Executive Director
7th degree Black Belt
INDIANA
J.R. Russell serves as the Executive Director for the GMAU, GMAU International Headquarters & Leadership Institute, and the GMAU Academies. He began his formal martial arts training in 1974 and has earned black belts in seven traditional martial arts styles, been awarded the title of Renshi in Okinawan Kobujutsu (weapons), and is a member of the elite Shidoshi Kai (certified NSK master instructor).
Russell has had the privilege and honor to train with many prominent master instructors over the last 30+ years. His personal martial arts instruction is through: Grandmaster John A. Pachivas- 10th dan (now deceased); Hanshi George Brich-9th dan; Grandmaster Robert H. Bowles-10th dan; Grandmaster Karl Marx-10th dan.
Russell served as the United States Karate Association International (Trias – Pachivas USKA) Full Contact Fighting Director under the late Grandmaster John Pachivas until 2000. While training with Hanshi Pachivas and Hanshi George Brich, Russell fought in more than 25 full contact and Pankration tournaments and remained undefeated until his retirement from the full contact circuit in 2000. Grandmaster Pachivas promoted Russell to 6th degree black belt in 1999 in Okinawan Shuri Te Karate and Tuite/Kyusho Jujutsu. In 2002, Hanshi George Brich, Kyoshi Gordon Garland, and Soke Kent Haralson presented Dr. Russell with the positional rank of 7th degree black belt and the title of Kyoshi. In August, 2007, Russell was promoted to Shichidan, 7th degree black belt in Keichu Do by the Keichu International Ryu and Grandmaster Karl Marx.
Russell has earned seven academic degrees ranging from Pastoral Theology to Psychology to Social Work as well as several honorary degrees from various Christian and secular universities. Professionally, Russell is the Director of Academically Gifted Early College Entrance Programs for Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)… a post he has held since 1996. Dr. Russell, his bride of 15 years, and their three boys attend Horizon Christian Fellowship Central where he serves on the Board.
"My primary goal in training and teaching the martial arts is to cultivate mature Christian students. This goal is attained through spiritual discipleship, mental discipleship, and physical development."
Contact Info:
GMAU Headquarters
1001 East Palmer Street
Indianapolis, IN 46203
jrrussel@indiana.edu
www.gmau.org
(317)371-2128
