

Sherry started in Kempo Karate in 1986 and has been a part of White Wind Wen Wu since 2003. She is the Wen Wu Tea Master. She is currently a 4th Degree Black Belt in White Wind Wen Wu. She is also a member of KOKUSAI SIN JUTSU KENPO KAI YUDANSHA SEIEINOKAI . Sherry has several awards and titles in IBS and White Wind Wen Wu and is on the Council of Senior Elders. Sherry san is also the oldest active student at age 80.

   STAR AMBER NELSON-RIDSDALE

Star was born in 1960 in Moorhead, Minnesota. She grew up on a farm with a love of music and Muscle cars, photography, the outdoors, and the lakes. Star moved away from the farm after school to make her own life. She went to work for Southwest Airlines for the ability to travel the world. She stayed with them for 18 years. Star started her path in martial arts after a near death experience while traveling in another country and now says she “came to the dojo and found her 2nd family and my love for Harleys.” She also says, “My brothers and sisters at the dojo have my utmost love and admiration, studying with them is a “Way” of life and not a class for a few hours.”

Beesides filling her life with her martial studies, Star founded SOUTHWEST THERAPY AND REHAB which has grown to where she now has offices in several states. She had become a “Healer.” Star was not satisfied with the healing powers she had learned and was always seeking more knowledge in the field. The way she explains it is that with this knowledge of how to help heal people, her life had become a true nirvana. The Webster’s Dictionary says Nirvana is “Any place or condition of great peace.” She had found her true career and love of helping others and thinks of it as “The constant reveling in making my part of the world a better place.” In doing so she found her passion was in helping others from ADD/ADHD kids, veterans and the rehabilitation of her patients. To do this, her studies have taken her to Brain Integration, kinesiology, massage therapy, herbalist, and naturopathic medicine. She is currently seeking her Doctorate in Naturopathy and says a holistic approach to healing of the whole body rather than just the symptom is the base idea behind her company.

As stated earlier, Star had a near death experience while traveling and realized that her lack of basic knowledge of self defense had almost gotten her killed! She began her martial arts study in Kempo Karate in 1988 where she got her first black belt. That is where she met Sensei Reynolds and eventually followed him to the IBS and White Wind Wen Wu. She now holds Black Belt rank in 3 martial arts and holds a rank of 4th Dan in White Wind Wen Wu. She is also a member of KOKUSAI SIN JUTSU KENPO KAI YUDANSHA SEIEINOKAI . Star holds the title of “Inyo” or Honored Healer within the system and IBS and is a true asset in an activity where injuries are a common bi-product. Besides other awards and titles, Star san has been awarded the crest or “Mon” of Deer. She is truly a distinguished member of both White Wind Wen Wu and the IBS. Star san has been a great help in the healing of Hanshi Reynolds’ many injuries.

   OLEG SHEPRUT

Oleg was born in 1965 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He began study of martial arts at age 11. After high school he joined the Soviet Army and served in Spetsnaz ( Special Forces ) of the National Guard, where he furthered his study of martial arts. Oleg has two higher educations – as a psychologist and as a state sport manager. He is got a Doctor of Philosophy in Martial Arts (PhD MA) in 2016. For some time he taught Physical Education in the St. Petersburg University of Cinema and Television. Then in 2017, he, along with Hanshi Reynolds established the INTERNATIONAL KENPO ACADEMY where he holds the position of Chancellor of the Academy. Oleg also is a poet and singer of his own songs in “chanson” style. Oleg has 2 daughters, and he with his wife bring up 2 grand children.

