Profile of Presenters

Grand Master Jimmie Faralli – 8th degree

Florida, USA

Grandmaster Jimmie Faralli immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1971 at the age of 10 years old.  A few months later, in March of 1971, he began training in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido under Grandmaster Jimmie Brown and Assistant Instructor Wilton Bennett.  In 1972, Sgt Jimm McMurray joined the school.  In 1974, Lascellas McCarthy returned to the school from Thailand.  Together, they formed a formidable team of instructors.  In September, 1976, GM Faralli received his first degree black belt, completing requirements in both Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido.  He then began teaching both arts.

In 1978, GM Faralli entered the U.S. Army.  In 1979, GM Faralli won the superlightweight  division of the U.S. TKD championship, a title he successfully defended in 1980.  In 1982, GM Faralli was injured in a classified operation in the Middle East.  His injuries resulted in a 17 month hospital stay and a medical discharge in 1983.  In 1984, GM Brown tested GM Faralli for the rank of 4th degree black belt.  Although GM Faralli has trained with many renowned martial artists, such as Bill Wallace, Hee Il Cho, Bong Soo Han, He Young Kimm and Michael Echanis and has a tremendous amount of respect for these masters, his one and only instructor was his father, GM Jimmie Brown.

After having emigrated to the U.S. without ever having known his biological father, it was his great fortune to have that role filled by GM Jimmie Brown.  In 1993, GM Brown and GM Faralli founded the American Hapkido Alliance, a non-profit black belt organization whose sole purpose was to further the development of Hapkido in the U.S.  In 2007, GM Faralli, his wife SM Dr. Kathy Shaw and his son, Master Nikolai Lee were summoned to GM Brown’s deathbed, the day before his passing.  GM Brown had selected GM Faralli to be promoted to 8th degree black and be the Grandmaster of the organization.

In 2016, GM Faralli was humbled by GM Rudy Timmerman and CM Thomas Gordon, asking him to accept the induction of GM Jimmie Brown into the Korean Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame.  GM Faralli is honored and humbled by the black belts and masters he has produced over the last 45 years.  Some of those masters and students have been with him continuously for over 30 years.  Those masters include SM Joe Arndt, SM Dr. Kathy Shaw, Master Pete Santiago, and Master Nikolai Lee.  Their dedication has been his greatest inspiration.