Chin Don Bistro is a food service business operating under the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind Business Enterprise Program. The DSB Business Enterprise Program provides opportunities for qualified, trained, legally blind adults to operate food service businesses, including delis, cafeterias and espresso stands, in government buildings.
The program provides these opportunities through the federal Randolph Sheppard Act. The intent of the Randolph Sheppard Act is to enhance employment opportunities for blind individuals. The program recruits qualified individuals who are blind, trains them on the management and operation of small business enterprises, and then licenses qualified blind vendors to operate the facilities. Nationwide, there are more than 1,900 vendors operating more than 2,200 facilities.
Chin Don Bistro is owned and operated by Robert J Ott. Robert was born and raised in Southern New Jersey and by the age of 21 he already had the opportunity of working in the businesses of construction, transportation, food service, entertainment and management, and became the President/CEO of his first corporation, testing his leadership skills to a much higher level. That same year his entire life went through a horrific change that left him blind. Not long afterwards, he turned from a victim to a survivor and moved forward once again.
In 1995 after graduating the NJ State Commission for the Blind Business Enterprise Program, he packed his bags, kissed his family goodbye and with $500 and his cane hopped on a plane to the Great Northwest. For his first 10 years in Washington state, his business Modern Day Café provided dining services for the Western Regional Center of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. During his time running Modern Day Cafe, Robert began to explore the possibilities of stepping to a whole new level for the DSB Business Enterprise Program and Randolph Sheppard Act. In 2004, Robert was awarded the dining services contract at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, where he operated Certain Victory Food Services until 2013.
During these years of feeding the soldiers at JBLM, Robert donated his time to numerous speaking engagements to the Wounded Warriors, elementary school children on Base and was also the key note speaker for the Holiday Ball for all 600 employees of Madigan Hospital. Through this work, Robert demonstrated a commitment to providing employment opportunities for disabled workers and was recognized with outstanding performance evaluations and official thank you letters from numerous leaders on Base.
In 2011, Robert was awarded a new contract at the WA State capitol campus and opened Bobby Jayz Cafe, now operating as Chin Don Bistro. In conjunction, Robert has held the Committee Chairman position for the WA State DSB Business Enterprise Program for three terms. He now lives in Olympia, WA and is a father of two as well as author of a book titled “Certain Victory.”
January 2015 "My Journey with Hapkido-Founder Shin-Son Nim Ji, Han Jae" By Grandmaster Kenneth P. MacKenzie Edited by: Paul Heinselmann January 2015 (Adobe PDF)
May 2013 TKD Times' Person of Interest - "Vision Today for Vision Tomorrow: The story of a blind Martial Artist who brought vision to the eyes of a young warrior" By Grandmaster Kenneth P. MacKenzie & Chief Master Robert J. Ott Edited by: Karlene Dolan May 2013 (Adobe PDF)
August 2012 Martial Arts Magazine - Breathing the Martial Arts By Robert J. OttPhotos by: Christa Gillespie and Kickpics.net August 2012 (Adobe PDF)
February 2012 A Brother in the Martial Arts by Chief Master Robert J. Ott February 2012 (Adobe PDF)
August 2011 Tae Kwon Do TImes Magazine article on the Super Summer International Korean Martial Arts Seminar! August 2011 (Adobe PDF)
September 2011 Combat Magazine article on the Super Summer International Korean Martial Arts Seminar! September 2011 (Adobe PDF)
August 2011 Korea Times article on the Super Summer International Korean Martial Arts Seminar! Click here to read the Korean Version Click here to read the English Version August 2011 (Adobe PDF)
July 2011 Posture is Everything - Enter Teuk Gong Moo Sool by Master Guy E. Larke July 2011 (Adobe PDF)
June 2011 The North Korean National Tae Kwon Do Demonstration Team performs in Collingswood, NJby Chris Lachall, Courier Post June 2011 (Online News)
June 2011 N. Korean athletes display tae kwon do artistry in Collingswood by Joe Cooney, Courier Post June 2011 (Online News)
May 2011 Facing The Darkness by Master Guy E. Larke June 2011 (Adobe PDF)
