Craig kollars biography

Craig Kollars were among the first non-Korean inductees into United States Taekwondo Grandmasters Society, Inc.
Craig Kollars will be inducted into the USTGS Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia!
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How It All Began

In the early 1970’s, founders Art Monroe, Craig Kollars, and Bert Kollars decided to pursue their passion for the martial arts as a business opportunity. Because of the bleak economic outlook in the Midwestern markets they decided that the population growth of the southern states represented the strongest opportunity for success. Each founder starter his own school with a location in New Orleans, LA, Birmingham, AL, and Pensacola, FL.
In 1983 the International Taekwondo Alliance was formed to provide curriculum and operational support that would help progress the industry. The International Taekwondo Alliance later changed it’s name to become Tiger Rock Martial Arts International that we know today. Together they developed a unique system that created a balanced approach between eastern and western philosophies of training. The curriculum and systems of operation created by them enabled many individuals to begin to deliver a quality program to their own community. The organization continued to grow and expand throughout the 90’s and into the new millen

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Family Tree

Descendants of Joseph F. Kolas’

Generation No. 1

1. JOSEPH F.¹ KOLAS’ was born 1820 in Grav-Vol-Holta, Bohemia, and died March 12, 1904. He married (1) JOSEPHINE HORA. She was born 1829, and died October 31, 1894 in Menominie, NE. He married (2) JULIA. She was born 1825 in Bohemia, and died October 31, 1894.

Notes for JOSEPH F. KOLAS’:

Before emigrating to the U.S., the family name was spelled Kolas or Kolash.

Joseph and Julia emigrated to the United States when they were 44 (Joseph) and 39 (Julia) years old, October 15, 1864. During this time the Civil War was taking place.

The family migrated to Wisconsin area to a town similar to Nebraska named Menominee. They also moved to Iowa in 1867 and then finally to Nebraska. Joseph moved to the Northern part of Cedar County in Nebraska just as Nebraska was becoming the 37th state in March of 1867. Joseph found work as a laborer in St. Helena and in 1869 was able to file a homestead claim for 160 acres of land located approximately ten miles Northeast of Crofton, NE.

Their first home w

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