Tom Saviano – White Tiger Kenpo – Ep253

My guest today is a lifelong martial artist whose journey began more than six decades ago and ultimately led him to develop one of the most recognizable branches of American Kenpo in the Midwest.

Sr. Grandmaster Tom Saviano first stepped onto the mats in the mid-1960s, beginning his training in Goju-Shorei Karate before later studying under the legendary Grandmaster John McSweeney, one of Ed Parker’s original black belts and a key figure in bringing Kenpo to the Midwest. Under McSweeney’s guidance, Tom earned his black belt and developed a deep understanding of principle-based, practical self-defense.

In 1984, he founded Saviano’s White Tiger Kenpo Karate in Addison, Illinois. The White Tiger Kenpo system blends the directness of Japanese and Okinawan karate with the fluidity and circular motion of Chinese martial arts. Over the past four decades, Tom has refined this system, promoted generations of black belts, and built a cohesive curriculum known for its efficiency, adaptability, and real-world effectiveness.

Tom has been inducted into multiple Martial Arts Halls of Fame and has led countless seminars while cultivating a community rooted in discipline, respect, and personal growth. What began in a small training space has grown into a lasting legacy that continues to influence martial artists across the Midwest and beyond.

Beyond the dojo, Tom’s life experience includes work in radio and television, as well as time spent working at a California winery, adding unique perspective to a career defined by learning, adaptability, and service.

Please welcome my guest today, Sr. Grandmaster Tom Saviano.

White Tiger Fitness Center | martial arts | 823 S Rohlwing Rd, Addison, IL 60101