Life's a Campaign, Profiles in Courage, Jurassic Park

Country, Christian & Gospel, Pop

2009 - 5th Dan Kukkiwon
2009 - GOLD, Brazil Open, Sr. Black
2009 - Citation, World Taekwondo Federation
2005 - 4th Dan Kukkiwon
1996 - 3rd Dan Kukkiwon
1994 - COURAGE AWARD, Ilyo Taekwondo
1994 - BRONZE, U.S. Open, Jr. Black
1994 - SILVER, Colorado State, Jr. Black
1993 - SILVER, Colorado State, Jr. Black
1992 - GOLD, Colorado State, Jr. Black
1992 - 2nd Poom Kukkiwon
1991 - SILVER, U.S. Junior Nationals, Jr. Black
1991 - 1st Poom, Kukkiwon

Taekwondo, Hiking, Biking, Offroading, Rafting, Paragliding, Volunteering, Software, Home Improvement, Flying

John Swanagon was born in Denver, Colorado at the Denver Presbyterian Hospital. John was raised in Colorado and Iowa. Much of John’s early years were spent playing baseball, practicing Taekwondo, studying computers, and writing computer software. Throughout John’s life, he has lead rather than followed and approached life with a “play to win or don’t play at all” mentality. During John’s teen years, he built online gaming engines for what would become America Online and got involved with Taekwondo at the Olympic level. Unfortunately, an injury during routine practice would end that journey. Instead, John set his sights on a career in computer software. At 16, John graduated from high school and took a job as a Software Engineer instead of attending the Air Force Academy. At 20, John accepted a job as a Consultant with Lucent Technologies and lead the creation of a Global Alliance between Lucent and Siebel Systems. The alliance created a brand new set of products and services, lead to a story on MSNBC, and selection for the “MVP of the Year” award. At 22, Lucent Technologies spun off the Enterprise Networks Group, to which John was a member, to create Avaya. At 23, John moved to Highlands Ranch, Colorado and joined Avaya Labs, formerly Bell Labs. At 25, John graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Business. Today, John continues to work for Avaya and is planning a move to Bend, OR in late 2010 or early 2011.

Taekwondo is a way of life. As Secretary General Yang said, "Taekwondo is about making better human beings." Each day, I apply the tenets of Taekwondo in and outside of the Dojang. COURTESY has taught me how to be a better human being, INTEGRITY is my moral compass, INDOMITABLE SPIRIT lets me push forward, SELF CONTROL helps me do what is right versus what is wrong, and PERSEVERANCE never lets me give up. Taekwondo is why I have succeeded in my life and why I will continue to succeed. It isn't a sport, it is an art. Taekwondo is a journey, not a path.

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