Fusaro Sensei is one of the highest ranking non - Japanese black belts in the world at 7th Dan (Degree).

He began his study of Karate-do in 1955 while stationed in Japan during the Korean War. This young member of the United States' Army was invited by an American friend, Joe Gilliam, to a Karate class at the Japan Karate Association honbu ( headquarters or main ) dojo. On his first visit he met Mr. Takagi and the understanding Mr. Ito who personally sponsored Fusaro during his extended stay in Japan after being discharged. He decided to join the dojo, and the rest, as they say, is history. There he participated in the first Japan Karate Association ( J K A) tournament held in 1957. He and several other non-Japanese students demonstrated semi-free sparring. While rising through the ranks, the members of that dojo received instruction from Kanazawa Sensei, Mikami Sensei, Mori Sensei, Kisaka Sensei, and Enoeda Sensei among others of the famed J K A Instructors' School. Fusaro returned to Minneapolis in 1958 when his father became seriously ill; however, Master Masatoshi Nakayama recommended that he continue his training for six months at home and send a progress report with a film back to Japan. He received his Sho-Dan (1st degree black belt) in 1959.

Within a month of returning to the United States, he began teaching Karate in the basement of his parents home, naming it the Twin Cities School of Karate. Eventually in 1959, he rented space from a ballet school. In 1960 he opened the first dojo in downtown Minneapolis. By this time Karate had become a passion for Fusaro and he set himself the goal of becoming a master. This worked conveniently for Fusaro as he has taught accredited Karate courses at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus since 1965.

He kept in close contact with the JKA during this time, and learned in 1961 that Sensei Hidetaka Nishiyama was moving to Los Angeles. Other Masters also began to arrive in the United States and Fusaro invited them all to Minneapolis to teach. Among them were Okazaki Sensei, Yaguchi Sensei, and Mori Sensei. But they could only stay for a few days in Minnesota, so Fusaro had to immerse himself in these brief sessions. Fusaro started to realize that he gravitated towards Master Nishiyama's teaching style that combined a deep knowledge and understanding of Karate-do and an abounding willingness to share it with everyone. Hidetaka Nishiyama Sensei was able to explain explain the function of movement in terms of kinesiology.

Fusaro has always felt that Karate should be open to all ages and both sexes. He was the first to propose that women should be allowed to compete in Kumite (sparring) in tournaments. Up until the late 60's women were allowed only to take classes. Fusaro now has the pleasure of having trained the first woman 5th Dan in the United States, Nina Chenault Sensei. He also trained the first male 5th Dan in the North Central Region of the American Amateur Karate Federation ( AAKF ), Joel Ertl Sensei.

Fusaro' s 5th Dan examination took place under Sensei Hidetaka Nishiyama and Sensei Hiroshi Shirai. In 1982 Shirai Sensei had said that Fusaro Sensei understood Nishiyama Sensei's concepts about Karate better than any other non-Japanese.

Currently in his 70's, he is the Director of the North Central Region of the AAKF, and has been appointed Chairman of the Technical Development Committee of the AAKF in May 1999 by Nishiyama Sensei. He is also a regular at the International Traditional Karate Federation ( ITKF ) Summer Training Camp in La Jolla, California at the University of San Diego. Teaching, training, learning and coaching are a continuous cycle for this Karateka. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife Gloria who has helped him run the business since their marriage in 1961. His two sons Michael Fusaro Sensei, 4th Dan and Darrell Fusaro Sensei, 3rd Dan continue to follow in their father's footsteps by teaching at the Dojo. Michael Sensei is a well known AAKF tournament competitor and Kata champion. In 1998, he and Amy Sperling Sensei, 3rd Dan competed in the ITKF tournament in Poland. Darrell Sensei administers a long running children's program that encompasses the Shoreview Community Center among other centers and the Minneapolis Public School System.

Fusaro has made a lot of friends through Karate-do over the years. Two which stand out over the years are Gerald Marr Sensei, 6th Dan Head of Midwest Karate Club Manitoba, Canada and Chris Smaby Sensei, 7th Dan Head of Japan Karate of Iowa. These two men come to the Twin Cities year after year like the certainty of the coming of the seasons. Marr Sensei's son, Darren Marr Sensei, 5th Dan now makes the United States his home and instructs classes at the MKA in Minneapolis. He is a dynamic teacher who has been nicknamed Sensei Fusaro's third son.

Two of Fusaro's female students and sensei's, Anita Bendickson (5th Dan) and Mary Brandl (4th Dan) have gone on to develop and teach basic self-defense courses. In addition to their other accomplishments they have taught these courses through the University of Minnesota and offered them to businesses throughout the region.

Fusaro Sensei's goal has been to teach the art of Karate-do to all willing to learn. Teaching karate has never been an occupation or career to him, it is a way of life that he enjoys.