About Shihan

Grand Master Buddy V. Amato is a 10th degree Black belt and the Chief of Police for the Monmouth County SPCA

When Shihan Amato opened his first Karate School at the age of 17 years, he was still in high school. Captain of the Keansburg Varsity Foot Ball Team in 1972, he was also selected for the all shore, all county team as well as track, tennis and basketball.

He has appeared in two motion pictures and on Cable TV, and produced his own cable TV show "Amato’s Fight Nights." He was the only Martial artist to put on half time shows at Giants Stadium .

Professionally, Master Amato was also the personal body guard of the President of Cambodia, Lon Nois’ children, Dura and Rith Lon Nol during the Viet Nam war conflict.

A businessman who gives back to the community, he has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for all type of charities and fund raisers for sick children.

Master Shihan has five daughters, almost all of them black belts. Danielle Amato is 28 years old, Nicole Amato 26 years old, Lauren Amato 23 years old, Samantha Amato 20 years old, and Raven Amato is 9.

Grand Master Amato is in 23 halls of fame and is on the board of directors for most of them.

He was the first person to promote children to black belt level in the Jersey shore area, and has been in business for over 37 years. Master Amato owns and operates the largest Karate and Martial Arts school in the state.  In addition, he is one of the very few that have attained the level of tenth degree black belt.

He had his life story in all major Martial arts publications including:

  • Black Belt Magazine
  • Karate Illustrated
  • World Karate
  • M.A.P.R.O. Magazine
  • Who’s Who Magazine

He has published a martial’s book on the Karate Obi/belt and also created a DVD on katas and forms.

In the past, he was also a highly decorated full time Police officer. Because of these decorations, he became a member of the elite Honor Legion of Police for the State of New Jersey, honored for saving lives and heroism in the line of duty. He graduated Top Gun out of the DOD Police acadmey and was selected as Captain of Cadets at the Middlesex County Police Academy. He also won the P.T.C. polices training commission award, the highest award top contenders can receive.

Master Amato was appointed to the Sheriffs advisory board council in 2002 and has had his own Martial arts column "WORDS FROM THE DOJO" for several years now that appears weekly in the Courier newspaper.

9 11 MemorialOther achievements include:

  • ERECTED THE FIRST IN THE WORLD WORLD TRADE CENTER MONUMENT ON SITE IN HAZLET.

     

  • TEACHING THE CHILDREN OF THE VICTIMS OF THE 9/11 ATTACK FOR NO CHARGE SINCE THE ATTACK HAPPENED.

     

  • RECEIVED THE N.A.A.C.P. AWARD IN 2003 AND WAS FEATURED IN BLACK HISTORY MONTH FOR SAME.

     

  • HAS HAD HIS OWN COLUMN FOR OVER THREE YEARS IN THE COURIER NEWS PAPER WITH THOUSANDS OF READERS.