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Dear Students
I was having tea with Grand Master Byung Min Kim and we were discussing our martial arts lineage or family tree. He asked me to make you aware of this history. It is important as a student of UMAC that you know where you came from. It is along the same lines as your family tree, you know who your great grandfather, grand father and father were and it is also important you know who your Master is and who his Master is and who his Master was.
All of us have someone we have learned from. No one is put on this planet already having martial arts knowledge and skills. It is extremely important that we continue to show love, appreciation and loyalty to these Masters and Grand Masters. That is how we will be the best example to our juniors. I have been a student of Grand Master Byung Mim Kim for over 30 years and will always be his loyal student.
I have traced our lineage back to one of the original founding fathers of Taekwondo in Korea, Grand Master Hwang Kee (1914-2002). He was the head of the Moo Duk Kwan, one of the original nine Kwans or gyms teaching Korean Martial Arts. Other Kwans were the O Duk Kwan, Chung Duk Kwan, Moo Do Kwan, Chi Do Kwan and the Moo Duk Kwan. Each had there own philosophy and style. Later these Kwans united under one name, Tae Kwon Do, to become the National Sport of Korea.
Grand Master Sang Soo “Tiger” Kim
 Grand Master Sang Soo “Tiger” Kim (1933-1998), is Grand Master Byung Mim Kim’s older brother and his teacher. Tiger Kim left home at an early age to train with Grand Master Hwang Kee in Seoul Korea. He then later emigrated to the USA and opened a school in the Bronx.
In the mid 1950’s The Late Supreme Grandmaster Kim had become known as one of the top Tae Kwon Do competitors in the World. He won numerous national and world championships that made him very popular in Korea. This popularity is what led him to the United State in the early 1970’s., to promote Tae Kwon Do.
His name Tiger was given to him at an early age when he would train in the woods by leaping over rocks, jump kicking trees and having a powerful body which was very symbolic of a Tiger. It has been said that he could stare down a tiger with his amazing focus and intensity.
From the mid-1970’s to the 80’s, Supreme Grandmaster Tiger Kim was the showcase of the famous Oriental World of Self-Defense, televised on ABC’s Wide World of Sports which was held at the World Famous Madison Square Garden. From then on he performed at hundreds of famous venues all over the world to promote Tae Kwon Do.
Grand Master Tiger Kim had one of the most successful and largest Tae Kwon Do academies in the East Coast with a student base of over 1000 students. He also taught the Cadets at the prestigious U.S. West Point Military Academy for many years. He trained the world famous Mohammad Ali for an international fight in Japan to prove the world’s best fighter. This event marked one of the first mixed martial arts event of its kind.
Grand Master Byung Min Kim
 Grandmaster Kim has many accomplishments and is an internationally recognized competitor and coach. He was middle and heavy weight champion of Korea. But, he is so much more – he is an inspiration to his students, advancing Tae Kwon Do as a philosophy and a way of life rather than just an after school activity. Grand Master Kim imigrated to this country in 1974.
Grandmaster Kim has been teaching in White Plains for 20 yrs. He believes that the ultimate goal of martial arts training is enlightenment. When his students learn Tae Kwon Do, Grandmaster wants to impart how to make a better life for oneself and, by extension, for one’s family and friends. In fact, his dream is for every person to be truly happy.
He believes his dream can come true if everyone would respect all living things, eat right, meditate, work on physical training, erase bad habits and help each other always.
Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella Jr.
I am extremely grateful to Grand Master Byung Min Kim and all of the Grand Masters before him. He is my Taekwondo father, mentor and friend. I can never repay him for his generosity, love and knowledge that he has shared with me. He has given me the gift of allowing me to do what I love with my wife for a living. He has included me on his never ending search, dream and vision to take martial arts training to an all new level. I will honor him by continuing to help him in his dream and support him on his way to our common goal.
I began my marital arts training in 1973 at the age of 15. After seeing a Bruce Lee movie 2 friends and I joined the local Karate School. In 1975 I started training at college in Tang Soo Do (Taekwondo’s sister style) and after college began my training with Grand Master Kim in Monsey NY. In 1985 married Teresa Krause. 1987 Edmund John Ciarfella was born and in 1989 Danielle Marie Ciarfella was born. In 1995 opened Tae Kwon Do Academy of NY with my wife Master Teresa Ciarfella. In 2000 started UMAC with Master Paul Melella, Chris Berlow and Joe Badini.
I hope you enjoyed this short history of your martial arts family tree.