April 2011 Martial arts master earns 9th degree black belt by Colleen Flaherty, Killeen Daily Herald April 2011 (Online News)
March 2011 The Evolution of 5000 Years of Martial Art Tradition written by Master Guy Edward Larke March 2011 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times May 2011 edition featuring Master John L. Godwin with an article written by Grandmaster Kenneth P. MacKenzie titled Chief Master John Godwin - 21 Century Warrior. May 2011 (Adobe PDF)
Masters Magazine article Revisiting an Ancient Education Method written by Master Guy Edward Larke. Summer 2011 (Adobe PDF)
Chun Kuk Do Magazine Published by Chuck Norris article Crossover Black Belt - The influence Chuck Norris had on my life! written by Master Guy Edward Larke. Spring 2011 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times May 2011 article Corea Ancient Craft Sword Preserving written by Sabumnim Guy Edward Larke. May 2011 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times May 2011 article The Art Of Hosting An Event written by Robert J. Ott. Click here for the screen reader friendly version. May 2011 (Adobe PDF)
Masters Magazine: Featuring an 8 page article on Chief Master Robert J. Ott titled Fighting With a Seventh Sense Written by Master Guy E. Larke. Spring 2011 (Adobe PDF)
MA Success Magazine: Everything is Bigger in Texas! Written by Scott Shaw. March 2011 (Adobe PDF)
Masters Magazine: Revisiting an Ancient Education Method Written by Master Guy E. Larke. January 2011 (Adobe PDF)
Seni Beladiri Magazine: How to choose the right Martial Arts Seminar Written by Master Guy E. Larke. January 2011 (Adobe PDF)
Masters Magazine: Fighting With a Seventh Sense 2011 Spring Edition of Masters Magazine featuring an 8 page article on Chief Master Robert J. Ott written by Master Guy E. Larke. Spring 2011 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times September 2010 featuring a revised version of the article Movers & Shakers first featured in the July 2010 edition. September 2010 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times July 2010 Martial Arts News story featuring Chief Master Robert J. Ott and Master Perry Zmugg at the Atco, NJ MacKenzie's Dojang. July 2010 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times July 2010 collectors item! A cover page story featuring the 10 Movers & Shakers of the modern day. This edition of TKDT Magazine will be one that any true instructor would want to have autographed by all 10 of the Martial Artists on the cover. Imagine having this autographed collectors item framed and hanging on the wall of your dojang! July 2010 (Adobe PDF)
TKDT Hall Of Fame January 2010 featuring Chief Master Robert J. Ott as Master of the Year and Grandmaster Kenneth P. MacKenzie as Grandmaster of the Year. January 2010 (Adobe PDF)
TKDT Magazine cover featuring Grandmaster Kenneth P. MacKenzie with an outstanding feature article written for him. Also featuring the article Running on Empty & Yet Filled with Passion by Chief Master Robert J. Ott. Winter 2010 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times Magazine: 50 Years In Martial Arts A Life Of Practice, A Practice For Life Article on Chông Kwan Jang Serge Baubil. March 2010 (PDF)
Masters Magazine: Teaching is one thing, but sharing is another . . . by Robert J. Ott Winter 2010 (Adobe PDF)
Warrior News: Martial Artist Master Ott Inspires October 2010 (Adobe PDF)
The Korea Herald: Canadian finds niche with ‘Taeglish’ by Guy Larke October 2010 (Adobe PDF)
Collingswood, NJ Book Festival: Feature on Robert J. Ott August 2010 (External Link)
Seni Beladiri Magazine: More Than Meets The Eye: The Story of A Survivor by Guy larke August 2010 (Adobe PDF)
SooToday.com: The World Honours a Saultite with Big Hands August 2010 (Adobe PDF)
Ken MacKenzie Topping OUT in Hapkido by Kevin Callahan, The Courier Post August 2010 (outside link)
Masters Magazine article Nothing More Than Feelings Fall 2010 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times article Blind Student Rediscovers TKD from the Black Belt Beginnings section which tells the inspiring and motivational stories of students climbing the rank system and achieving black belt September 2010 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times: Story featuring Chief Master Robert J. Ott and Master Perry Zmugg at the Atco, NJ MacKenzie's Dojang July 2010 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times: A Life Of Practice, A Practice For Life May 2010 (Adobe PDF)
Grandmaster Kenneth P. MacKenzie on the front cover of a Korean Newspaper! *NOTE: For those who are visually impaired and or unable to read Korean this document will not be accessible.
