Mary McIntire and Tom McIntire Senseis
Mary McIntire Sensei began her study of aikido in 1972. Tom McIntire Sensei started a few years later in 1978. Each currently holds the rank of 5th dan (Godan) through Mitsuge Saotome Shihan and the Aikido World Federation (Hombu Dojo). Both were students of Saotome Shihan, training with him daily when he was the Chief Instructor at Sarasota Aikikai. When Saotome Shihan left Sarasota, Tom and Mary Sensei continued to train on a daily basis with Hiroshi Ikeda Sensei. They continue to train with Saotome Shihan and Ikeda Sensei whenever possible. Tom Sensei and Mary Sensei recently attended a special seminar with other senior members of ASU taught by Saotome Shihan at the Aiki Shrine Dojo in Myakka City, Florida in January 2010.
Tom and Mary live in West Meade, and their daughter, Ali, is a student at Austin Peay University. Tom teaches trumpet lessons and plays several instruments. Mary works for TDOT, and enjoys visiting with lifelong friends at Aikido seminars in the Southeast and Midwest.
CONGRATULATIONS to Tom McIntire Sensei and Mary McIntire Sensei on their promotions by Saotome Shihan to Godan in January 2010. See News Page for details.
Steve Matthews Sensei
Steve Matthews began training with Senseis Mary and Tom McIntire in 1993, just before Nashville Aikikai opened at Cannery Row in Nashville. He received his Shodan rank in 1998 and was promoted to Yodan rank in 2011 in the Aikido Schools of Ueshiba under Mary and Tom McIntire and Mitsugi Saotome Shihan. Steve travels frequently to Aikido seminars across the country and enjoys studying other points of view. His enthusiasm for Aikido has led Steve to explore other martial arts. Steve Matthews earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do training with Eric Melton, and he has trained with Pete Bobo in Ed Melaugh’s Small Circle Jiu Jitsu program for several years.
Steve is a Registered Land Surveyor and spends most work days outdoors. He is married to Jean, who helps the dojo with marketing and special events. They live in East Nashville near the dojo, and have a lot of cats.
