A 1995 study revealed that employers are heavily burdened by expenses associated with incidences of workplace violence and that a growing concern involved the consequences of domestic abuse. Another study noted that 87% of those individuals involved in such situations would not discuss them with their Human Resources department.    

His passion for teaching self-defense was ignited when he assisted in the instruction of Police Defensive Tactics and Women’s Self-Defense at Gateway Technical College in 1977. In the 1980’s, he wrote and self published a book called The Women’s Guide to Practical Self-Defense as a text for courses he taught at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin.

His unique background allows him the opportunity to combine his knowledge of self-defense with an academic background consisting of an Associate Degree in Police Science, a Bachelors’ Degree in Criminal Justice and a Masters’ Degree in Public Administration to produce a solid reality based approach to speaking and training. In other words, teaching the stuff that works.  

Mr. Manko is Milwaukee's only certified Systema teacher by Vladimir Vasiliev, the North American Director of Systema, and a ten-year veteran of the Russian Special Forces.