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The UCW Radio Show with Louis Velazquez

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The UCW Radio Show

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Entrepreneur and Humanitarian Julie Weintraub

Julie was born in England. Her mother is English and her father from India. Her family moved to the U.S when she was 6 years old. In 1990 at 19 years old Julie helped her ex-husband and partner found the Dogwater Café restaurant chain in the Tampa Bay area. The opened 4 locations in 3 years and eventually sold it in 1998. It is now a franchise and has been featured in numerous national magazines and media outlets due to its unique concept- great food in Dog Bowls! By the time Julie was 20 she had become a licensed Realtor and was dealing in million dollar properties for some of the area’s premier families. Along with her career Julie always made time to give back to the community. Julie spent countless hours volunteering for the Humane Society doing fundraisers with her restaurants and rehabilitating injured and sick animals in her home. Steve and Julie currently support numerous Charities through out the Tampa Bay area. During Julie’s travels at home and abroad she always took interest in the way homes and various types of buildings were furnished inspiring her to open Classic Elegance Interiors 9 years ago. Her work has been featured in St. Pete Times, Tampa Tribune, Tampa Bay Magazine, House Trends and on Channel 13’s Good Day Tampa Bay as Julie was the coordinator and decorator for the Designer Showcase for local Charities. In the last 5 years Julie and her dear friend of many years Steve Weintraub have married and joined forces. Julie is the Vice President of Gold & Diamond Source handling many aspects of the business, from day to day operations, sales training, and most importantly customer and community relations. Julie has helped introduced to the Tampa Bay Area who Steve and Julie Weintraub are through a series of commercials you may have seen on all the major networks and a strong commitment to supporting charities in their community. With the belief that people shop with people not Logo’s. Julie has also recently partnered with Mary Murphy form So You Think You Can Dance and Maria McGill to promote a gorgeous line of gowns inspired by Maria McGills dance line she created for Dancing With The Stars Season 1 in the US and in Europe. Steve and Julie have 5 children between them from 8-23 years old. They enjoy Sundays with a house full of kids and animals jet skiing and gardening. To learn more about Julie Weintraub go to www.goldanddiamondsource.com www.entradacouture.com www.handsacrossthebay.com

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Mega Record Promoter Ron Herbet

Ron Herbert is a world class record promoter, he has worked with dozens and dozens of artist globally some of which include Cher, Janet Jackson, Rolling Stones, Meatloaf, Sting, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and the list goes on and on. In November 1996, Herbert, a native Atlantan, became vice president of southeastern operations for the powerful Jeff McClusky & Associates, a record promotions and marketing firm out of Chicago. At 6’2,” his powerful frame stands in stark symbolic contrast to his childlike passion for music and musicians in general. His reach in the business stretches far and wide and spans 25 years, a fact that is overwhelmingly evident upon entering his Buckhead high-rise office. Adorned with hordes of gold and platinum records representing millions of albums sold, the walls reflect a rich and eventful history in the shaping of rock ’n’ roll. Ron joined Jeff McClusky and Associates in 1984. The founder of the independent record promotion and marketing firm in Chicago happened to be looking for a key figure to help his company expand into the hot southeastern market. Ron soon began breaking records for all the majors—Columbia, Atlantic, Warner, Elektra, Mercury — Herbert’s aggressive style soon became the stalwart of the companies “Southern Wing”, and through Ron’s fiercely competitive dedication, Jeff McClusky and Associates became known as one of the largest, most successful companies of its kind in the U.S. Presently, Ron Herbert is working on numerous other entertainment ventures including a partnership with Ray Mariner (Atlanta, GA radio personality) to manage Country music new comers, Gary Ray & The Heartwells. Websites: www.moneymarketron.com  www.bonusmusic.com

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Natural Mr. Universe Doug Burns

The UCW Radio Host Louis Velazquez had the opportunity to have Mr. Universe Doug Burns on the Show. Doug Burns is a modern Sampson. The 2006 Natural Mr. Universe, he’s two hundred pounds of sheer muscle and the picture of good health. Of the skinny little boy with type 1 who used to work out in the woods alone, all that remains are a wry sense of humor and an attractively self-deprecating manner. They’re unexpected in a man who’s triumphed in the uber-masculine world of bodybuilding, but there’s a lot that’s unexpected about Doug Burns. At the age of twelve, in 1977, Doug came across a picture of the Biblical Sampson holding a lion in a headlock. He’d never seen anything like Sampson’s hugely muscular body, and for the skinny, lonely boy, the sight was a revelation. That night he prayed zealously for a half hour to be changed into a Sampson. When he woke the next morning as skinny as ever, he gave up on miraculous intervention and decided to take matters into his own hands. Doug’s physician tried to forbid him to lift weights, but he was so hell-bent on becoming Samsonesque that he ignored the doctor. Unfazed by the absence of gyms in backwoods Mississippi, he made late night forays to the junkyard and jerry-rigged his own gym with old pulleys and bags of concrete. Using an outdated issue of Ironman magazine as his guide, he trained in his makeshift gym in the woods come hell or high water, in the company of raccoons and bobcats, and once right through a tornado. About the same time that he started working out, Doug got hold of a home glucose meter. His control improved immediately, and once that happened, his world opened up. No longer a bag of bones, he joined the football team, became the most valuable running back, and found a group of buddies to work out with. He and his friends would go to Wolf River, dive from the trestle, and train out in the sun with weighted dumbbells. Where the river rapids flowed through a canyon, they swam upriver like salmon. At age fifteen, after only two years with the weights, Doug began power-lifting competitively. He placed dead last in his first competition, but by the time he graduated from high school, he had set American records in drug-free power lifting in the adult open class. Following his success as a powerlifter, he began entering bodybuilding competitions. In November 2006, the boy formerly known as “the bag of bones” became Mr. Universe. When he’s getting ready for a contest, Doug moves his testing frequency way, way up. Because his body fat is coming down so drastically, he starts using cardiovascular work to chase his glucose. He begins pulling off of bolus injections; instead, he moderates what he’s eating in conjunction with whatever training he’s doing. So he takes glucose when he knows he’s going to need it, and then does aerobic work right afterward to “just burn the heck out of it.” As his body fat keeps dropping, the whole mechanism keeps improving and improving. When he was first competing, Doug didn’t know any other athletes who had diabetes. He was aware of one other diabetic bodybuilder way back, but that fellow got into the anabolic scene. Doug’s never used drugs, but he trained at Gold’s Gym in Venice for seven or eight years, and the drug use there, he reports, was rampant. The organization within which he competes, the International Natural Bodybuilding Association, is completely clean and tests for everything under the sun. The two other bodybuilding organizations, however, are sullied by steroids. It’s unfortunate, he says, because steroid use has distorted a previously healthy quest to attain a classic figure, twisting it into a battle of cartoon characters. Doug’s never run into any prejudice against diabetes in the gym, though he is very open about testing and his pump. People sometimes give him the eye, thinking that insulin might be advantageous in competition, but insulin is of no use to him in that respect because if his insulin ever goes high, he can’t shed body fat and get lean enough to compete. For competitions, he brings his insulin dosage down to probably less than that of a non-diabetic person. Doug emphasizes that for him, it’s not about diet and exercise: It’s about exercise and diet. Exercise is primary. He says that diets are misleading, in that they promise that you can simply eat your way to health. He does have a particular diet that he follows, leaning a little more on protein. He “eats very, very clean” throughout the week and gives himself one day to enjoy whatever he feels like having. He loves Cajun food with a passion, and his favorite beer, Chili Creek, is spiced up by a big hot pepper inside the bottle. Doug doesn’t take any meds except children’s aspirin, but he takes a lot of supplements, including isolated whey plus whey concentrate, multi-vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids, L-glutamine and carnatine. He notes a distinct beneficial effect when he takes supplements, which he uses to advantage when preparing for competition: He works without supplements until he is in the best possible shape, and then adds the supplements to take it up a notch. He notes that his way is the antithesis of the public’s inclination to take the magic potion right from the get-go. He has always done the work first and then used the supplements as an adjunct to the hard work. That stubbornness may be why Winston Churchill, the relentless bulldog of a man who refused to quit no matter what, is one of Doug’s favorite people. He was also inspired by Sampson, of course, by Dr. Billy Graham, and by Bo Jackson, whom he reveres as one of the greatest athletes of all time. His biggest inspirations are his three kids, ages twelve, ten, and eight. He’s no longer too concerned that his children

