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Stephen Oliver’s Mile High Karate ® was founded in Lakewood, Colorado Chief Master Stephen Oliver – Kwanjanim
1992 Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) University of Denver , Denver, Colorado Martial Arts Background Stephen Oliver began martial arts training in 1970 in Tulsa, Oklahoma with Bob Olinghouse and Gran Moulder – Black Belts teaching for the Jhoon Rhee Institute based In Washington, DC. He began actively teaching 1974 and founded his first school in 1975. In 1976 traveled to Washington, DC to train at the Jhoon Rhee Institute Headquarters. In 1978, he returned to Washington, DC to complete his training to Black Belt, tested for and received his First Degree Black Belt with one of the highest scores ever given on the Black Belt Exam. While in Tulsa, he also trained in Kenpo Karate, Goju Ryu, and Judo. In 1980, he moved to Washington, DC and worked first as a head instructor then as a branch manager while attending school at Georgetown University. He has continued to train and contribute to the Martial Arts and was promoted to 6 th Degree Black Belt in 1994 by Jhoon Rhee (Father of American Tae Kwon Do) and, then in 2001 was promoted to 7 th Degree Black Belt and in 2006 to 8th Degree Black Belt by former World Champion Jeff Smith. Stephen Oliver’s Mile High Karate ® In 1983, Stephen Oliver moved to Denver, Colorado and founded Mile High Karate. Upon opening the Lakewood school immediately grew to over 150 students within the first 90 days. In the many years since additional Mile High Karate locations have been opened throughout the Denver-Boulder area. (Mile High Karate has been the #1 martial arts school in this region of the country since 1983) and has promoted well over 1,000 Black Belts ranging in age from 5 to 76. The Mile High Karate Classic and The North American Sport In 1989, he began the Mile High Karate Classic international martial arts competition which merited the highest rating possible – NASKA’s World Tour designation from 1989 until 1999. The event drew competitors to Denver from all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Haiti and was widely recognized as one of the best martial arts competition events in the World. Through his work in Sport Karate, he has was appointed to the Board of Director’s for the North American Sport Karate Association and served on that Board and as that organization’s national sanction director from 1989 until 1999. International Speaking, Consulting and Writing Since opening Mile High Karate, Stephen Oliver has been a sought after consultant for marital arts schools internationally first as Board of Director’s member of Educational Funding Company (serving on that Board from inception until 2001) then as the lead developer of the NAPMA Squared program for the National Association of Professional Martial Artists. He is the author of 3 books on professional martial arts school management as well as being a columnist for the Martial Arts Professional Magazine which is distributed to 23,000 professionals in the Martial Arts Industry. Additionally, he hosts “Bootcamps” and “Mini-Bootcamps” for instructors and school owners throughout the world to teach them professional teaching and management skills for martial arts schools. He also served on the Entrepreneurship and Venture Management Board for the University of Denver. He has been recognized as the U.S. Martial Arts Association’s #1 multi-school operator, and has led seminars throughout the United States and he is a key-note speaker at a variety of Martial Arts conventions and seminars throughout the world. Additionally, he was recognized as one of the top 200 school operators by Andrews International and was inducted into the U.S. Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame in 2000. He has been featured on the Cover of “Martial Arts Business Magazine,” “Martial Arts Professional Magazine,” “The Eagle Express,” “the EFC All Stars,” and “Martial Arts Business” among others. Charity and Community Outreach Master Oliver and the staff and students of Mile High Karate have been very active in charitable activities and community outreach since 1983. Mile High Karate has been the #1 contributing school to Chuck Norris’ Kick Drugs Out of American program, actively supports The Children’s Hospital Foundation, and has volunteered in 100’s of area schools while raising well over $100,000.00 annually for local Elementary Schools. |