“A tree is only as strong as its roots, cut the root and the tree dies”
Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella
Following the teachings of Grand Master Byung Min Kim – instructor, mentor, and Tae Kwon Do father – Master Edmund Ciarfella began his martial arts training in 1973. Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella is today a 7th degree Black Belt and was selected in 2002 as one of the Top Martial Arts leaders in the world, along with Chuck Norris and Billy Blanks, by Martial Arts World Magazine.
With a dedication to imparting the skills and benefits of Tae Kwon Do training, Master Ciarfella has always strived to make a difference for himself, his family and his community. That’s why in 1995 he opened the first United Martial Arts Center. The entire Ciarfella family including his wife Master Teresa Ciarfella 5th degree Black Belt, son Master Edmund John Ciarfella 4th degree Black Belt and daughter Danielle 3rd degree Instructor are involved in running the Warwick location.
In 2001 Master Ciarfella joined forces with Master Paul Melella 6th degree Black Belt, Master Chris Berlow 6th Degree Black Belt and Master Joe Badini 5th degree Black Belt to start United Martial Arts Centers. Each of these Masters brings a special, unique ability to the group and makes UMAC what it is today. The Masters’ vision was to help their students reach their goal of opening successful martial arts schools, and in 2005 UMAC Franchise Inc. began selling franchises.
After more than two decades of work in developing a cohesive group of professionals, the UMAC Team is made up of certified Tae Kwon Do Masters, each bringing a dedication and passion for the Martial Arts, as well as individual areas of expertise.
Incorporating a unique blend of martial arts life skills such as self-confidence, responsibility, appreciation, and respect, along with the physical training of Tae Kwon Do, UMAC offers a variety of training programs geared toward a broad student base. Through after-school and summer programs for kids or adult and family programs, UMAC students learn specific marital arts skills while at the same time developing self-confidence in all areas of their lives.
Master Paul Melella Jr.
6th Degree Black Belt
Master Paul Melella began his training at the age of seven years old. He had a
challenge with a childhood bully that lived on his block, rode the same school bus and was in the same 3rd grade class together. After months of being bullied, his mother enrolled him in a Martial Arts school. Secretly training in the art of Tae Kwon Do for six months, he was confronted once again by his childhood bully. After trying to avoid the situation, he defended himself with a kick to his bully’s nose.
That bully never picked on him ever again, but ironically became his
childhood best friend. Master Melella later became the Best Man in his friend’s wedding.
Master Melella’s interest for Martial Arts grew into a love for competition of the sport of Tae Kwon Do. Where he then became a nine time New York State Champion, Junior Olympic National medalist and competed on a international level with his lifelong training partners Master Chris Berlow and Master Joe Badini.
Master Melella’s sparring competition career ended with an unfortunate car accident which resulted to a back injury. Still having a love for Martial Arts, he then began teaching children and adults as an employee for his previous instructor. Master Melella not only had a love for Martial Arts, but found a passion for teaching, coaching and helping others achieve their goals. By the time he was eighteen he was managing and operating a martial arts business for his Instructor while still being a full time student. Master Melella decided to leave his managing position as the head instructor at the location he was operating to pursue his education.
Even though his dream was to always become a Martial Arts Master and school owner since the age of eleven, he wanted to get a teaching degree in education. He left his family, his students, and martial arts school he was operating for over a year. Unfortunately, the martial arts school lost over one hundred members since his absence. Even more devastating was a phone call he received from his father telling him that his younger brother Anthony was losing interest in his Martial Arts training.
He decided to leave college and move back home and train his younger brother. He was offered his position as manager of the previous Martial Arts location he was operating and began training his brother Anthony. That year, Anthony won a gold medal and
became an Olympic Junior National champion. He then coached him to consecutive Junior and Adult National Championships and traveled to Spain, Mexico, Korea and Turkey for international Championships. Later that year he had the opportunity to purchase the Martial Arts School from his Instructor.
At the age of twenty, he owned and operated his first Martial Arts school. This is when Master Melella made a decision to not only teach Martial Arts, but to teach about a lifestyle. He began studying human development, personal potential and successful people in the world. He searched out the most successful people not only in his industry, but in all areas of life. He began using these concepts not only in his martial arts school but to every aspect of his personal life. He traveled all over the country and the world to learn as much as he could to learn about personal development and success. He even flew to Fiji and Australia to learn from the most influential speakers in the world.
Starting his school nearly from scratch and with only thirty members, he began applying these principals and built his Martial Arts school to become one of the most successful schools in the country. With the help of one of his Martial Arts mentors Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella, he was able to reach number one ranked Martial Arts school Program in the country. Master Melella since then has been featured in Martial Arts World Magazine as an “Emerging Leader” in the Martial Arts Professional Industry.