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Professional Photographer/Film Director Kelsey McNeal

Kelsey McNeal has been involved in photography since the age of 6 due to his fathers influence. He has definitely come along way since snapping shots as a young kid. Although he has had great success in the world of photography he did not make a decision to lean on his past accomplishments, Kelsey is reaching for higher ground by interchanging his photo camera for a film camera, as he gets set to film his first film “PURE.” Kelsey always had a knack for taking good pictures, whether it was at family functions or just on his travels, he is a consummate artist at heart, bundle that with creative, the desire for knowledge and a drive , well you had the recipe for success. His creative vision allowed him to see stories in a photo, so knowing this he made it a point to envision the story in every picture he took. After graduating from college, Kelsey quickly began work in the television and film industry. In 1993 he had the ability to join the Cinematographers Union thus taking him one step closer to his true calling, even though he didn’t know it yet. He had the privilege to work on several film and television projects such as “How Stella Got Her Groove Back”, “Heat”, “L.A. Confidential”, “Wonderboys”, “Set It Off”, “Gone In 60 Seconds”, “The Other Sister”, “Bandits”, “Life As a House”, “V.I.P”, “Boston Public”, “The District”, “24”, “So You Think You Can Dance”, “American Idol”, “Dancing With The Stars”, and the list goes on. He has worked with major television networks such as ABC, NBC, Fox Television Network and Lifetime. While working with many distinguished Directors of Photography, Kelsey learned how to capture the beauty of a person, or the significance of a moment, and create art through the use of camera angles, lighting, location, wardrobe, and mood. Through it all, photography remained his true passion and in 2002 he made his passion a profession. After walking around trying to find himself, he took that walk with a camera in hand, snapping shots all over the world, still not knowing what he wanted to do, but all the while it was right in front of him, Photography. From celebrities to models, from fashion to editorial, landscapes to still life he has built quite an impressive portfolio. And in every photo he takes, you see the creative, artistic soul that makes Kelsey McNeal.   As Ansel Adams once said, “There are always two people in every picture:  the photographer and the viewer”. “Kelsey is one of the most talented photographers in the United States today, his vision and ability to tell such a story with every photo he takes is a gift that not many photographers or directors for that matter have. The natural progression for a creative soul like Kelsey is motion pictures and we look forward to him becoming one of the greats in Hollywood as his career progresses.” said Louis Velazquez, Host of the UCW Radio Show. To learn more about Kelsey McNeal go to www.kelseymcneal.com

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Actress/Model Anna Easteden

Anna Easteden enjoys a career rich in experience and wide in range as an international model, TV, stage and screen actress, and humanitarian activist. Easteden is known for her performance as Bee Sting on “Who Wants to Be a Superhero?” as well as notable co-starring roles on “Bones,” “Days Of Our Lives” and “Passions.” She also played Nicole Brown Simpson in a Japanese TV movie and took on a lead role in the short film “Harmless,” winner of 2 prestigious film festival awards. Personally recruited by multi-award winning director Mika Kaurismaki (who’s directed the likes of Johnny Depp, Julie Delpy and Henry Thomas), Easteden is slated to star in his upcoming feature film “The House of Branching Love” (“Haarautuvan Rakkauden Talo”) set for release in her native Finland in Fall 2009. Easteden will also work alongside Oscar® nominee Rinko Kikuchi (“Babel”) in the Japanese remake of the Oscar®-winning American phenomenon “Sideways” – currently in post-production for a 2009 release. Easteden was born in Finland and raised on her parents’ dairy farm. At the early age of twelve, Anna’s career took its first major stride when she won a national modeling contest and appeared on her first Finnish magazine cover. Shortly thereafter, Anna received an international modeling contract with a major Japanese modeling agency and promptly relocated to Tokyo where she appeared in advertising campaigns for such mammoth international corporations as Sony, Phillips, Oricom and Wacoal – to name a few. Easteden’s modeling career next swept her off to such global destinations as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Slovakia, Guam and finally the United States. Once on US soil, Easteden quickly landed a series of major modeling gigs with Calvin Klein, Hermès, Salvatore Ferragamo, Diesel, T-Mobile, Avon, Jockey, Chevy and Nissan – and has been featured in such magazines asCosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and Marie Claire. Easteden’s interests also include those in the humanitarian arena. Not something one might expect from a fashion model, Easteden conducted a comparative legal research study on the different aspects of asylum procedures in selected European countries for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bratislava, Slovakia. Her research impacted the Slovak National Asylum Legislation, which was in the process of amendment. Anna then continued her work in Bratislava, with an international partner of The Foundation for a Civil Society (USA), where she involved herself in the “Citizen Campaign OK ’98” for free and fair elections. Easteden currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband. In addition to her modeling and acting, Easteden enjoys traveling, cooking, writing, and lending a humanitarian hand to a number of her favorite non-profit organizations. Websites: www.annaeasteden.com     Tweets by AnnaEasteden  

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From Bret Michaels Rock of Love/Charm School Cindy “Rodeo” Steedle

The UCW Radio Host Louis Velazquez had the opportunity to have reality show star Cindy “Rodeo” Steedle on the show, she was featured in Bret Michaels’ Rock of Love as well as Sharon Osborne’s Charm School on VH1. Cindy “Rodeo” ‘s story is one of not giving up, from her battle with cancer to battling with her pregnancy and all in between. She is not only a reality show star but she is a top personal trainer, spokesperson for various products, figure competitor and above all a great mom. This interview is one of survival and standing tall, something that Cindy did with some, but shadow it with a smile and a cheerful laugh. She talks about her involved with support our troops, visiting V.A. hospitals and her charity guest appearances that have put a smile on U.S. Soldiers, this is a must listen to interview as it shows you whole the real Cindy Steedle aka “Rodeo” is. Websites: www.crodeo.net http://www.vpxsports.com/ http://www.countrygirljeans.com/

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Radio Show Host David Webb

The UCW Radio Host Louis Velazquez had the opportunity to have host of the radio show “The Grinder” David Webb on the Show. David Webb is a communicator with over 15 years of entertaining and informing the public; a dynamic blend of experience as a Local & Syndicated Talk Show Host, Music On-Air Personality, Producer, Assistant Program Director and Promotion Director; all in Top 10 Markets. A storied run during his radio career has led him through Boston, New York City, Houston and Dallas, and landed him at great stations like WILD-AM, WHTZ-FM, KZFX-FM, KLOL-FM, KKTL-FM (Houston’s first FM Talker) and KRLD-AM. David made the jump to talk, local and syndicated while in Houston with Consumer Finance, LoveRocks and Reality Check; then on to Dallas as Host of “USA@Nite” on the USA Radio Network with KRLD-AM as his flagship station. He has ventured into the print world with Worcester Magazine and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. David spent some of his time in Dallas as a Decennial Manager for the US Bureau of the Census, responsible for an 8-city region and then various survey projects in TX, LA and MS. He has been recognized for his work by then-Director, Kenneth Prewitt. Active in politics on the local and national level, David is a member of the WNRC’s Henrietta Wells Livermore School of Politics. He is co-founder and moderator of the American Forum Series and Black Republican Forum,co-organizer of the NYC Tax Day Tea Party and co-founder of Tea Party 365, a non-partisan, non-profit advocacy group for fiscal responsibility. Another constant theme is David’s commitment to community through organizations like the Young Marines. A television and radio commentator, David has appeared on radio and TV nationally – CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox News Strategy Room; internationally on BBC Radio and TV, NDTV/India, Dutch National TV, in Saudi Arabia, Germany, Japan, France and Canada. David is a contributing editor to FamilySecurityMatters.org, to American Solutions, and the fill-in host for Andrew Wilkow on SIRIUS Patriot 144 and XM America Right 166.   Websites: www.thegrindershow.com www.teaparty365.org

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Herbagirl International Founder Lisa Sowle

