Ken Gee (5th Dan)

Ken Gee Sensei began Aikido training under Dang Tri Sensei in Sacramento, CA in 1977. Living in California, he had the opportunity to train with many instructors, including Frank Doran Shihan, Pat Hendricks Shihan, T.K. Chiba Shihan, Morihiro Saito Shihan, Mikio Hikitsuchi Shihan, Doshu Kissomaru Ueshiba, Koichi Barrish Sensei. In 1988, he moved to Colorado Springs, where he trained self-defense with Matthew Bayley Sensei for several years before returning to Aikido training with Pikes Peak Aikido. As a member of Pikes Peak, he considers Hiroshi Ikeda Sensei to be his primary instructor.

Ken goes to a couple of seminars every year. This past year, he traveled to San Diego to attend a seminar with Ikeda Shihan, Doran Shihan, and Christian Tissier Shihan. He also trained this summer with Motomichi Anno Shihan and Mary Heiny Sensei at a seminar hosted by Aikido of Santa Cruz.

Ken began training Wudang Tai Chi 6 years ago to augment his Aikido training. For the last 3 years, he has also trained Eishin Ryu Iaijutsu under John Martin Sensei.

Ken is a retired electrical engineer who spends a lot of time training martial arts and photographing dog agility trials. He has two grown children who live in Denver and San Francisco.

Hal Render (4th Dan)

Hal Render Sensei began practicing martial arts in 1985 as a student of Tae Kwon Do at the University of Illinois. After moving to Colorado Springs in 1990, Hal began studying at Pikes Peak Aikido under Vernon Medeiros Sensei. Medeiros Sensei left Pikes Peak Aikido in 1991 to start his own dojo, Aikido San Shin Kan, and Hal followed him there. Hal continued studying under Medeiros Sensei through 2008. From 2010 to 2018 Hal was instructor at Colorado Springs Community Aikido, an independent dojo he started along with other senior Aikido students in the area. In 2018, Hal returned to Pikes Peak Aikido, where he shares teaching duties.

Hal’s Aikido has been formed primarily by this long tutelage under Medeiros Sensei. Hal has had additional Aikido influences from attending seminars and studying the writings of various instructors over the years, especially those of Morihiro Saito Sensei, Hiroshi Isoyama Sensei, and Shoji Nishio Sensei. Along with his early experience in Tae Kwon Do, Hal has also studied Tang Soo Do and Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido.

Tip Harris (3rd Dan)

Tip Harris Sensei has been practicing Aikido for more than 40 years (since 1983) and has been teaching for more than 20 years. Prior to studying Aikido, he had earned his Brown Belt in the Japanese martial art of Judo.

He began his Aikido training under Ed Peteroy Sensei of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and earned his black belts from Hiroshi Ikeda Shihan of Boulder.

Harris Sensei has also had the privilege of training with many talented Aikido practitioners, including Hiroshi Ikeda Shihan, Mitsugi Saotome Shihan, Frank Doran Shihan, Kei Izawa Sensei, Mary Heiny Sensei, George Ledyard Sensei, Gaku Homma Sensei, Kevin Choate Sensei, Tres Hofmeister Sensei, Cyndy Hayashi Sensei, Linda Holliday Sensei, Jim Alverez Sensei, August Dragt Sensei, Raso Hultgren Sensei, Toby Threadgill Sensei, Joel Nakamura Sensei, Ed Peteroy Sensei, George Bevins Sensei, and many others.

Harris Sensei retired from his full-time career in 2004 and since then has committed much more time to continuing his study and teaching of Aikido. He also teaches at Castle Rock Aikido and attends four to five seminars each year. He has traveled throughout Japan on multiple occasions.

A Colorado resident since 1968, Harris Sensei has been married for 51 years and has four grown children. Since turning 74 years old, Harris Sensei credits decades of Aikido training for his continued agility, flexibility, strength, and power.

Brad Pier (2nd Dan)

Brad Pier started Aikido training in 1983 at Nippon Kan in Denver. Gaku Homma Sensei was and is the Dojo Cho. Trained at Nippon Kan until moving in 1986. A break in training, no Aikido Dojo in Idaho, until returning to Colorado in 1989. Resumed Aikido training in 1989 at Aikido Loveland, with Kent Hinesley Sensei. Earned Shodan rank at Loveland in 1994. Earned Nidan in 1999.

After moving to Colorado Springs in 2003, started practicing at the Center for Aikido and Tang Soo Do with Vernon Medeiros Sensei. Trained at Colorado Springs Community Aikido with Hal Render Sensei. CSCA merged with Pikes Peak Aikido, Trained with Tip Harris Sensei and Ken Gee Sensei. Recently went to Japan, and was honored to attend Doshu Moriteru Ueshibiba’s training class.

Outside of Aikido, Brad enjoys the outdoors, live music, and Motorcycle riding.