Professor Stan Mattson

Hachidan(8th Degree Black Belt)

       *Professor Stan Mattson was born on November 29, 1940. His formal martial arts training began on October 1960, on the day he reported for duty with the Third Marine Division at Camp Countney, Tengan Okinawa. In 1964 Professor Mattson meet Shihan Ronald Moku Alo and began study Chow Karo-ho Kenpo with him. Professor Mattson continued the practice of judo and jujitsu while studying Chow Karo-ho Kenpo until mid-1966, at which time he decided to focus on Chow Karo-ho Kenpo exclusively. In May 1967, Professor Mattson was promoted to 1st degree black belt (shodan) by Shihan Alo. From May, 1970, through June, 1973, Professor Mattson taught classes during lunch-time at Pendleton and evenings and weekends in San Diego, both at the depot and at his San Diego home. Several of Professor Mattson's students from this era earned black belts and went on to become instructors of their own schools and founders of various Kenpo organizations nation wide.

      On October 5, 1990 Shihan Ron Alo died from complications of leukemia. Though Professor Mattson was the senior black belt of Shihan Ron Alo, Professor Mattson declined assumption of leadership of the Alo Kenpo-Karate Association in favor of providing this opportunity and responsibility to Shihan Julie Alo in order to continuity of the teaching of the criteria they had established and to allow family control of the association.

      On May 15, 1987, Professor Mattson received his 6th degree black belt (rokudan) in Chow Kara-ho Kenpo , certified through the Alo Kenpo-Karate Association. Professor Mattson along with his senior student Professor Bill Marron, joined the Midori Yama Budokia (MYB) and in 1994, both were promoted to master rank 8th degree black belt (hachidan, red/white belt) and awarded the title of professor by their peers in the MYB. On September 18, 2001 after 41 years of martial arts training, Professor Mattson lost his long battle with adrenal cancer. He left a network in place to continue his teachings.