Lisa Sowle is the founder of Herbagirl International, she hails from Houston TX. At 35 years old, Lisa is the mother of three beautiful girls known affectionately as “The Sowle Sisters” in the world of skateboarding. Her main quote that you can hear her say on any given day is “I LOVE LIFE” Sowle has struggled with being overweight after the birth of her first child. So she tried numerous ways to try and shed those post birth pounds, from diet pills, crazy diets, all the way to starving herself but nothing worked. She admits that at that point she pretty much had given trying to lose weight because she was running out of money and hope! She saw a friend pretty much melt from a size 16 to a 6, and she was 20 years older than Sowle, this was the fire that she needed to want to make this happen for herself. She did the program that her friend did to lose weight, and Lisa Sowle succeeded! Now it has been 10 years since she first shed that 50lbs m going from a tight 12, she admits, to a slim size 4, and she has continued to maintain that slim size 4 through following the guidelines that she set forth in her Herbagirl program. To find out more about Lisa Sowle go to www.lisasowle.com  

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Actress Joanna Ke

The UCW Radio Host Louis Velazquez had the opportunity to have Actress Joanna Ke on the Show. Up and coming actress Joanna Ke is quickly becoming known as a power house in the independent film community. In “References”, a romantic comedy about a group of 20-somethings in a small town, Ke steals every scene with her portrayal of diabolical Cora. Recently, she co-starred with Sarah Chalke and Leisha Hailey in “Maneater” playing a character completely opposite to her role in “References”, showing her versatile talents. “Maneater” is a Lifetime television miniseries directed by Timothy Busfield and based on the book of the same name by Gigi Levangie. Ironically, Joanna rarely watches romantic comedies in her free time, leaning more towards sci-fi and fantasy as she’s had a lifelong fascination with the paranormal and cryptozoology. However, when it comes to her work, the most important thing for her is not the genre, but to have fun with the character, the people she’s working with, and the story. Ke’s voracious passion for acting led her to study with over 15 acting coaches. One of her primary mentors is an Emmy-award winning producer. Her extensive training, professionalism, and laser-sharp focus on-set afforded her a stellar reputation in the acting community in Arizona. In March 2009, she made the move to LA to further her career and, within 2 months, booked her first gig. She signed with manager Scottie Ward of CCM in July. With the indie horror flick “The Crypt” currently out on DVD, she recently completed a run in the play “8 Shades of Alice.” Her next projects include starring in the title role of the short “Trixie Woo” shooting in November, the release of the feature thriller “Avè Maria” on DVD in fall 2010, the release of the comic to film adaptation “Villikon Chronicles: Genesis of Evil” as well as subsequent comics drawn in her likeness, and, of course, procuring theatrical representation in California. Websites: www.joannake.com http://joannake.wordpress.com/

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MTV Real World Star/Music Recording Artist Brianna Taylor

The UCW Radio Host Louis Velazquez had the opportunity to have the talented Brianna Taylor on the show, she is a recording artist and star of MTV’s Real World  Road Rules “The Ruins.” Youth, beauty, confidence and talent… Brianna Taylor is blessed with many gifts that move people to react to her in many different ways.  She shares her gifts with the world in two ways – by releasing her sophomore album Fireworks At The Fairground via Chamberlain Records and by appearing on THE REAL WORLD – ROAD RULES CHALLENGE “The Ruins” (September 29th, 2009 premiere). After the release of Brianna Taylor’s Spring 2008 self-titled EP, which showcased her vocal ability and garnered much attention in the music landscape, her new album promises even greater notoriety!  The sound encompasses a matured Taylor, with an R&B flare that was not present on her debut album. While controversy seemed to follow the 20- year-old Philadelphia native wherever she went in years past, it has led Brianna to become an individual who is honest, outspoken, and unwilling to be mistreated.  Brianna chooses to live life on her own terms with an adventurous nature that has admittedly led to a few mistakes in life.   Brianna moves on from these mistakes without regret – they have made her into the woman she is today. Music has always been in Brianna’s life.  Her early favorites – Natalie Cole, Anita Baker, Sarah Vaughn, Nina Simone, Judy Garland, and Lena Horne – laid the groundwork for her singing style.  Christina Aguilera and Hayley Williams of Paramore are more recent favorites along with another influence, Amy Winehouse.  “Amy Winehouse is amazing.  She delved into musical history and brought it into the modern music scene,” says Brianna.  The flair she brought into indie music is so strongly felt.” Brianna’s creative history stems from a long line of talent in her family.  Her grandmother was a singer on the radio with her sisters for many years and she passed her love for singing onto her granddaughter. Brianna’s mother was an actress and model, her uncle plays the drums, and her sister is “an amazing dancer” according to the songstress.  For everyone in her family, the creative experience has been a cathartic, emotionally laden one.  “I can forget everything and just rock out,” she says of the personal effect of singing. Brianna feels that “if someone isn’t really feeling the words they are singing, there is no point in listening.  So few singers really make me feel the emotion of the song.  I think about that and strive to do that for the listener.” The story of Brianna’s life has certainly some twists and turns.  In her earlier years, encouragement from family was rare.  As the years went by, it was equally scarce from ex-boyfriends.  One of Brianna’s ex-boyfriends abused her and taught her an unfortunate lesson in human nature.  When a subsequent boyfriend (the one she spoke of on THE REAL WORLD- Hollywood) laid his hands on her, Brianna (literally) fought back.  “Men seem to think it’s okay to restrain your girlfriend.  I had every right in the world to fight back,” she explains.  A result of this altercation was charges being pressed on her (which Brianna heard about once she got to the REAL WORLD house) and her being sentenced to anger management classes and probation. Brianna’s MTV celebrity status is still something that is taking a bit of getting used to.  “I am recognized on the street a lot lately,” she notes.  “I am loving every minute of it though.  People are nice when they approach me, saying ‘You’re so real and honest.  How is your singing career going?’ They are supportive and I love that!”  This appreciation has bred closeness with her fans.  Brianna gives her fan email lots of attention, personally answering as much as possible. Brianna has been through a considerable amount in her mere 21 years of life.  She has opened up her everyday life to public scrutiny via MTV shows like THE REAL WORLD and her new sound on Fireworks At The Fairground goes even deeper and lays her emotions bare as well, this time with a matured personal musical style. “Brianna Taylor actually impressed me , being only 20 and having the full view of the reality TV world was refreshing, after listening to her new single “Criminal”, well the girl has talented, we’ll be seeing a lot of this young songstress for years to come,” said  Louis Velazquez host of the UCW Radio Show. Websites: http://www.myspace.com/briannataylorofficial http://twitter.com/BTMusicGrrl

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Founder of DiMora Motorcar Alfred DiMora

