Master Jones was promoted to Ku-Dan, 9th degree Black Belt on June 16, 2001 by Master Allen Wheeler (10th-Dan) and the Okinawan Karate-Do Union (OKU).

    Master Jones was born in Springfield, Illinois. Like Master Smith, his father was a minister and as a result he grew up in several towns throughout Central Illinois.  He considers Bloomington and Gibson City to be his hometowns.

    Master Jones began his study of the martial arts when he was only 11 years old.  He was very small for his age, was not doing well in school and was getting into fights on a regular basis.  His mother decided that he needed the discipline and with the help of a college student, that was boarding with the family, he was introduced to Shoto-Kan Karate at a dojo in downtown Bloomington, Illinois.  Amazing, his grades went up and he no longer was getting into fights.

    Master Jones studied Shotokan for only a short time before he was introduced to Tae Kwon Do.  At this same time Dan was also heavily involved in sports.  In high school in Gibson City, Illinois, Dan was a state qualifying pole-vaulter, wrestled at the 105 pound weight division and started varsity as a defensive corner back on the football team.  Dan's high school football coach was quoted as saying, "Not only was Dan the smallest player in the conference but also one of the toughest." All teams were conference champions.

    In 1978, while attending Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois, Dan joined Master Smith's first class, it consisted of only six students.  Dan knew right away that this was the style he was going to dedicate his life to studying and began working out seven days a week; two to four hours a day.   Soon Dan became Master Smith's senior student and on October 11, 1979 Dan would become Joe's first student to earn a black belt and the only student ever to earn his Black Belt in only one year.

     Dan was a full-time Police Officer for thirteen years. Most of that time was spent with the Addison Police Department on the West side of Chicago.  In 1997 he was hired as the Practical Training Manager, a curriculum developer and control tactics instructor for the Police Training Institute at the University of Illinois.  In February of 2001 Mr. Jones was offered and accepted a position with Keane Inc. and in 2004 was promoted into management.  Keane Inc. is one of the largest computer consulting companies with locations worldwide.

    Dan is a state certified Field Training Officer, Crime Scene Investigator, Master Control Tactics Instructor, Police Firearms Instructor and Master Law Enforcement Trainer.

     In 1997 Master Jones was named "Executive of the Year" by the O.K.U. and in 1999 he was inducted into the World Karate Union Hall of Fame.   In 2003 he was named "International Martial Arts Master of the Year" and inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and in 2004 was presented the Okinawan Karate Do Union's highest award the "Master Shimbuku Award".

Master Jones has given presentations on control tactics and training methodology to several Illinois State Agencies, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada and the Russian Police in St. Petersburg, Vladimir and Moscow.

    In addition to providing private & semi-private executive martial arts instruction, Master Jones also serves on the board of the Okinawan Karate-Do Union and is the Regional Director of the Northern United States District. 

    In 2002 Master Jones' book "Karate - The Isshinryu Way" was releassed by National Paperback Books. In the widely acclaimed book Jones provides examples of his philosophy utilizing incidents from his years on the street as a police officer, law enforcement trainer and karate instructor.  "A must buy", "New required reading for my students.", "Insight to real techniques", "Educated, motivated and emotional", are just some of the comments provided by readers.  ISBN 0-89826-105-8

    Master Jones  was Master Smith's  senior student at the time of Master Smith's passing.  Master Jones is married and has two daughters. In December of 2003 Master Jones was  formally accepted as a student of Master Allen Wheeler, 10th degree black belt.

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