As stated earlier, Oleg began his study of martial arts called Judo-Self Defense, but it was actually Kenpo. At that time in the USSR, it was illegal to study Kenpo openly and if convicted of this “crime” one could do time in a Gulag. Oleg feels he was very fortunate at that time to have Sensei Nikolay Nikiforov who trained Russian police officer as well the civilians. He says now that it is clear that Sensei Nikiforov taught them very good techniques of Okinawa Kenpo. As time pasted he was inspired by the founder of Kyokushinkai Karate, Mas Oyama and focused his training on that style. Oleg points out that in the 80s and 90s in Russia was much like the Mafia gang wars of the 20s and 30s in the US! He says that then many racketeers and bandits, who only yesterday were simply athletes (boxers, kick-boxers, wrestlers and karate-kas), as well as criminals who couldn’t want to miss the opportunity to eat “a piece of cake named Russia”. It was a good chance to get real money as quickly as possible. In Russia this time was called “The new civil war” and about 2 million people were killed. So, the army taught him about Real Combat and after his army service he was a bodyguard for a time. Also Oleg studied two other martial arts are boxing from a famous Russian boxer as well a good street fighter! And the second was Full-contact Karate where he earned his first black belt. And more importantly, then he participated in street fighting of the “civil war”, where many times problems had to be “solved using fists and handy weapons” just to survive this war.

Oleg was never a student of sport Karate and is another student and instructor, like Reynolds, of Real Combat. He also is a member of the IBS and a 5th Dan in White Wind Wen Wu. He was recruited by Alexander Kozyrev not long before his untimely death. Some time ago Oleg san held Master’s degree 9th Dan in three styles of Kenpo. However, all senior Master’s degrees, that previously awarded to Oleg san, were canceled from January 2021, based on his personal application . Now he hold a Soke title only, which was awarded to him in 2005 at the SOKE DAI HYOGIKAI ( Big Council of the Heads of Families ).

   ROGER HAIR

A product of North Carolina, Roger was born in 1958 and has lived in NC his entire life. Throughout his life he has enjoyed many travels across North America and Europe but always returns home to NC. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Guilford College. He began his law enforcement career in 1979 and retired from full time service in 2000. Roger continued to serve in a sworn, part-time capacity until completely retiring in 2017. His assignments spanned numerous capacities including patrol officer, detective, forensic agent, and administration. Postings included rotations on SWAT, VIP protection, and dive teams. He rose through the ranks and promotions to serve as the Chief Deputy (Major) for the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office (NC). After retiring in 2000, he was recruited to take the deputy chief of police position with a police department in NC. His certifications include Advanced Law Enforcement officer (highest available in NC), criminal investigator, private pilot, police diver, SRT/SWAT, multiple protection training programs, factory trained armorer, and law enforcement instructor. Roger has held US ATF explosives and federal firearms manufacturer licenses. He is also a licensed general contractor. His most recent adventure has been as inventor and patent holder of a portable football goal post. In 1995 he was introduced by friends to the film and television production industry. He now serves as a security coordinator, armorer, special and visual effects coordinator, and film producer. He and Hanshi Reynolds collaborated in 1996-1997 on the security industry;s first comprehensive video training series for personal protective agents. Roger has written a number of training and procedural programs for law enforcement and security organizations including a Use of Force train the trainer's manual for Pinkerton Security – Government Services Division. He has operational and command experience in both SWAT and VIP protection. Roger was selected to serve on details providing security during several high-profile/threat trails including a murder trial of a man convicted for the execution of an organized crime undercover federal witness. He began his VIP protection training and field work while in college providing security for such clients as singer Bonnie Raitt, famed columnist Jack Anderson, and entertainer Billy Joel. Some of his most recent film clients have been Bon Jovi, Haley Joel & Eugene Osment, and Nora Dunn. Roger has been the AIC for protective details including 2 US Senators and 7 members of Congress. Most recently he has coordinated security for events including Congressmen Mark Walker, Trey Gowdy, ans Mick Mulvaney. Roger is a founding member of the British Bodyguard Association.

In his spare time he restores old buildings and muscle cars. He is married and has two children.

Roger’s introduction to martial arts began when he was 9 years old when he enrolled in a YMCA Judo program. He spent several years enjoying his challenging progression through the art resulting in a brown belt ranking. A family relocation and school sports suspended his martial arts training until after he stated his law enforcement career. After resuming his training he spent several years studying Shotokan Karate (1st Dan) with some Eskrima thrown into the training pot. Roger san holds 2nd Dan ranking in White Wind Wen Wu. He is a member of IBS, and also a member of KOKUSAI SIN JUTSU KENPO KAI YUDANSHA SEIEINOKAI . He was recently appointed to the Council of Junior Elders.