Louis Velazquez had the unique opportunity to conduct an in-depth interview with a Modern Day Tony Stark, an innovator in some many areas, Alfred DiMora’s journey is one of the most inspirational that we have had on the show, its a story of coming from nothing and building an empire, the American Dream, Alfred DiMora is a prime example of that dream. Alfred DiMora is a native of Rochester, New York, Alfred J. DiMora was fascinated by cars from the age of ten. He worked at service stations in his early teens, during which time he rebuilt a burned-out 1939 Buick before he was old enough to drive. Working in a co-op program, he earned his machinist degree and became a certified welder. In 1976, Mr. DiMora came to Santa Barbara, California to design and build limited-production luxury cars at Clenet Coachworks, as employee number six. Over the next seven years, he took control of Clenet, while also forming Sceptre Motorcar Company. His Sceptre won the Best-of-Show award at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 1978. As owner, CEO, and Chief Automotive Designer at Clenet, he created the Series IV and Series V Clenets. Altogether, over 580 Clenets were produced and sold to celebrities, royalty, and other motor enthusiasts around the world. President Reagan declared 1986 the Centennial Year of the Gasoline-Powered Automobile. Mr. DiMora’s Clenet was selected as the Official Centennial Car. As a result, he and the automobile were honored at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Michigan (pictured at right). Clenets were called “Drive Art” by Automotive Age and the “American Rolls-Royce” by Fortune. As an entrepreneur and business consultant, Mr. DiMora has advised and built companies in industries as diverse as chemical recycling, public relations management, software development, television infomercial production, and real estate development. In the mid-1990s, he innovated in chemical recycling, automobile and truck antifreeze production and distribution, and hazardous waste management at PRS, Inc., in Salt Lake City, Utah. He served on the American Society of Testing and Materials Committee as the first non-chemist. During this period, he created and marketed the first ready-to-use 50/50 antifreeze, which quickly went on to be a bestseller. In 1997, Mr. DiMora founded Star Bridge Systems, Inc. to advance reconfigurable computing technologies. Star Bridge created powerful, high-performance computer platforms and a new software language called Viva, for a new supercomputer platform called hypercomputing. Star Bridge customers include NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and the National Cancer Institute. Mr. DiMora served as Chairman, CEO, and President before leaving the firm to return to California to pursue his first love—motorcars. Mr. DiMora is a major participant in the development of Voyager, the world’s largest Ferris wheel. The first two 600-foot diameter wheels will be built in Las Vegas and Dubai. Sir Alfred J. DiMora was inducted into the Knights of Malta in 2001. He is a member of the Motor Press Guild and the Society of Automotive Engineers. He lives in Palm Springs, California, with his wife, Yvonne, and stepdaughter, Chanel. His stepson, Josh, is in the U.S. Marine Corps. Clenet Clenet is arguably the most beautifully styled automobile series ever built. Each limited-production model was conceived, designed, and produced by a small team of dedicated men and women in Santa Barbara, California in the 1970s and 1980s. The automobile’s distinctive 1930s styling and meticulous hand craftsmanship turned heads wherever they went. Clenets boasted the latest in drive train and suspension system technology under a body of steel giving them superior reliability to go with their beauty. Features such as Italian walnut burl dashboards and etched glass accented by Waterford crystal ashtrays brought many Clenet models under Alfred DiMora’s leadership in at over $100,000. In those days, you could buy a nice house for that price tag. That didn’t stop an eclectic group of buyers ranging from Farrah Fawcett, Rod Stewart, Ken Norton, and Sylvester Stallone to King Hussein of Jordan. Mr. DiMora’s Clenet was selected as the Official Centennial Car in 1986, the year that President Reagan declared the Centennial Year of the Gasoline-Powered Automobile. This put Alfred DiMora and the Clenet into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Michigan. Clenets were called “Drive Art” byAutomotive Age and the “American Rolls-Royce” by Fortune. Sceptre 6.6S 1978 Prototype During the late 1970s, Alfred DiMora and Ray Kinney, two members of the Clenet team, joined Tom McBurnie to form Sceptre Motorcar Company to design and produce a unique luxury sports car. The Sceptre 6.6S was an art deco design with the flavor of the late 1930s classics. This hand-crafted, limited-production, specialty car was reminiscent of such vehicles as Delage, Delahaye, Bugatti, 1935 BMW, Alfa Romeo, 500 XK Mercedes, as well as the 1950s Jaguar. Perhaps the closest car of this style is the Talbot-Lago. Yet the Sceptre is not a replica of any one automobile. Appointments included hand-rubbed lacquer paint and an interior of Connelly leather and walnut burl that complemented the latest in drive train and suspension technology. The Sceptre won the Best-of-Show award at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 1978. Sceptre Motorcar Company produced 15 of these $39,000 automobiles ($50,000 for the turbocharged version) that emphasized sporty features compared to the luxury of the Clenet series of automobiles. Many of these automobiles were acquired by celebrities and dignitaries. The sixteenth was never completed from the factory but exists uncompleted to this day. The body of the Sceptre is made of fiberglass applied to a tubular steel frame. Only the doors are made of steel. The engine is a powerful 400-horsepower V8 connected to a three-speed automatic transmission. The Sceptre will go 0-60 in 7.2 seconds. The weight of the entire car is slightly over 3,000 pounds. The Sceptre is known for its high reliability factor. It is said that no other car has been built like the Sceptre with the exception of the Ferrari. Many articles were written on the Sceptre at its introduction, including: an article by Dennis Adler which appeared in the March 1979 edition of Car Collector,

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Original Bad Boy of Wall Street Ross Mandell

Facing Life is not such an easy thing to do. Just ask Ross Mandell. He’s had good times and bad. His highs have been higher than most, and his lows have likewise been lower than most. At the young age of 16 Mandell’s father died suddenly of a massive heart attack. Left without a father, his world shattered, Mandell’s life became rudderless. As he was quoted in the Wall Street Journal, he “lived life in the fast lane.” All that came to a screeching halt 17 years later. Mandell Discovers he has a Disease – Alcoholism and Drug Addiction, During those 17 years, Mandell also became one of the most successful stock brokers on Wall Street. He was part of the telecommunications boom in the late 70s and early 80s that brought Wall Street to Main Street. Along the way, he raised hundreds of millions of dollars for companies and made millions for himself. Yes, the good times were indeed quite good. However, Mandell discovered he had a disease. He suffered from alcoholism and drug addiction. Mandell became a poster child for the go-go days and the boom times on Wall Street. On March 14th, 1996, a front page news article titled, “The Art of Survival,” that appeared in the Wall Street Journal profiled Mandell. “That story threw my life open to the public,” says Mandell, “I was clean and sober for six years, but it discussed the issues and challenges I had with substance abuse.” The echoes of that story have continued to reverberate throughout Mandell’s life and have become an indelible part of his persona. In June 2002, a front page story in the leading daily British newspaper, The Observer, led with the following headline, “Greed is Good Comes to London.” The caption further states, “Gordon Gekko Style Investment banking comes to London in the persona of Ross Mandell.” Naturally, the paper is referring to the lead character played by Michael Douglas in Oliver Stone’s 1987 Oscar-winning film, Wall Street. For all practical purposes, Gekko’s character could likely have been based on Mandell’s life. In October, 2005, Forbes Magazine in a two page spread proclaimed Mandell as Wall Street’s “bad boy broker,” in an article titled, Second Act, which featured Ross Mandell and Sky Capital’s success in the Wall Street arena. One fateful day, September 27th, 1973, a day that changed Mandell’s life forever, David Mandell, Ross’s father, unexpectedly died from a heart attack on Rosh Hashanah, a religious holiday. Thus began a whirling dervish of Dionysian decadence for nearly two decades. Mandell now found himself bottomed out, burned out and broke. Mandell was a living cliché. Lots of money, fast cars, fast women, and all the trappings of early success. From the outside he had it all. On the inside he was empty. Of that moment, Mandell says, “I woke up one day and realized I couldn’t continue to live like this, I was a wreck and a million dollars in debt, all at the age of 33.” In October, 1990, Mandell checked himself into the Silver Hill Foundation, a world famous rehabilitation clinic, in New Canaan, Connecticut. He was there for 28 days. It was the first time that he was clean and sober since his teen years. At Silver Hill, he was introduced to the 12-Step Program, Alcoholics Anonymous. “The AA program is amazing,” says Mandell, “my life changed immediately for the better.” AA is a spiritual program that emphasizes personal admission, moral inventory and service. “Recovery is not an easy thing,” says Mandell, “its’ a daily struggle and the most difficult thing I have accomplished in my life.” On October 12th, 2009, Mandell celebrated 19 years of continuous sobriety. Upon leaving Silver Hill, Mandell’s personal and professional life, bolstered by the principals of AA, became better than ever. Built like a bull-dog, dressed in the finest suits, with the swagger of body-builder meets investment banker, Mandell dedicated himself to work, fitness and sobriety. Mandell’s public profile continued to grow and earn him close media attention as well as scrutiny by financial regulators. In 1995, in a blanket settlement with the New York Stock Exchange, he was suspended from securities dealing for six weeks. In another instance he settled a difference with a trading client for $75,000. “That’s the price you pay when your professional and personal life become public,” says Mandell. The 90s were a great time to be on Wall Street. Fueled by a stimulated Clinton economy and a technology boom, the capital markets expanded to new heights. During the next decade Mandell went on to work for, founded and funded many companies. Along the way he closed scores of transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Mandell, with two other partners, went on to create Roan Capital Partners, a New York City-based, NASD registered broker-dealer. After leading and successfully managing its rapid growth Mandell sold his interest and went on to join the Thornwater Company as a Senior Vice President. By the end of the 90s Mandell felt the market changing. “The boom was about to bust,” says Mandell of that time, “and I thought this the right moment to try something new and different.” Mandell, ever independent, intuitive and entrepreneurial, decided to start an international Merchant Bank and stock broker, Sky Capital Holdings. He raised $9 million dollars to seed the venture, but even more dramatically, Mandell brought his company overseas. “I was the first American to bring a regulated U.S. company to the London Stock Exchange,” says Mandell. In July 2002, Sky Capital went public on London’s Alternative Investment Market. On the day it went public the company was valued at more than $30 million. On two separate occasions, Ross Mandell and Sky Capital were privileged to speak and to host luncheons in the British Parliament. Matthew Carrington, a former member of the British Parliament, and Alexander Duma, a parliamentary appointee, were also members of the Board of Sky Capital, as was former Senator, Larry. L Pressler. According to

