Martial Arts Hall of Fame

An eighth-degree black belt, Koeppel is founder and director of U.S. Karate Do-Kai, an international organization dedicated to the preservation of traditional Okinawan karate. After learning the discipline while stationed with the U.S. Navy in Japan, Koeppel opened the first karate school in Illinois in 1959.

Now considered a national leader in the sport, he has officiated karate tournaments around the world. Koeppel has trained or trained with 16 karate world champions around the world. In 1963, he competed in his first karate world championships in Chicago. Last year he competed in the USKA Master's Division in New Orleans.