FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 27, 2023

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America's Largest Martial Arts Organization Chooses New Leader
American Taekwondo Association Founder's son, Taekwon Lee, named CEO

ATA International (ATA) has named Senior Master Taekwon Lee as Chief Executive Officer of the international company. Lee's father, Eternal Grand Master H. U. Lee, founded what has become America's largest martial arts organization with more than 950 schools and 300,000 members worldwide.

"There is a season for everything, and I'm honored that the ATA Board has chosen my son, Sr. Master Taekwon Lee, to lead the organization as we move into this new era of martial arts instruction," said Mrs. Sun Lee, Chair of the ATA Board of Directors. "I know that he will carry on his father’s legacy of growing and uniting the ATA organization."
"I'm prepared for this challenge and excited to lead the organization my father started," said Sr. Master Lee. "I look forward to working with the board, Grand Master MK Lee and the Master's Council, ATA’s staff, the international training team, as well as the school owners and instructors. Incorporating my father's guiding motto of 'Today Not Possible, Tomorrow Possible', I will work diligently to 'Make It Possible' for all ATA members."

Lee plans to roll out his plans for the future of the ATA organization in the coming months, which will honor the martial arts instructors, encourage continued innovation of the ATA products, and grow the value and importance of the martial arts schools within their communities around the world.
Taekwon Lee spent his life growing up within ATA and is currently a 7th Degree Black Belt, a Senior Master instructor, and co-owner of an ATA licensed school in Atlanta. By the age of nine, he earned his 1st Degree Black Belt. He then spent his formative years as a junior instructor and assistant to his father. After attending colleges in Florida and South Korea, Lee started his professional career in the film industry in California which ultimately led to the creation of a media department within ATA. As Vice President of media, the ATA would grow to produce all the digital, entertainment, and educational content for the ATA organization's marketing, training, and events. As ATA’s Executive Director of training, he restructured all ATA training programs and earned the rank of Senior Master instructor. In 2019, Sr. Master Lee became co-owner and managing partner of an ATA licensed school in Atlanta which is currently among the top schools in Georgia.

“As a partner with Sr. Master Lee over the last four years in Atlanta, I’ve seen him build a martial arts school from the ground up during a pandemic,” said Master Chris Brabazon, partner at Karate Atlanta. “He understands the challenges as well as the joys that owners and operators experience. Opening his doors five months before the pandemic and growing his school to more than 200 students in just two years is a success story that can’t go without recognition. His unique experience as a school operator, and his previous experience as a leader at ATA Headquarters will bring a well-rounded and unique perspective as he leads ATA forward.”
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About ATA

ATA International, America's largest martial arts organization founded by Eternal Grand Master H. U. Lee in 1969, provides students, teachers and schools with the highest quality of martial arts curriculum in the world. With more than 950 privately-owned schools in twenty-eight countries globally, the ATA has trained more than one million students and currently has more than 300,000 active members throughout the world. ATA is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, and is a privately held corporation.

Visit www.atamartialarts.com for more information.