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Acclaimed Writer and Director Sheldon Lettich

https://www.ucwradio.com/podcast/media/2021-10-26-PowerHour_SheldonLettich_04292021.mp3 Sheldon Lettich was born in New York City, but moved to California at a young age and grew up in the Los Angeles area. After graduation from high school he spent nearly four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a radio operator in South Vietnam with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, and later with the elite 1st Force Reconnaissance Company based at Camp Pendleton, California. He worked his way through college as a professional photographer, and attended at the American Film Institute’s Center for Advanced Film Studies as a Cinematography Fellow. Although his initial career goal was to become a director of photography, at the AFI his interests branched out to encompass writing and directing, which became the two fields where he found eventual success in the entertainment business. Based partly upon his experiences in Vietnam, he co-authored the renowned play, “Tracers,” with a group of Vietnam Vets who were also aspiring actors. First performed on July 4th, 1980 at the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles, the play then traveled to Joseph Papp’s Public Theater in New York City, the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago (directed by Gary Sinise), the Royal Court Theater in London, and numerous venues worldwide. It received both Drama Desk Awards and L.A. Drama Critics Awards, and is still being performed throughout the world. Around the same time, Lettich was writing numerous spec screenplays. One of these, co-written with Josh Becker, subsequently became the cult classic, Thou Shalt Not Kill… Except (1985), which starred Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi. Eventually his screenplays began attracting the attention of producers in Hollywood. He co-authored the Cold War drama, Russkies (1987), which was the first starring role for a young Joaquin Phoenix. Around the same time he wrote the screenplay for the now-classic martial arts film, Bloodsport (1988), which launched the career of Jean-Claude Van Damme. One of his Vietnam-based screenplays caught the eye of Sylvester Stallone, which resulted in an overall deal with Stallone’s White Eagle Productions, and led to him co-writing Rambo III (1988) with Stallone. The success of Bloodsport not only turned Jean-Claude Van Damme into an international action star, but it also forged a long and ongoing friendship with the man who wrote it. Van Damme helped to launch Lettich’s directing career with the film, Lionheart (1990) , which became Van Damme’s first movie to be released theatrically by a major U.S. studio. This was followed by Double Impact (1991), which was filmed in Hong Kong, with Lettich directing Van Damme in a challenging double role as twin brothers seeking revenge for their parents’ murder. Lettich next discovered Mark Dacascos, who made his starring debut in Only the Strong (1993), a film that introduced the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira to international audiences. He also directed Dolph Lundgren in The Last Patrol (2000), and Daniel Bernhardt in Perfect Target (1997). Continuing his long association with Van Damme, Lettich was a writer and a producer on the historical French Foreign Legion film, Legionnaire (1998), starring Van Damme and shot on location in Morocco. And he directed The Order (2001), an action-thriller starring Van Damme and Charlton Heston, which was filmed on locations in Israel and Bulgaria. His most recent directorial effort, which he also co-wrote, is The Hard Corps (2006), an urban action-romance. Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Vivica A. Fox, the film was shot on locations around Vancouver, Canada, and on sound stages in Romania, and was financed and released worldwide by Sony Pictures Entertainment. His latest movie is Max (2015), which he co-wrote with his long-time friend, Boaz Yakin. The movie was directed by Boaz and produced by MGM. It was released nationwide in the USA by Warner Brothers on June 26th, 2015, and by the end of the summer had grossed $43 million. The novelization sold over 100,000 copies. A sequel has been completed. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0504802?ref_=nmbio_mbio http://www.sheldonlettich.com/ https://www.facebook.com/SheldonLettichOfficial/

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Former World Martial Arts Champion and Actress Christine Bannon-Rodrigues

https://ucwradio.com/podcast/media/2015-05-15_christinebannonrodrigues_interviewucw.mp3 When Christine Bannon-Rodrigues first bowed in she was 13 years old. At the time the Rhode Island teenager never realized that she would one-day reign supreme as one of the super stars in the world of martial arts. Christine studied Kenpo and Wu shu, earning her black belt at age 17. She quickly became the person to beat in fighting, forms and weapons. A formidable competitor Christine was a triple threat wherever she went. Her skill as a fighter was proven time and time again, and in forms and weapons Christine was unstoppable. In 1991 Christine astounded the martial arts world by becoming a Triple Crown winner at the WAKO World Championships in England. “I won three gold medals in forms, fighting and weapons,” Christine recalled. “Everyone thought it was a freak occurrence and that I was just lucky. That got me worked up so I decided to prove my critics wrong, so in 1993 I did it again.” After winning her second Triple Crown she turned her talents and efforts into becoming a TV and movie star. Martial arts legend and action choreographer Pat Johnson hired Christine to double the star in “The Next Karate Kid.” This led to roles in Mortal Kombat, WMAC Masters where she starred as “Lady Lightning and she stunt doubled Alicia Silverstone (Batgirl) in “Batman and Robin.”Christine has also been featured on the cover of every major martial arts magazine in the world and she has written and starred in more than seven instruction videotapes. She is also the darling of the trading card set, being featured in the 1992 John Paul Mitchell National Karate Team Premier edition, Karate Kards, Sport Karate Champions, Martial Arts Masters Trading Cards, Premier Edition and the International Card Collection of Athletes medallion collection. With an eye on the future, Christine says that the Black Belt Registry will be of great benefit to all martial artists, “The access it gives us (martial artists) to everything from training tapes to gear and so much more is amazing,” she says. “One of the things I use it for is finding authentic Chinese weapons. The Internet and the Black Belt Registry is going to take martial arts to its next level.” Christine has graced the cover of almost every major martial arts magazine in the world, her relentless pursuit of working with the youth of martial arts. “Christine is one of the true gems of the world of Martial Arts, her and her husband Don have contributed so much over the decades and continue to do so.” Louis Velazquez

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Former World Kickboxing Champion, Actress and Stuntwoman Kathy Long

https://www.ucwradio.com/podcast/media/2021-10-25-PowerHour_KathyLong_03312021.mp3 Although retired from the ring for several years now, Kathy Long is still one of the most recognized woman in kickboxing today! She is still active in the sport from doing special appearances and giving seminars to serving as an event official. She’s also been in several movies as well. During her career she won 5 World Kickboxing Titles. Kathy began her studies in the martial arts with Aikido and has also studied in arts such as Shorin Ryu Karate & Kung Fu. She currently holds 4 different Black Belts in 4 different styles (Kung Fu San Soo, Aikido, Kung Fu and Shorinryu Karate) including a Masters Rank in Kung Fu San Soo. She is an expert in handling firearms, knives, swords and all other weaponry. As a Professional Kickboxer Kathy has been known as as a well conditioned and hardened fighter. She was a very successful kickboxer winning a total of 5 World Championships and they include: 2, KICK World Titles1, WKA World Title1, ISKA World Title1, WMAC World Title where she pummeled Japanese fighter Kyoko Kamikaze in Las Vegas, breaking her ribs and bruising her kidneys as Kathy walked away with (at the time) the highest purse ever paid to a Female Kickboxer of $20,000. Her ring career included wins over Ramona Gatto,Bonnie Canino, Japanese star Kyoko “Kamikaze” Miyazaki, French champion Dani Rocard, Canadian champion Nora Daigle and two defeats over Denise Taylor. Her only loss as a professional kickboxer (18-1-1/5) came in a Muay Thai match with Britain’s Lisa Howarth at Pickett’s Lock near London in February 1990. There was to have been a rematch later that year and Kathy trained in the Thai style with that in mind. But then Lisa got badly cut in a loss to French savate champion Nancy Joseph, and had to cancel. A two time Black Belt Hall of Fame Inductee (Woman of the Year 1991 & Full Contact Fighter of the Year 1992), she retired from kickboxing in the mid 1990s choosing to concentrate on her film career and other interests. She has appeared on more than 35 martial arts magazines covers in the United States, Europe and Asia. Her work in the movie industry includes stunt work and fight choreography: She was Michelle Pfeiffer’s stunt double in “Batman Returns” (1992) and fight choreographer for the “Death Becomes Her” (1992). She has appeared on several television shows, including “Walker, Texas Ranger” with Chuck Norris. She has written several monthly columns, titled “Long Shots” for Black Belt Magazine and has also appeared in movies such as Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997), Under the Gun (1995), The Stranger (1995) Natural Born Killers (1994), Knights (1993) and Rage and Honor (1992). However, Kathy has a long list of other accomplishments as well. She has appeared on numerous television shows and in publications ranging from People magazine to a full-color layout in the National Enquirer. She is also an accomplished musician who plays proficiently musical instruments such as the Harp, Violin and Guitar. She also wrote a book entitled “No! No! No!: A Woman’s Guide to Personal Defense and Street Safety “( Paperback / Berkley Publishing Group / October 1993) along with Kickboxing Fitness Videos such as, “Kickboxing for Fun & Fitness” & “Championship Kickboxing with Kathy Long – “Round 1” Kathy is also a model and spokesperson for Century Martial Arts Equipment.

