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13) Bill Packer (January 18,1946-August 19, 2005) William (Bill) Packer was born on January 18, 1946 in Columbus, Ohio. Three months later his family moved to Tucson, Arizona, where, later in life and after many moves he would begin studying Kenpo Karate. His father was a career military man and was transferred to Fairchild AFB in Spokane, Washington in 1953. Later, after a short stop in Ohio, the military sent the family to Puerto Rico. It was here that Mr. Packer was first introduced to Boxing and Judo. Bill also majored in baseball, basketball, and swimming while on the island. Another military transfer moved the family to Springfield, Massachusetts where Mr. Packer resumed boxing around his first passion - baseball. The Vietnam War stalled extended efforts in baseball as Mr. Packer entered the military. Before and during the military, Mr. Packer had confined and limited experience in Okinawa-Te, Wing Chun, Tai Chi, and Tae Kwon Do. Boxing, however, was his most extensive prior training. After completing the military tour, Mr. Packer moved back to Tucson, Arizona and began training with Jay Huff, Sr., at TRACO International Schools for self-defense. Motivated and dedicated, Mr. Packer moved toward career training and became manager of the TRACO So. 6th Street school in Tucson. After a short stop at the Tucson Headquarters School, working directly under Mr. Huff, Mr. Packer was transferred to Globe, Arizona to open and manage that location and start direct training with Mr. Connor. Quick success moved Mr. Packer to greater opportunity in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Another success promoted him to Regional Director in the TRACO Organization. After opening another school in Flagstaff, Arizona, TRACO transferred Bill to Glendale, Arizona. The Glendale School became his home office as Regional Director for TRACO. As Southwest Regional Director, he interacted with a great number of schools, including managers, instructors and students. This gave him invaluable experience and insight as both a teacher of Karate and of the business at every level.

After establishing AKKA, Mr. Packer resolved to broaden the scope of his system. Early on, Mr. Packer was well aware of a variety of principles common to all Martial Arts (mind set, pressing, pushing, skill enhancement techniques, physical training, etc). Although the physical level seemed superior, he felt inadequate in that part beyond the physical. Mr. Packer started by researching the history, philosophy, and meaning of the animals, elements and colors associated with Kenpo. He incorporated the various beliefs, according to belt, into the system. To insure the incorporation of traditional Chinese and Japanese ideas, Mr. Packer had a notable professor of Chinese Philosophy teach Martial Arts Philosophy classes to his instructors and student body. Most of AKKA's findings and developments can be found in the original AKKA manual.

Concurrently, with the advancement of the system was the outburst of AKKA Kickboxing. After viewing the first World Karate Association (WKA) Championships, Mr. Packer knew, at that time and with prior boxing experience, the missing link was conditioning. In 1974, with these thoughts in mind, he moved forward to build AKKA Bad Company Fighting Team. Together they accomplished the following:

136 World Rated Fighters

20 World Titles

9 North American Titles

10 U.S. Titles

Premier Inductee of International Instructors Hall of Fame

1982 International Kickboxing Trainer of the Year

In 1978, Bill Packer and Master Thomas Connor agreed the system could be even more balanced by integrating more Wushu elements of circularity and continual motion, movement chains, theory, concept, principle, iron palm, and seizing and striking the vital areas of the body. This constituted the following new and advanced forms annexed into the system: Tiger Hunt, Monkey, Leopard, Advanced Staff, Whispering Winds, and Enter the Temple. Forms not listed are appended in the same frame.

Master Packer passed away on August 19th , 2005 after a long fight with cancer. He is greatly missed by all who knew him.

Ed Bame (1951-Present) - Mr. Bame began his martial arts training at the age of 15 years old in the Rembukai Karate Club, Stockton, California. Mr. Bame Studied Rembukai Karate under the direct tutelage of Gordon Kennedy and Ron Marchini.

Rembukai is a hard-style form of Japanese Karate based on the martial techniques utilized in full contact tournament fighting and competition. The Rembukai System is a conglomeration of elements from the different Japanese and Okinawan-Te styles (Shotakan, Kyukushin, etc.).

Although Mr. Bame's training in the Rembukai was a relatively short one, elements of the Rembukai system can still be seen in his movements and teachings (deep stances, power generation, emphasis on form, physical training, etc.).

In 1974, Mr. Bame moved to Amarillo, Texas to begin his training in American Kenpo at the local Amarillo Kenpo Karate Academy. Mr. Bame studied under Mr. Phil Hower a student of both Master Tom Connor and Master Bill Packer. During his three years of training in Amarillo, Texas Mr. Bame developed an insatiable hunger for tournament competition and full contact fighting. He would study and train for competition with such notables as Demetrias Havanas and Billy Jackson, from the Dallas, Fort Worth area. In 1976, Mr, Bame began studying Kenpo under Master Bill Packer at the headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico. By 1977, Mr. Bame moved to Albuquerque to better continue his training and begin a career in professional kickboxing. A very successful career in kickboxing earned Mr. Bame the rating of 10th in the world by the World Kickboxing Association Federation (W.K.A.) and a chance to fight in some of the most famous fighting locations in the world (Tijuana Mexico, Oklahoma City, Denver, and Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas). His extensive fighting experience and proven training methods are evident through his successful tournament and full-contact fighters. In 1981, Mr. Bame sustain a knee injury which made it evident for retirement from the ring. About the same time there was a job opening in Phoenix, Arizona with Traco International organization at a school which Master Packer was also a partner. Mr. Bame decided to further his martial arts training by excepting the job position of management and instructor at the once home office of his own instructor Master Packer in Glendale, Arizona. For the next 3 years Mr. Bame would learn the business and management part of running a martial arts school from Master Connor. This time would also allow him to take instruction with Master Connor's son Tomas Connor II who had spent most of his adolescent life competing in Amateur Boxing in the greater Phoenix area, and earned himself (Tomas Connor II) wins in golden gloves, copper gloves, silver gloves, regional championships, and many other competitions in his perspective weight class. In 1984, Mr. Bame returned once again to Albuquerque New Mexico however, this time in pursuit of his own martial arts school through the guidance of Master Packer. Eventually, after owning and operating many different AKKA Karate USA schools. In 1987, Mr Bame relocated to El Paso, Texas, were he now owns and operates his own martial arts school with the help of his long time companion, Martha Tovar. The school is located at 5362 Doniphan Drive.

In June of 2005 Mr. Bame tested for his seventh degree black belt along with Phil Gilbert in Albuquerque New Mexico, thus sharing the highest rank in the organization tested by Master Packer prior to his passing. At present, Mr. Bame is furthering his education with Grand Master Fred Absher in the Kojosho system of Kempo, in Tijeras, New Mexico. Mr. Bame oversees the operation, training, and guidance of the AKKA schools located in El Paso, Texas and Cd. Juarez, Mexico.