Roy Harris Background
Mr. Roy C. Harris is the owner and chief instructor at Harris International. Since 1981, he has actively studied twenty-five (25) different styles of martial arts. He has obtained the following ranks and certifications: An honorary fourth degree black belt in Taihojutsu (Police Tactics) under Sensei Tom Snowden; An honorary third degree black belt in Sho Shin Ti modes Karate under Sensei Larry Kurtz; A third degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Professor Joe Moreira; A Green Glove in Boxe Francaise Savate under Professor Salem Assli; A Basic Level Instructorship in Kalis Ilustrisimo under Punong Guro Tony Diego, Guro Romeo Macapagal and Thomas Dy Tang; An Associate Level Instructorship in Jun Fan Gung Fu and an Associate Level Instructorship in Filipino Martial Arts under Sifu Dan Inosanto; An Apprentice Level Four Instructorship in Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Grappling under Sifu Larry Hartsell and a former Senior Full Instructorship in Jeet Kune Do Concepts and Filipino Martial Arts under Paul Vunak.
To this present day, Mr. Harris continues his martial arts training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (under Professor Moreira), Kalis Ilustrisimo (under Punong Guro Tony Diego, and Guro Romy Macapagal), and Jeet Kune Do Concepts and Filipino Martial Arts under Sifu Larry Hartsell and Sifu Dan Inosanto. Mr. Harris considers himself a lifelong student of the arts!
Over the past eighteen (18) years, Mr. Harris has taught a variety of martial arts classes, women's self-defense workshops, and investigative and protective countermeasure courses at universities, vocational colleges, hospitals, shopping centers and numerous private businesses throughout Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. He has also taught defensive tactics to various law enforcement agencies and personnel around the world. Here is a brief list of groups he has worked with in the past:
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)
San Diego Police Department
Chula Vista Police Department
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office
El Cajon Police Department
Carlsbad Police Department
San Diego Sheriff's Office
California Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST)
San Diego Sheriff’s Academy - Extended Format
San Diego Narcotics Task Force (NTF)
California Narcotics Officers' Association (CNOA)
American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers (ASLET)
Military and Civilian Law Enforcement Association (MACLEA)
Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)
San Diego P.D. (S.W.A.T. - S.R.T.)
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
San Diego Regional Police Academy
San Diego Narcotics Task Force (NTF)
US Marshals Service
US Secret Service (Dept. of Homeland Security)
US Navy Seals
Slovakian Special Forces
Polish Special Land Forces (G.R.O.M.)
US Marine Corps Force Recon
Mr. Harris has taught nearly 300 seminars globally: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, the Philippines, Canada, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Slovakia, England, Poland, China, Australia, France and the United States. He has been a guest instructor at the San Diego Regional Training Academy, the San Diego Sheriff’s Extended Format Academy, the Polish Special Land Forces Academy in Wroclaw, Poland and a few other "choice" locations around the world.
Mr. Harris’ knowledge and expertise have been utilized by other organizations as well. He appeared as a subject matter expert at the 1993 Use of Force Symposium for the California Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST), taught a two-day tactical ground fighting seminar at the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainer’s (ASLET) 1994 International Conference, taught a unique one day self-defense seminar for the Colorado River Indian Tribes and appeared on national television as a self-defense expert for a syndicated television show entitled “Don't Be A Target: A Television Guide to Crime Prevention”. He has been featured in Southern California newspapers, national and international martial arts magazines and interviewed on a very popular San Diego based radio station.
Mr. Harris has also worked with numerous civilian groups as well. Here is a brief list of satisfied clients:
Ten shin Martial Arts - Wangen an der Aare, Switzerland
Jiu Jitsu de Brasil - Newport Beach, CA
Combate Dept. - Monza, Italy
Paradise Valley Hospital Security - Paradise Valley, CA
Anheuser-Busch (The Bud Girls) - 1998 Bud Bowl, San Diego, CA
National University - San Diego, CA
Shooters Shootfighting - Gothenburg, Sweden
House of Champions - Van Nuys, CA
Century Business Schools - San Diego, CA
Chula Vista Center Mall - Chula Vista, CA
Fighter Fitness - Obertshausen, Germany
Radisson Hotel Security - San Diego, CA
Martial Arts America - San Diego, CA
Z90 Radio Station - National City, CA
Progressive Fighting Systems - Laguna Nigel, CA
Balboa Park Recreations - San Diego, CA
Trondheim BJJ - Trondheim, Norway
Horton Plaza Mall Security - San Diego, CA
University of California, San Diego Recreations - La Jolla, CA
San Diego State University Recreations - San Diego, CA
Shooters Shootfighting - Copenhagen, Denmark
Holiday Inn Hotel Security - San Diego, CA
Martial Arts America - San Jose, CA
Numerous sororities throughout San Diego County
San Diego District Attorney's Office - San Diego, CA
Colorado River Indian Tribes - Arizona
Mr. Harris was nominated "Angel of the Week" by a San Diego radio station because of the 100+ self-defense workshops he taught to the general public, free of charge, back in the mid-1990's
Mr. Harris' work history, prior to opening his own martial arts academy, is varied. He worked as a police officer for four years, a private investigator for four years and a residential and hotel security officer for ten years. This list does not include all of the odd jobs he worked part-time, here and there (e.g. bodyguard, dishwasher, busboy, automotive errand boy, auto body specialist, laundry service specialist, truck loader, construction laborer, delivery truck driver, television sales rep, golf course maintenance worker, YMCA youth basketball coach, painter, baby sitter, etc..)
Additionally, Mr. Harris spent eight (8) years in the United States Air Force Reserve as a Medic.
Mr. Harris is a proud member of the following associations:
1. Punong Guro Tony Diego's Kalis Ilustrisimo Association
2. Sifu Dan Inosanto's International Instructor Association
3. Sifu Larry Hartsell's Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Grappling Association
4. Professor Joe Moreira's Jiu Jitsu de Brasil Association
5. Executive Security International Alumni Association
Harris International: History and Background
Mr. Harris first began teaching martial arts to friends and co-workers. After teaching small groups of people in hotels and in his apartment, Mr. Harris began teaching martial arts classes at women's fitness clubs, kick boxing gyms, karate studios and universities.
In 1994, Mr. Harris was given the opportunity to open his own academy. However, he only taught part-time because he was working full-time as a police officer.
In September of 1996, Mr. Harris hung up the badge and began to pursue teaching martial arts full-time.
When Mr. Harris first opened his martial arts business in 1994, it was called "Progressive Fighting Systems - San Diego." Then in the fall of 1999, Mr. Harris changed the name of his business to "Harris International" to reflect the international flavor and impact of his business, as well as to reflect his own innovations and variations within the arts he had studied.
Harris International: Goals
The main goal of Harris International is to grow and develop an international family of martial arts practitioners and fitness enthusiast. We want to learn, grow and share in our martial arts experience together!
To date, Harris International has conducted over three-hundred (300) seminars in eighteen (18) countries around the world. We have seventy (70) instructors around the world representing our various martial associations.
We are proud of our family, and we all anxiously look forward to learning, growing and sharing together! |