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Martial Artist, Former WWE Wrestler & Actor Ernest “The Cat” Miller

Former WCW & WWE star, Martial Artist and Actor Ernest “The Cat” Miller is beyond a wrestler, he is first and foremost a true martial artist. He has secured a recurring role on the new MacGyver TV series, has other film projects in motion and is launching his professional point fight league. Also on the show is actor and martial artist Vincent Cecere, he has a number of projects in the works that can’t be mentioned yet but they are sure to be awesome films. He does a lot of giving back that we hope to touch on next week. Miller made his World Championship Wrestling (WCW) debut when he saved Glacier from a two-on-one attack by Wrath and Mortis at the 1997 Slamboree pay-per-view. Initially thought as just a fan who had jumped the railing, the WCW commentators then realized that this was no ordinary man and he was in fact the three-time karate champion Ernest Miller. Glacier and Ernest Miller quickly became tag team partners in their feud with Mortis and Wrath. After Glacier turned on Miller, Ernest left him and became a villain with Sonny Onoo as his manager. It was during this time that Miller’s popularity heightened. As a villain, Miller adopted an arrogant, Muhammad Ali-like trash-talking personality, calling himself “The Greatest” and gloating that he could beat anybody within two minutes, which he often did using his signature kicks. It was also around this time that Ernest began wearing ruby slippers in the ring and dancing in a James Brown-esque fashion to celebrate his victories. He would claim on Nitro that he knew the actual James Brown, leading to a pay-per-view “dance-off” between Miller and Brown, who had been brought in specially. Miller even went as far promoting his own instructional, karate home video with a pseudo infomercial. This served as a comedic parody to Billy Blanks’ Tae Bo exercise videos which were quite popular at the time. Miller and Onoo also did comedy duo routines similar to Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan’s characters from the film Rush Hour. Miller then began a minor feud with Kaz Hayashi, as Onoo has been previously Hayashi’s manager and had left him to manage Miller. Ernest won several matches over Hayashi with Onoo’s help, and also enlisted Perry Saturn as his ally. However, Saturn suffered many losses against inferior opponents due to Miller’s botched interference, so the two faced off at Starrcade, where Saturn won. Miller continued coming out and challenging the fans, the wrestlers, and anyone else to try and take him out, feuding with Scott Norton. For a time, he started coming out with the snow machine and music of Glacier, which Onoo had “purchased”, but it was short-lived, and he soon returned to his James Brown music. In March 1999, Miller and Onoo attacked fellow martial artist Jerry Flynn, with Ernest cutting off Flynn’s ponytail as a sign of disrespect. They all faced off in Uncensored in a handicap match, but Flyinn defeated them both. Miller bounced back after some time, getting a win over Scott Norton after hitting him with a crowbar. He and Norton were scheduled to wrestle in The Great American Bash, but Norton was pulled out for health problems and replaced with Horace Hogan, who Miller defeated after kicking him with a steel-tipped red dancing shoe. In June 1999, Miller had a dancing contest with Disco Inferno, who he attacked in jealously over the fans’s attention. They fought in Bash at the Beach in a “dance match” with the stipulation that the loser could not dance anymore (though this stipulation was removed at Bash at the Beach), with Miller winning thanks to Onoo. The Cat’s next opponent would be Buff Bagwell, who became famous by doing an impersonation of Miller with a bald cap and black face paint. The two met at Road Wild, but this time Onoo’s help backfired when he accidentally hit the wrong man with a briefcase, making Miller lose the match. After that, the two broke up and Onoo left WCW.

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Martial Arts Leader Oso Tayari Casel

https://www.ucwradio.com/podcast/media/2015-05-15_tayari_casel_power_hour_12182012.mp3   Oso Tayari Casel is a humanitarian dedicated to improving the world one community at a time. His many cultural and philanthropic missions to several countries around the world fostered his cognizance of impactful community involvement. Throughout the years, Oso advanced his service-oriented endeavors in the United States as a youth counselor, community engagement consultant, and most-notably as a world-renowned Martial Artist. His awareness of how Martial Arts and cultural involvement can transform communities is specifically harnessed within the Hospital Safety and Security Industry through Elite Security Services & Solutions, LLC. Oso Tayari Casel is the founder and director of the Tayari Casel Martial Arts Academy, Inc.; an institution that researches, demonstrates and spreads the contribution that Africa and China have given to the international martial arts community, while simultaneously furthering the appreciation of contemporary and traditional African and Chinese culture. His studies include cultural and humanitarian missions to Africa, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, The Netherlands, and Taiwan, the Republic of China, the arts of Kupigana Ngumi, Shaolin and Tai Chi Chuan with the Directors of the Pan Afrikan Martial Arts Federation. One of the strongest aspects of the Tayari Casel Martial Arts Academy is its dedication to community development, health and well being. Oso is an instructor at several elementary schools in the DC public school system. Over several decades he has worked as consultant for the Substance Abuse Services of the Department of Corrections for the Lorton Prison and Correctional Treatment Facilities. He has served as the Primary Substance Abuse Counselor for a federal program at a juvenile maximum-security prison and has worked with the District of Columbia Government’s Department of Human Services at group homes for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. In addition, he worked as a consultant to CASA Community Health, (Baltimore) a national prevention project focused on public housing developments funded by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. Oso is a Marital Arts Grand Master and utilizes his more than 55 years of experience as a Martial Arts Hall-of-Famer and instructor to lead Elite’s officers in the art of de-escalation. His ideals are at the heart of Elite’s core values of Discipline, Courtesy, Respect, and Care. These same ideals often lead the company into the midst of some of the most criminally active cities in America, where Oso continues to focus Elite on doing the highest good. During his prestigious tournament career Oso Tayari Casel ranked in the “Top Ten Black Belts in the USA” for over a decade. In the fall of 1980 he was S.T.A.R. Rated # 1 in Kung Fu and has won in some of the most prestigious competitive arenas in North America, such as: the Battle of Atlanta, Diamond Nationals, Superstar Nationals, AKA Grand Nationals, Top Ten National, Bare Knuckle Knock Out Championship and Nevada State Grand Championship. Oso Tayari Casel was one of the first to popularize ground fighting in competition. In 1975 he was the only non-Karate practitioner chosen by Chuck Norris to represent the USA in team fights. Recognition of his fighting and technical artistry garnered appearances on the covers of international martial arts publications including: Official Karate, Black Sports, Martial Arts Tradition, History and People, Inside Kung Fu, Defense Combat, Men of Steel Discipline, Black Heroes of the Martial Arts and The Official History of Karate in America: The Golden Age: 1968-1986. He was featured in two recent martial arts documentaries: Urban Dragons: Black and Latino Masters in the Chinese Martial Arts and The Black Kung Fu Experience for Public Broadcast Systems (PBS). He is inducted in the Action Martial Arts Magazine’s Hall of Honors & Spirits Awards: Golden Pioneer, World Professional Martial Arts Hall of Fame: Legend Kung Fu Fighter, United States Karate Hall of Fame: Grand Master, Golden Eagle Awards, Howard University Washington, DC, Chicago Martial Arts Lifetime Achievement Award, and many more. After retiring from competition he successfully co-founded and promoted the Triple “AAA” rated US Capitol Classics Martial Arts Tournament for seven years in the nation’s capital. Oso Tayari Casel has appeared in various martial arts films and is a frequent guest on local television and radio programs. He teaches and lectures throughout the country and internationally, and is the Master Teacher at Tayari Casel Martial Arts Academy in Silver Spring, Md. Tayari Casel also performed as a professional magician at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA. Oso Tayari Casel began martial arts during the turbulent times of the civil rights era. For reasons as simple as being able to defend himself from neighborhood bullies or dealing with confrontations involving the extremist of society as well as self pride. Forty Seven (47) years later little did he recognize that his childhood hobby would take him around the world. During those travels he would have life changing experiences, visiting fascinating places, meeting intriguing people and sharing moments of despair, fatigue, sadness, frustration, joy and happiness. He never imagined on that early fall evening when he took his first class at the Southtown YMCA in Chicago, Illinois @ 66th and Union Avenue that his journey into the martial arts would leave a legacy around the world.

