GRANDMASTER TOM BALMOS IS A 9TH DAN IN TANG SOO DO. THIS RANKING WAS BESTOWED UPON HIM BY THE INTERNATIONAL MARTIAL ARTS COUNCIL OF AMERICA IN 2016. HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES MARTIAL ARTS HALL OF FAME.
THE GRAND MASTER BEGAN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MARTIAL ARTS IN 1969 WHEN HE BEGAN TO STUDY TAE KWON DO. GRAND MASTER BALMOS TRAINED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT STYLES DUE TO JOB RELOCATION. IN THOSE DAYS, THE AREA HE MOVED TO USUALLY OFFERED ONLY ONE STYLE OF TRAINING SO ADVANCEMENT WAS LIMITED. HE SAID HE FELT LIKE HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED BEGINNERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE MARTIAL ARTS. IN 1976 HE BEGAN TRAINING WITH GRAND MASTER JAMES CUMMINGS, JR. HE KNEW HE HAD FOUND HIS HOME. EVEN THOUGH THE ROUNDTRIP COMMUTE TO THE DO JANG WAS OVER 130 MILES, IT WAS MORE THAN WORTH IT.
IN 1977, HE MET JOHNNY “LIGHTFOOT” THOMPSON AND THE DUO EVENTUALLY RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNITION FROM BLACK BELT MAGAZINE AND KARATE ILLUSTRATED FOR THEIR TWO-MAN WEAPONS KATA. HE ALSO MET ANOTHER MAJOR INFLUENCE IN HIS MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING; GRAND MASTER CLARENCE “DADDY-O”SMITH. I WOULDN’T HAVE ACHIEVED WHAT I HAVE WITHOUT GRAND MASTERS THOMPSON AND SMITH.
GRAND MASTER BALMOS IS THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF S.T.A.G.E. THEATER OF BULVERDE, TX. HE IS ALSO OWNER AND AIR PERSONALITY OF AN INTERNET OLDIES MUSIC STATION. IT’S CALLED “OLDIES JUST LIKE ME”. IT AIRS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES 24/7.
TOM AND HIS WIFE, JANICE, HAVE BEEN MARRIED OVER 54 YEARS. THEY HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS AND 3 GRANDSONS AND 2 GRANDDAUGHTERS.
GRAND MASTER BALMOS IS HONORED TO SERVE AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE KARATE ASSOCIATION, CONTRIBUTING WHAT HE CAN TO A FAMILY OF MARTIAL ARTISTS GUIDING STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE RESULTS IN TRAINING AND LIFE.