The New Organizational Set‍-‍Up
Ever since 1973, the NKMAA was run by its Founder, GM Rudy Timmerman, under what he likes to call “a benevolent dictatorship.” But after 75 years of doing what he loves best, i.e. martial arts, it became time to look toward those a bit younger and more robust, to carry on the legacy of what he had so intentionally built, namely the National Korean Martial Arts Association. A careful selection of just a few of the various directors he had appointed throughout the years, especially those capable and willing to extend the value NKMAA offers to its members, was orchestrated to take place during his usual summer event centered on when his birthday rolls around, otherwise known as Warrior Weekend, and the 2025 session also incorporated his “Last Hurrah” which was not so much a retirement celebration as it was a notice of things yet to come.

GM Timmerman felt that the best way for the NKMAA to continue was to ensure there was an odd number from the group he selected as potential inheritors, so there would never be an opportunity for a major disagreement to possibly split them apart, when voting on important decisions moving forward. This resulted in only FIVE Regional Directors, although for logistics reasons, the original regional director over the United Kingdom (CM John Ward) was allowed to retain his soveriegnty, but he will not sit at the table with the other 5 regional directors (aka: the “leadership council”) who were selected to guide NKMAA in the future — those 5 council members cover the North American continent collectively. Any previous directors who wish to continue serving the interests of NKMAA in their specific region, now will no longer be called “regional directors” but simply representatives for a particular region and will need to coordinate with Chiefmaster John Orndorff before assuming any official NKMAA business.

The list of the 5 new Regional Directors, in no particular order, consists of the following Chiefmasters:
• CM John Orndorff in Ohio, will reside over all of the USA (and Mexico), except for Michigan, Texas, and Florida. [ TKD ]
• CM Steven Jensen in Ontario, will reside over all of Canada. [ KS·HKD ]
• CM Christopher Demanaeus will reside over the State of Michigan. [ KSB ]
• CM Dickson Kunz will reside over the State of Texas. [ KS ]
• CM Thomas Gordon will reside over the State of Florida. [ HKD ]

Click on the names of any of the 5 new Regional Directors, to go to their respective biography page.