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Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer Willie “The Bam” Johnson

Martial Arts Leader Willie “The Bam” Johnson, is an award-winning martial arts teacher whose life mission is to help young adults and others become empowered, through the martials arts in order to make good life choices. He is a seven-time sport karate and kung fu world champion, a two-time All-American champion, and a nationally ranked Triple Crown martial arts champion. He teaches at The Bams Martial Arts Academy. Willie H. Johnson resides in Laurel Maryland. He can be contacted at www.pointmma.com Willie is passionate about empowering others, below are a list of activities he either founded or personally supports. POINT MMA Safety based Mixed Martial Arts Krazy Martial Athletic 1-minute fitness workout challenges Diva Grit Empowering women through fitness and self-defense Authentic Street Combat! Safety Safety and street self-defense WARRIOR MINDSET Helping people to find balance in live through martial arts CALL 2 ACTION Finding the next big martial arts action stars!

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Grandmaster Jessie Bowen

Grandmaster Jessie Bowen is an expert in life success, sports performance training, and international business coaching. He is a corporate educator for Duke Corporate Education and trains executives on how to break through barriers to achieve their next level of success. He is the President and Owner of Karate International of Durham, Inc. and Elite Corporate Coaching. ​ ​He opened his martial arts school in 1980 in Durham, NC, running a successful school with hundreds of students under his leadership. Hosting one of the longest-running martial arts tournaments in North Carolina, the Durham Karate Open, established in 1979, Grandmaster Bowen is the former coach of the Duke University Taekwondo Team, former martial arts coach for the University of North Carolina of Chapel Hill football team, former sports coordinator for the NCAS and the USOC Olympic Festival, inducted into numerous martial arts halls of fame for his martial arts achievements including the Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Honors 2018 Contribution in Publishing Award, for 2018 Who’s Who in the Martial Arts Book. As an educator, he has been on the Duke University Physical Education staff for over 20 years, influencing thousands of students in mind-body training. Hanshi Bowen is also a professional bowler (PBA Member) and bowling instructor of physical education at Duke University. He has published over 20 books on personal development training, including the 2015 & 2015 Who’s Who in the Martial Arts Autobiography Book, Unstoppable Confidence, Change Your Mind, Change Your Life Success Guide, Get Motivated – the Key to Success, Zen Mind-Body Meditation System – Meditation for Everyday Living, and others. https://www.amazon.com/Jessie-Bowen/e/B00M2HGDEG

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The Black Dragon Ron Van Clief

Ron “The Black Dragon” Van Clief is a martial arts legend. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1943, where he started martial arts training in his early teens. Ron Van Clief served in the U.S. Marine from 1960 to 1965 with a tour in the Vietnam War in the year 1965. Following his military service, he became a New York City Transit Police Officer from 1965 to 1968. Ron Van Clief went on to become a five-time karate and kung fu world champion and a 15-time All-American Champion. He has competed in both full-contact and non-contact karate tournaments in New York and several national tournaments. His martial arts training began in the mid-1950s, which he later trained alongside Bruce Lee in Hong Kong and was nicknamed, “The Black Dragon”. Van Clief was a student of Goju-Ryu masters Peter Urban, Frank Ruiz, and Moses Powell, as well as WingTsun founder Leung Ting Modern Arnis (Remy Presas) Brazilian jiu-jitsu (Joe Moreira). On December 16, 1994 he competed in the 4th Ultimate Fighting Championship at age 51 against Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion Royce Gracie. Van Clief is an author and creator of a number of instructional books and video recordings, as well as film choreographer and actor appearing in several films. Ron Van Clief continues to conduct seminars and attend training with his son in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. https://www.ronvanclief.com/

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Founder of Combat Hapkido John Pellegrini

The founder of modern Combat Hapkido Grandmaster John Pellegrini has many accomplishments to his name and here is a list of them so that readers can learn much more about one of the leaders of the world of martial arts.  10th Dan Combat Hapkido – World Martial Arts Alliance, 9th Dan Hapkido – World Ki-Do Federation / Hanminjok Hapkido Association,     Founder / President “International Combat Hapkido Federation” , •    9th Dan TaeKwonDo – Founder “Independent TaeKwonDo Association”,     Founder / President of the “International Police Defensive Tactics Institute”,   Founder / President of the “Military Combatives Association”,    Founder / President of the “World Martial Arts Alliance” HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS 1988 USA Korean Karate Association “Instructor of the Year”,  1995 World Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Diamond Life Achievement”  ,   1996 – 1997 WHFSC Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Golden Life” – “Founder of the Year”,   1996 Florida Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Pioneer”, 1998 Martial Arts Masters, Pioneers & Legends Hall of Fame “Founder of the Year”, 1998 – 2004 World Karate Union Hall of Fame “Outstanding Contribution to the Martial Arts”, 1999 United Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame “Outstanding Contribution to the Martial Arts”, 2000 United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Founder of the Year”,     2001 Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame “Outstanding Contribution to the Martial Arts”,  2003 United States Martial Artists Assoc. Hall of Fame “Golden Life Achievement”, 2003 Masters Hall of Fame “Silver Life Achievement”, 2003 Int. Assoc. of Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Outstanding Practitioner”, 2004 Inducted in the “TaeKwonDo Times Magazine Hall of Fame for Hapkido”, 2004 Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame “Instructor of the Year”, 2005 Budo Int. Magazine Hall of Fame “Legend Grandmaster”, 2006 Aaron Banks’ World Professional M. A. Hall of Fame: “World Renowned Hapkido Grandmaster”,  2007 Artes Marciales Magazine Hall of Fame “Martial Arts Pioneer”,  2007 Cinturon Negro Magazine (Spain) International Hall of Fame “Distinguished Founder”,  2008 Inducted “Hall da Fama Das Artes Marciais Brasileiras”,  2014 TaeKwonDo Times Magazine Hall of Fame “U.S. Grandmaster of the Year”, 2017 WHFSC Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Pioneer Award”, 2019 “Who’s Who in the Martial Arts Legends Award” MAJOR MEDIA FEATURES March 1990 Cover feature “TaeKwonDo Times” Magazine, 1991 Featured on “ESPY-TV: World of Martial Arts”,  1992 “Who’s Who in the Martial Arts” – Karate International Magazine, April 1994 Cover feature “TaeKwonDo Times” Magazine,  June 1995 Cover feature “Martial Arts Business” Magazine,  October 1996 Cover feature “TaeKwonDo & Korean Combat Arts” Magazine (UK), July 1997 Cover feature “TaeKwonDo Times” Magazine,  June 1999 Cover feature “Martial Arts Professional” Magazine, October 1999 Article in the “Wall Street Journal”, September 2000 Cover feature “Artes Marciales” Magazine (Latin America),  June 2001 Cover feature “Martial Arts Business.com” Magazine, September 2002 Cover feature “TaeKwonDo Times” Magazine, June 2003 Cover feature “Black Belt” Magazine, Featured in the 2003 Edition of “Who’s Who in the Martial Arts” Book,  December 2004 Cover feature “Budo International” Magazine,  February 2005 Cover feature “Action Martial Arts” Magazine, April 2005 Cover feature “Mundo Marcial” Magazine (Latin America),   May 2005 Cover feature “Disciplinas” Magazine (Latin America), August 2006 Cover feature “Afghanistan Freedom Watch” Magazine, January 2009 Cover feature “Black Belt” Magazine,    September 2009 Cover feature “Budo International” Magazine, May 2012 Cover Feature TaeKwonDo Times Magazine,  July 2015 Cover feature “Budo International” Magazine. Federal Air Marshall Service –  NATO Forces Europe – US Army 10th Mountain Division – Costa Rica Police SWAT Team – Colombia Air Force Anti-Terrorist Unit – US Office of Naval Intelligence –  German Air Force & many other Police Depts. & Military Units around the World. https://www.dsihq.com/

