by Mary Runser
“I was extraordinarily, painfully introverted and shy,” Keith Copeland says of his childhood and teenage years, while growing up in Westland. “I lacked self confidence, couldn’t talk to a girl until I was 18 years old, that kind of thing. I never took a chance on anything and I was always backed up to the wall. I was extremely unmotivated and completely lacked direction.” Keith worked for his father, from the age of 9 until after he graduated from John Glenn High School. Keith landed a job at Hydromatic; the same factory that his father had worked in for 18 years prior to opening Copeland Topsoil. “It was a fine place to work,” he says, “I just never really wanted to be there.”

During Keith’s 15 years at Hydromatic, he also worked toward his undergraduate degree, and, due to his lack of motivation and drive, it took him 15 years to earn it. But, he completed his master’s degree in organization development and human resource management in just 18 months! He had found his passion, the science of human behavior; why people do the things they do, how they can learn more about themselves, and become who they are supposed to be. “That was totally cool!” Keith explains he had been reading self-help books for years, going to seminars and listening to tapes in an effort to improve himself as an individual, and finding this master’s degree was a perfect fit for him. Working for his father gave Keith a really good feel for what was involved in owning a business; so after graduation, he launched his own consulting company called Copeland and Associates, in which he began training Fortune 500 companies in how to understand and work with human systems to improve overall productivity.

Although he seemed to have found his niche in corporate consulting, Keith didn’t stop there. He has authored a book entitled The Path to Yourself: The Inner Search for Outer Meaning, which explains the human systems and how they work. In November 1999, Keith and his wife Donna opened Quest Martial Arts, a Stephen K. Hayes affiliated martial arts school, that specializes in the training of Ninjitsu, an ancient ninja martial art form. Though considered by many to be one of the most efficient martial arts in the world, it was not just the art form itself, but the holistic nature of the art coupled with the life skills learning that really captivated the Copelands’ attention. “It really isn’t just about punching and kicking, it’s about the whole person.”

With their extensive background in organization development, human systems and how they operate, Keith and Donna determined they did not want the martial art school to be just about a business. Rather they wanted to create a community within the school that would in turn help the community, in which the school resides, be a better place. This concept is known as community supporting community, or enlightened selfishness. “In order for me to have the best quality of life that I can have, I need to make sure that I help others around me have the best quality of life that they can have.” Keith explains.

Because of their commitment to community, Keith and Donna fully expect to open a couple of smaller schools, in order to provide an opportunity for those who work with them to continue to grow into different positions, thus continually improving the community around them. Keith also wants the community at large to understand martial arts is not just for kids. Keith says, “We have a great kids program, but we have a strong and vital adult program as well. If I had my wishes, everybody would train in this art for at least two years because there is so much that you can learn about the art and about yourself. It really is just that good.”

Quest Martial Arts
Keith Copeland
2111 Packard Rd. Ste. E
Ann Arbor, MI
Phone: 734.332.1800
Email: questcenter@sbcglobal.net