Another side of Don Southerton, CEO Bridging Culture Worldwide

Don Southerton 2011

My public image is of a passionate Korea-facing global business consultant, coach, trainer, strategist, social commenter, and author.  I’ve also been an avid student and instructor of traditional Korean martial arts for 40 years. During the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, I trained extensively in Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do (now Soo Bahk Do) under the Korean system’s Founder and son, the current Grand Master. A highlights of these years included serving as Chief Instructor/ Coach for the United States Military Academy at West Point. Before shifting my interest to academia, writing, and global consultancy work my martial arts schools were nationally recognized leaders in the industry and among the largest in America

While no longer an active instructor, nevertheless over the past 12 years as a practitioner I have added a number of complex Chinese forms to my repertoire of over 35 hyung—the traditional sets of combative movements martial artists’ practice to hone their bodies and minds.

I have always seen martial arts as not only a way of staying in shape through a wide range of stretching, kicking, and hand movements, but also a demanding mental regiment.

Finally, I attribute my success in business much in part to the discipline, self-control, patience, and focus sharpened over a lifetime in the martial arts—not to mention the cultural dimension a traditional Korea art.