Presenters

Lee Fjelstad, Vice President

The Vice President of the Verbal Judo Institute and an international trainer with a professional background that includes over twenty years of speaking and training experience. As a presenter and trainer, Lee is highly animated, humorous, thought provoking, and entertaining. He has instructed audiences on Verbal Judo in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and in England and over 400,000 participants attending his lectures during his career in public speaking.

Verbal Judo and the Tactical Communication Program has been the subject of magazine articles ranging in interest from Conde Nast Traveler and Broker Magazine to sports publications like Referee Magazine, and in newsprint articles from the USA Today and the Wall Street Journal to small town newspapers. In addition to the above print, Lee has been seen and heard internationally on CNN, nationally on NBC, ABC, and Fox, in Canada on the CBC, and on local television and radio across North America and in Europe.

With a professional background that includes over five years as a Operations Shift Supervisor for a $130 million computer research and development facility working with classified and Top Secret materials and research, and an additional six years of work for the Federal Government protecting nuclear weapons systems and assets, Lee has also been a reserve police officer in New Mexico, trained close quarter combat tactics to the US military, self-defense and defensive tactics to police, corrections, probation and parole, and military law enforcement officers, and close quarter combat and defensive survival techniques to military forces in Europe, instruction to federal and local government agencies in self-defense and personal protection filled a gap in defensive tactics programs. Lee also created civilian self defense protection and awareness programs for corporations, women's groups, and the airlines.

Lee has instructed martial arts classes and self defense seminars for over twenty-five years and retains 2nd degree black belt rankings in Shotokan (Japanese) and Tae Kwon Do (Korean) karate. He has also trained in Hapkido, Combat Judo, Arnis, Awayan, and Aikido. His educational background includes degrees in English, Business, and Organizational Communication with additional work in Psychology and Behavioral Science. Together with Dr. Thompson, and Mr. Andy Sanano, a noted master martial artist from Rapid City, South Dakota, they created and developed an instructional video on self-defense for adults and children called The Total Defense System," combining protective personal defense techniques with the tactics and strategies of Verbal Judo which sold internationally and was hosted by "Everyone's Money Matters" on cable television.

In contrast to his physical training background Lee now spends over 250 days per year traveling and teaching audiences to communicate effectively using the techniques and strategies of Verbal Judo. His client list ranges from corporate and customer service industries, city and county government employees, to airlines, banking and real estate operations. His audiences now number several hundred thousand people attending his Verbal Judo lectures world-wide. The Verbal Judo program is now under contract domestically and is also being taught under the banner of Verbal Defense and Influence.

To view other Associates and speakers link to the Verbal Defense and Influence site via www.verbal-judo.com or via Verbal Defense & Influence at lfjelstad.verbaljudo.com

In Memory of: Dr. George J. Thompson, Founder and Creator of Verbal Judo

Dr. George J. Thompson was the President & Founder of the Verbal Judo Institute, a tactical training and management firm he based in Auburn, NY after two decades in New Mexico. Doc Thompson, aka “Doc Rhino,” had an eclectic background, having taught English on the High School level (4 yrs), English Literature on the university level (10 yrs), and served as a full and part-time police officer. Also a martial artist, he held Black Belts in Judo & Taekwondo, and Doc created the only true Tactical Communication course in the world. Dr. Thompson wrote four books on Verbal Judo, each analyzing ways to defuse conflict and redirect behavior into more positive channels. Through the Verbal Judo Institute and a group of highly trained instructors, the Institute still offers Basic & Advanced courses in the Tactics of Verbal Judo around the world.

Doc Thompson received his B.A. from Colgate University (1963), his Masters & Doctorate in English from the University of Connecticut (1972), and he completed post-doctoral work at Princeton University in Rhetoric & Persuasion (1979). Widely published in magazines & periodicals, his training has been highlighted on such national shows as NBC, ABC, & CBS News, CNN, 48 Hours, Inside Edition, LETN, In the Line of Duty, and Fox news, as well as in the LA Times, NY Post, Sacramento Bee, and many other publications.

The Verbal Judo Institute has branch offices in Australia and Canada, and a national Team of instructors. Doc has taught over 175,000 police officers, and his course is required in numerous states across the country.

On a personal note, Dr. Thompson is survived by his wife, Pam and they are the proud parents of Tommy "Rhino" Thompson. He is also survived by two grown children, a daughter Kelly, and a son, Taylor. Doc, a survivor of throat cancer, returned to active teaching for many years after a series of very serious throat surgeries to save his voice. Dr. Thompson wrote Hammett’s Moral Vision, the book publication of his doctoral thesis. In addition to the several books on Verbal Judo available there are also video and audio programs. All are a tribute to his thoughts and vision.

I have lost a friend, mentor, and business associate. George Thompson's thinking, his creation, and now his legacy will continue. This is the promise of those he left behind to guard it and helping it to flourish.

Lee Fjelstad

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