He has been a platform speaker at Martial Arts Business conventions helping other Martial Arts professionals improve their schools. Master Melella’s life’s purpose is to be a leader and to enjoy a healthy vital life of love, gratitude and passion. To continue his never ending journey of self improvement, consistently progress towards a vision of impacting many people as he can, and share his knowledge to help his students reach their personal full potential in all areas of life.
Master Melella lives with his wife Gina, daughter Kiahna and his son Pierce Michael. He enjoys spending time with his family, reading, hiking, weight training, yoga training, meditation, mountain biking, snowboarding and of course Martial Arts.
Master Christopher Berlow
Chris Berlow started his Taekwondo training in 1983 in Peekskill NY and trained with Master Melella and Master Badini since the beginning. Immediately, he saw that martial arts was his passion and engulfed himself into it 100%. He continued training really hard and started his competition career. In 1985, he won gold medal in his first NY State Gold Medalist in Forms and Sparring. He also was chosen to compete in the National Sports Festival and received a bronze medal.
His competition career kept on going strong and continued to compete through out the nation. In 1986, 1987 and 1989, he won Gold Medals at the state and was Junior Olympic Gold Medalist for 1986 & 1987. In 1989, he won Bronze medal at the national championships, the Olympic Festival and US Team Trials. He finished his competition career with a silver medal at the National Elite Championships. The competition career was very exciting, however, it wasn’t until after this, he realized his true love; teaching the martial arts. In 1986, he received his 1st degree black belt along with his 2nd in 1989. His 3rd degree came in 1991.
It was in 1988, when Master Berlow realized his life purpose which was to educate others about the gifts that martial arts has to offer. He took the same enthusiasm with his own training and brought it to others by helping them achieve their goals. In 1988-1992, he attended college and majored in History and education with the goal t be teacher. All throughout his college years, he was teaching at the Taekwondo School. In 1992, upon graduation with a teaching degree, his Instructor asked him not to pursue teaching , but to work a the school full time. He said yes and have been teaching full time ever since. In 1993, he married his wife Kathy and started their family right away.
Their first son Brandon born in 1994, Timmy in 1996 and Kimberly was born in 2000. When you have the support of your family like I have, there is nothing you can’t accomplish. In 1999, after it was concluded that it was time to move on from my current place of teaching martial arts and through the encouragement and support of Master Melella and Master Badini, opened Berlow’s Taekwondo Academy with Mrs. Berlow. The school was an instant success and had 200 students within one year. It was the year of 2000 that Master Melella introduced him to Master Ed Ciarfella and a new perspective of the Martial Arts opened up. A rekindled love for the martial arts philosophy developed and the realization of the depth of the martial arts triggered a great interest to bring to the students. As a result, Master Ciarfella tested Master Berlow for his 4th degree black belt/master instructor.
Master Ciarfella introduced all of us to Grandmaster Byung Min Kim who has been guiding all of us in our training for the last eight years. As the school became more successful, he received various awards in the Martial Arts Industry including, “Most promising new school, Top ten school award, School of the Year”. In 2002, All of us came to the realization that we all had unique abilities and together, we could be stronger. We then combined our strengths to form our current organization called UMAC. Our logic was that if we have this much success and impact as individuals, imagine what we could do together. In 2008, Master Berlow graduated to 6th degree Black belt and has continued to train and
advance physically, however, through the guidance of Grandmaster Kim and the other UMAC masters, has been on a quest to develop spiritually.
This quest had triggered an extension of his life’s purpose by searching out the knowledge to help others become more successful. He believes that we all have the ability to tap into a higher power and become the person we truly want to be come. That will help all realize their dreams and make them become a reality.
Master Berlow has been working on building a new UMAC Center that will have the ability to facilitate an atmosphere to foster and promote wellness and success through the martial arts.
That dream will come to fruition in 2008. One last thing to note, there are many people who has helped Master Berlow become the level he is at today in all aspect of his life. Without the students support and giving him the opportunity, that success would never happen. It could not be done without having the best staff in the world; Sr. Inst Giacovas, Inst Bellantoni, TI Parchen, Inst. Berkowsky, TI Lippe and all the others all make it possible. Lastly, having a supportive wife and family is the true key. Without their willingness to support, no success could be achieved. On of Master Berlow’s favorite quotes is “Do or do not, there is no try” If you have a dream in life, do it, don’t second guess and it will become a reality. His life represents that philosophy
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