United Karate Studios was formed by Mr. Ben Kiker of Elijay, GA. Mr. Kiker first attended a karate class at Rhinehart College in 1967, as a guest of his girlfriend (now wife), Vickie. He first trained under an American Instructor. Shortly after that, Jae Mann Lee, from Korea, became Kiker's teacher. Lee later turned

Kiker over to Jung Kil Moon.

Initially, Kiker's training didn't encompass competition. For one, there were not more than perhaps one or two tournaments per year in this area at that time. Eventually, Kiker taught for and ran a school for his instructors. When Moon moved to New York in 1972, Kiker struck out on his own to begin United Karate Studios---in 1973 with the assistance of his first blackbelt, Ricky Lockhart.

Mr. Kiker's first studio was in Elijay. He soon expanded to include a school in Dalton. Lockhard launched a UKS in Rome, GA. Those 3 locations spawned the growth of the United Organization which has grown to more than 20 schools. Most are located in the Georgia & Tennessee areas but there are others as far away as Keokuk, Iowa.