Recently found memorabilia: Dragon Gym 1988 article/advertisement for the Black Belt promotion under Grandmaster Goh Chae Teok December 2009 (Microsoft Word Document)
January 2010 Tae Kwon Do Times Hall of Fame featuring Chief Master Robert J. Ott, Master of the Year & Grandmaster Kenneth P. MacKenzie, Grandmaster of the Year December 2009 (Adobe PDF)
Totally Tae Kwon Do Website article - Profile on Chief Master Robert J. Ott written by Krystal Armstrong December 2009 (Adobe PDF)
Martial Arts Experts, by Robert J. Ott 2009 (Adobe PDF)
After The Fireby Robert J. Ott featuring Bully by Krystal Armstrong.
Lacey At A Glance - True Vision September 2008 (Microsoft Word Document)
A Spark That Still Remains, The Five Years of Feeding The Soldiers January, 2009 (Microsoft Word Document)
Sunshine in Salem - Speaker Shares Insight After Horrific Experience October 16, 2008 (Adobe PDF)
Courier Post - Inspirational Speaker Finds Triumph Through Tragedy October 2008 (Microsoft Word Document)
July 2008 issue of TKDT featuring Robert J. Ott on the cover. Robert also wrote the issue's featured article The Eyes of Kidokwan.
Tae Kwon Do Times - Two Legendary Masters Come to the Northwest July 2008 (Adobe PDF)
Courier Post - Robert on the cover of TKDT June 2008 (Adobe PDF)
Tae Kwon Do Times - The Eyes of Kidokwan May 2008 (Microsoft Word Document)
Fort Lewis Ranger - Despite Injury, Man Finds New Career April 2008 (Microsoft Word Document)
Courier Post - Blindness can't stop man's drive to succeed March 2008 (Microsoft Word Document)
Black Belt Magazine - Blind Martial Artist Leads Charity Event January 2007 (Microsoft Word Document)
Philadelphia Inquirer - A triumph over victimhood December 2, 2007 (Microsoft Word Document)
Nisqually Valley News - Fighting Back: Turning tragedy into triumph October 19, 2007 (Microsoft Word Document)
The Olympian - Trust fund starts for girl blinded in foster care September 4, 2007 (Microsoft Word Document)
Times Record News - Cantu encourages vision-impaired to seek employment in food industry June 8, 2007 (Microsoft Word Document)
Record Breeze May 11, 2007 (Microsoft Word Document)
Channel 6 Action News May 3, 2007 (Microsoft Word Document)
Certain Victoryby Robert J. Ott.
2009 summer edition of the Canadian Magazine Martial Arts Experts features Robert J. Ott on the cover plus an article entitled Pilsung, Certain Victory.
The Olympian - Blindness doesn't take fight out of martial artist December 12, 2006 (Web Page)
Courier Post - Blinded by bullet, he thrives June 13, 2005 (Microsoft Word Document)
Daily Local October 8, 2005 (Microsoft Word Document)
Business Examiner - Blind Ambition December 26, 2005 (Web Page)
Seattle PI - Another fresh start beckons for blind businessman August 12, 2004 (Microsoft Word Document)
Everett Herald - Blind Inspiration July 12, 2003 (Microsoft Word Document)
Black Belt magazine September 2001 (Microsoft Word Document)
Boise Weekly - Blind Justice (Microsoft Word Document)
Common Ground - The Martial Artist Who Beat The Bullet (Microsoft Word Document)
Courier Post with Ken MacKenzie (Microsoft Word Document)
Fort Lewis Guardian - Blind - With Vision (Microsoft Word Document)
Give Me a Buzz (Microsoft Word Document)
Idaho Statesman (Microsoft Word Document)
Karate International - A Martial Artist Who Exmplifies Inner Strength (Microsoft Word Document)
Magic Valley - Camp stretches students’ boundaries (Microsoft Word Document)
Metropolitan Living - A Day in the Life - Behind the scenes at the Modern Day Café (Microsoft Word Document)
Seattle Times - Still fit, still focused (Microsoft Word Document)
Tacoma News Tribune - CEO takes pride in service of feeding troops at Fort Lewis (Microsoft Word Document)
University Herald - Blind instructor opens others’ eye (Microsoft Word Document)
University Herald - Martial artist overcomes major disability (Microsoft Word Document)
Tae Kwon Do Times - Kuk Sool's "Iron Butterfly" by Jane Hallander and Terry Heaps
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