At the age of 12 years in 1955, a young man named Joe Ruiz began Karate training with Tommy of Waihiwa, Hawaii. This was to mark the beginning of a Karate career that has touched many lives over the past 33 years. This was the humble beginning of a man who has been known as Mr. Kata, a name that was born of the intensity with which he teaches and the sheer volume of Kata that he knows.

Shorthly after he began training, Joe Ruiz transferred to Sensei Kiyoshi Aihara's Dojo in Honolulu, Hawaii. Here he stayed until he was 22 years old. Ten years of training with the Grand Master of the Zen Shoto Kai Do left its mark. Joe Ruiz grew, and as he grew, he became Sensei Ruiz 2nd degree Black Belt. At 22 years of age, Sensei Ruiz joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Korea. Sensei Ruiz was able to travel to Japan to train with the main school for the Zen Shoto Kai Karate Do. In this way, he was able to be noticed by the high Dans in Japan.

The year 1969 was one of sadness for Sensei Ruiz. Soke Aihara died, naming Sensei Ruiz as his successor. The main organization in Japan upheld his appointment by awarding him a 4th degree Black Belt and naming him as the U.S. representative of the Zen Shoto Kai Karate Do. After his return to Hawaii, Sensei Ruiz maintained the school his Sensei had left him for about two years. Then, in 1971, Sensei Ruiz moved to Augusta, Georgia.

It was in Augusta that Sensei Ruiz had another life-changing confrontation. It came in the person of Richard Baillargeon, 6th Dan and U.S. representative for the Seishinkai Shito-Ryu Karate Do under Master Kuniba. These two men, Soke Baillargeon and Sensei Ruiz, became friends and Sensei Ruiz joined Seishinkai. As the next two years passed, Sensei Ruiz was tested in Shito-Ryu Karate Do for 4th Dan and awarded that rank. In 1974, Soke Baillargeon withdrew from the Seishinkai and formed the National Karate and Jiu Jitsu Union. Sensei Ruiz was asked to be assistant director of that organization, and was awarded the title of Shihan.

Shihan Ruiz remained the assistant director of the N.K.J.U. for 12 years, receiving numerous awards. The two awards that were the most important were his confirmation Soke Kuniba as a 7th Dan and title as Saiko Shihan.

Saiko Shihan then withdrew from the N.K.J.U. in 1985 and formed the International Karate and Kobudo Union (I.K.K.U.). It was at this time that he named Richard Kelley to be assistant director of the I.K.K.U. In 1986, he named Richard Kelley to the title of Shihan.

For the record, Saiko Shihan has achieved a 4th Dan in Zen Shoto Kai Karate Do, 6th Dan in Motobu Shito-Ryu, and 4th Dan in Koga-Ryu Kobudo.

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