PHOENIX GROUP RISING

Phoenix Group Rising
Sunday, July 10, 2016

We, the leadership of the Phoenix Group, are deeply grateful for and humbled by the outpouring of support from our Taekwon-Do brothers and sisters worldwide, and our students and instructors closer to home this past week. While we continue to mourn the loss of our founder, the Phoenix Group is moving forward in solidarity of purpose and in the strength of our combined leadership, just as Grand Master Tompkins intended.

The three of us stood with Grand Master Tompkins while our organization evolved under his guidance and mentorship during the past several decades. We never left him, even when times were tough. We held him up, we supported him through those difficult times, especially when he could not stand on his own. We stayed in regular contact as he mentored us over those many years, even while he lived in China. The Phoenix Group has evolved through the years, so that today it is a totally different organization than the one that he began. We, his leadership team, grew with him and worked alongside him to develop this organization. He depended on us.

Grand Master Tompkins was a great man, and we are proud to rise up again as the Phoenix is known to do. He chose our name carefully, and although others left Grand Master Tompkins and the Phoenix Group, our organization has continued to change and grow. We are committed to maintaining his legacy, and through our combined efforts the Phoenix Group will continue to grow and develop as we all move forward together.

Master Suzan Crochet, VII Dan
Master William Howard, VII Dan
Mr. Jeff Hurben, VI Dan