GRANDMASTER TONY MORRIS is an 8th Degree Black Belt in Traditional Tae Kwon Do. He is the founder, resident Grandmaster Instructor and co-owner of Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, as well as the founder of the Sun Soo Martial Arts Association, which is dedicated to the excellent practice, teaching and preservation of traditional martial arts. Grandmaster Morris began his martial arts practice at the age of 10 and has practiced for almost 50 years, over 35 of which have been spent teaching, in addition to practicing.
Grandmaster Morris studied his first nearly 40 years under three different 9th Degree Korean Grandmasters: Ju Hun Kim, Young Yu and Chae Sun Yi. In 2011, Grandmaster Morris began working with his current teacher, 9th Degree Grandmaster Suk Jun Kim, Founder and President of Taekwon-Do International, direct student of General Choi, who is widely regarded as the “grandfather” of Traditional Tae Kwon Do, and international demonstrator for more than two decades. In 2019, Grandmaster Kim awarded Grandmaster Morris his 8th Dan for his decades of practice, dedication to his students, and expertise in and impact on the art of Traditional Tae Kwon Do.
Grandmaster Morris has complemented his Tae Kwon Do practice with substantial training in Hapkido, Boxing, Judo and Jiujitsu, translating his comprehensive knowledge onto his instruction to his students. As a practitioner, Grandmaster Morris has placed first in forms, sparring, in-close self-defense and board-breaking in numerous tournament competitions, including at the national level. As a teacher and mentor, he holds a variety of awards for distinction as an instructor and innovator in martial arts. As a martial arts professional, Grandmaster Morris is sought after as a consultant nationally for his success and excellence in the martial arts industry. On the mat, his leadership and teaching style are characterized by high energy, attention to detail and a drive for encouraging and inspiring his students to be their best self and pursue creating the best possible outcome in every moment.
Grandmaster Morris is honored to serve in leadership roles within two prominent international Tae Kwon Do organizations — as an Executive Committee Member and Southeast Regional Director for Taekwon-Do International (TKDI), under Grandmaster Suk Jun Kim, as well as Regional Director for the United Taekwon-Do Alliance (UTA), under Grandmaster Jason Wadley.
Grandmaster Morris’ role as resident Grandmaster Instructor of Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, as well as a national resource for the art of Tae Kwon Do – is supported by his wide range of life experiences and professional accomplishments. In addition to being a husband, father, and friend to many, his professional education includes a B.S. in Chemistry, an M.A. in Architecture, LP PhD certification as a Life and Business Coach/Trainer, certification as a Level II Reiki practitioner, and additional training in the Silva Method, NLP and EFT to complement his comprehensive and innovative approach to teaching.
His professional work experience simultaneous to his life-long martial arts training and teaching includes: a 20-year career in Architecture (Design Principal for a major A&E firm), winning numerous design awards; creation and ownership of a successful advertising agency; university instructor of Building Structures coursework at NC State University; presentation graphics and life drawing instructor; organic chemistry tutor; published author of numerous articles on a variety of subjects including martial arts, parenting and manifestation principles; and acclaim as a nationally-renowned commission-portrait artist (www.tonymorrisart.com).
While having developed an accomplished and dedicated staff at Asheville Sun Soo, Grandmaster Morris maintains a prominent presence in all of the 40+ classes per week at the school. Additionally, Grandmaster Morris offers seminars, demonstrations and motivational presentations to schools, community centers, public events and civic organizations and businesses both locally and across the country. When he is not teaching, Grandmaster Morris can be found spending time with his family, traveling, designing and building, or working on a commissioned portrait.
Grandmaster Morris believes that, “Life is an amazing adventure – and we have never ‘arrived.’ Every day is a new beginning!”
