Skip Berg was born in 1941 to Russian-Jew immigrant parents. He grew up in Chicago, on Maxwell street. As a boy he worked wherever he could, but mostly in the various Jewish deli’s and autoparts stores that dominated the neighborhood.

Skip’s father was a semi-pro heavyweight boxer who had his career ended when he was jumped by a group of men from a rival neighborhood that ended up blinding him in his right eye, such that he couldn’t see a left hook coming. This boxing legacy kick-started Skip’s interest in martial arts. The family moved to Los Angeles during Skip’s formative years. There, he finished high school begrudgingly and worked as a diesel mechanic for ocean going vessels and semi-trucks, before attending USC on an athletic scholarship.

After USC, Skip began syndicating real estate all over the US, fixing up commercial properties and selling or trading them. Through this process he met Terry Neill, owner of a local Bay Area gym, and Kenpo practitioner. Skip trained under him for many years and thus began a life-long obsession with Kenpo which was continued to the Black Belt level under the excellent tutelage of Sifu Jef Dix. Skip received his Black Belt on his 70^th birthday in 2011. Skip is now retired and living in the Bay Area, he enjoys reading, working on old cars, and spending time with his family. Skip passed away on  1/23/22.  He lived a full life!