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Martial Artist and Fitness Pro Linda Josefsson “Lady Viking”

Linda Josefsson was featured on the UCW Radio Show with Louis Velazquez to share her story, he is a little more about here and her journey to date. She is a 4 time national martial arts champion and acclaimed fitness trainer. “Many people aren’t aware of her accomplishments such as being a 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do under famed martial arts Billy Blanks as well as being a part of the original Tae Bo series. She holds a degree in economics as well as in fashion design, knowledge that she has integrated into her current training programs. Learn more about Linda Josefsson aka the “Lady Viking” Having struggled with eating disorders throughout her childhood and teen age years Linda used fitness to heal and put herself through a complete body transformation from a chunky teenage girl to a lean figure competitor. At the age of 47 she’s in better shape than ever proving that with hard work and a no quitting attitude age is nothing but a number. Her experience, knowledge, training and hardcore approach has inspired many and given her clients the tools to succeed. Linda “Lady Viking” Josefsson has over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. She’s also has a 3rd degree black belt in martial arts. Linda Josefsson is a native of Sweden. She studied Economics in college and has a degree in Fashion Design from Boras University in Sweden. Growing up Linda was competitive in several sports including track & field, horse back riding, soccer and cross country skiing. She later moved to France to pursue a career as a professional horse trainer in Western riding. In 1990 Linda moved to California as an exchange student and during this time she was introduced to 7-time World Karate Champion and Tae-Bo creator Billy Blanks. It was here she found her deep passion for martial arts and the place she would call “home” for the next 29 years. Linda was always a natural athlete and after only 2 years she received her black belt from Mr. Blanks. All the hard work and countless hours of training later resulted in 4 National Championships as well as a tournament win in amateur boxing. A shoulder injury prevented Linda from doing further competitive boxing but instead she’s been sharing her skills and knowledge teaching martial arts. Today Linda is a 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a very accomplished personal trainer, corporate trainer and group exercise instructor. She is also an NPC figure competitor.  She’s been teaching at several gyms in the Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley area and has devoted her life to helping people accomplish their fitness goals. www.ladyvikingfitness.com https://www.instagram.com/swedish_vikinglady/

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Singer, Actress and Fitness Trainer Dawn Derow

On this episode of the UCW Radio Show we are talking with Dawn Derow, a very talented singer who focuses on cabaret style music but is diverse and can cross over into rock, jazz and opera. She is also a fitness trainer, actress and writer. Learn more about her on the show. www.ucwradio.com More About Dawn Derow A New Yorker by way of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Dawn grew up in Eastham, MA and began pursuing her performing career in her childhood. She graduated from the Boston Conservatory with a Bachelor’s in Music: Vocal Performance & Opera Emphasis, achieving the second highest vocal score in her class. After graduation, Dawn performed in operas and musicals around the world, as well as a guest entertainer aboard international cruise ships, displaying an uncanny ability to transition from singing a Puccini aria to a jazzy torch song. Cabaret Awards & Performances In 2008, Dawn, having lived in New York City for several years, began to pursue a Cabaret career. Over the past 12 years, she has performed in prestigious venues, including the Weill Center at Carnegie Hall, Birdland Jazz Club, The Laurie Beechman Theater, Don’t Tell Mama, The Friars Club, the Bitter End, The Cutting Room, Carroll Place, and most recently The Green Room 42. Dawn used her songwriting and guitar abilities throughout her Cabaret performances, leading to high praise for her shows. Dawn soon after began reeling in the awards. Her CD Music 4 TWO with award-winning guitarist Sean Harkness earned her a 2014 nomination for “Best CD” from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC). In 2015, Dawn won her first MAC award for her work in the duo show REVOLUTION with Kathleen France. In 2016, Dawn employed her formidable opera singing skills in her solo show LEGIT: A Classical Cabaret. She received a Bistro Award for “Outstanding Vocalist” for her performance. Two years later, Dawn won the 2018 MAC Award for “Best Female Vocalist” for her critically acclaimed show, My Ship: Songs from 1941. Her director, Jeff Harner, also won “Best Director” from the Bistro and MAC awards. Dawn will be releasing an album of her songs from MY SHIP: Songs from 1941 in the summer of 2021. Dawn’s most recent show, The House That Built Me, played to packed audiences at the Laurie Beechman Theater. Based on her love for her father’s vast record collection that Dawn grew up listening to, she weaves a story of how these songs inspired and helped her blossom into the multi-faceted performer she is today. The setlist includes classic pop hits and Broadway show tunes from legendary performers such as Judy Collins, Jacques Brel, Crosby Still Nash & Young, Rosemary Clooney, as well as contemporary artists P!nk and Miranda Lambert. The House That Built Me received rave reviews from the press, which you can read below. In the Fall of 2019, Dawn sang in the Mabel Mercer Foundation’s Cabaret Convention at Rose Hall at Lincoln Center. You can view Dawn’s performance of “White Cliffs of Dover” on her YouTube Channel. Dawn’s next solo cabaret production, Gypsy In My Soul: The Songs of Eydie Gorme, was delayed due to COVID-19. Stay tuned for updated performance dates coming soon. Dawn will be releasing her album of songs from My Ship: Songs from 1941 in the summer of 2021. Health and Fitness When Dawn isn’t performing, her main focus has been on her work in the area of health, fitness, and body healing. In 2013, Dawn launched her company Divine Body Balance. Her company helps clients using her expertise as a NASM-certified personal trainer, AFFA group fitness instructor, Yoga Alliance instructor, Thai Massage practitioner, mobility health coach, and as Rock Tape: Cupping, Kinesiology taping practitioner. Whether it’s through song or body work, Dawn’s mission is to connect with and heal the human mind, body, and soul. https://www.dawnderow.com/

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HGTV, DIY Star Jason Cameron

https://www.ucwradio.com/podcast/media/2020-11-17-UCWRadio_JasonCameron_111720.mp3 On this episode of the UCW Radio Show we had the opportunity to speak with HGTV and DIY star Jason Cameron, known for Man Caves, Desperate Landscapes and so much more. We talk about his fitness days, his background in construction, his mentoring of youth, his great relationship with his wife as well as Tony Siragusa, Charlie Sheen and Snoop Dogg and much more . make sure to follow him on social media @jcamerontv Jason Cameron is an American television presenter and actor most notable for his role on the TLC reality show, While You Were Out and is currently hosting Man Caves and Desperate Landscapes for the DIY Network. Some more about Jason Cameron Jason moved to New York City to pursue an acting career, he had his heart and mind set on it. He landed a few minor roles at that time from Sex and the City, The Guiding Light to All My Children. Being ambitious and not one to hold back he jumped right into print modeling in Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maxim and GQ. While in pursuit of his dream, Jason was always drawn to carpentry and construction which started at a very young age. he worked as a construction worker after college to make ends meet. In 2003, he auditioned as an on-screen carpenter for the TLC renovation program, While You Were Out. He got the job and joined the cast in season two, staying on until the end of the show’s run in 2006. After the show’s end, Cameron became a licensed contractor and was approached by DIY Network to host their landscape makeover show Desperate Landscapes in 2007. Since then, he has also been hosting Man Caves and Project Xtreme for the network. On the health and fitness front Jason Cameron is a certified personal trainer, specializing in strength and conditioning. He has competed in numerous bodybuilding competitions and has worked as a fitness model, appearing in Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness and Muscle Media. He is currently a representative and the Fitness Expert for Men’s Fitness.    

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